Every child grows up with their favorite Disney movie. Whether it's "Pocahontas" or "Hercules" or "Peter Pan," everyone has their favorite. The classics like "Bambi" and "Snow White" are what started this whole Disney life. Although Walter Elias Disney may not still be alive today, his vision and his passion is still with us every day in everything Disney. So this is for him. To the man who has been my hero for as long as I can remember.
Walt taught us that you can still win as the underdog. He held that close throughout his entire career. He grew up with a hard-working family, and that is where he got his backbone and his thick skin. He never gave up, no matter what. Even when almost everyone from his company walked out on him, and he had to start all over again. He never gave up in what he believed in.
He always stayed young-minded. He knew what audience he wanted to target to. It was young kids and their families. He was always coming up with some new voice in his head or was drawing some type of animal with clothes on it.
He's taught us to accept failure. If he had just stopped after the first time someone said no to him, then we probably wouldn't have all the amazing movies and stories we have today. He taught us that failure is a part of life. You just need to get up and keep going. He said, "You can't accomplish anything by sitting around and wait to be told everything." He was a fighter and stuck to what he believed in. He knew that he would be successful one day.
At one point, Disney almost had nobody. In the late 30's, and early 40's, the majority of his employees went on strike. He had stood up for what he believed in a little too much. Yet, he still kept going. I applaud him for that, because that is probably one of the most difficult things to come back from. When almost everyone you know turns their back on you, you feel distraught, horrible, miserable. It's the worst feeling in the world that most people would have given up on...but he didn't.
Except, there are some things in his life he could have done better, for which I don't applaud him for. For hiding out when everyone went against him. He still kept going, but he kept hidden and was secretive about what he was doing. He should have been more open to his employees and listened to them more as to what they were telling him. Employees tried warning him before the strike, but he brushed it off. He was stubborn, just like most people are. He had to have things his way or the highway.
In many ways I want to be like Walt. I want to have the same passion and the same drive as him. No, I don't want to be as stubborn or as close-minded, but to always fight for what I believe in and to never let anyone stand in my way.
So thank you, Walt Disney. Thank you for teaching me more than I could ever learn in a classroom.
