Walt Disney - The Secrets To His Success
Walt Disney was a pioneering innovator with the vision, passion and drive to make dreams come true. In his lifetime he created a brand and empire that is still widely recognised today -- 40 plus years after his death. So what was the secret behind Disney's success?
Dream Big
Walt Disney was a man of dreams. Not ordinary dreams -- but big dreams with the power to inspire others to also dream. These big dreams gave Disney the ability to make the impossible possible. “It's kind of fun to do the impossible,” he once said.
Disney's ability to dream big was the key to many of his successes -- including the creation of the world's first fully-synchronized sound cartoon, the use of colour in animations and TV, the making of the first full-length animated feature and building the world’s first theme park.
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” he said. “If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse.”
Believe In Yourself
Disney’s success teaches us the importance of believing in our potential to manifest our dreams -- regardless of what others may say.
At times Disney’s dreams were so big even those closest to him found it hard to believe in them. For example, when Disney had plans to make a full-length animated feature of the classic story Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, everyone in Hollywood thought he was crazy. Even his wife and brother tried to convince him to abandon the project.
But Disney refused to give up on his dream. He said, “When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.” The film premiered to a standing ovation, became the most successful motion picture of 1938, grossed today’s equivalent of $98 million and won Disney eight Oscars -- a big one and seven little ones.
Similarly, when Disney made plans to create the world’s first theme park, he was told that such an idea would be a complete disaster and waste of money.
However, Disney continued in pursuit of his dream. “We believed in our idea,” said Disney. “We did it in the knowledge that most of the people I talked to thought it thought it would be a financial disaster -- closed and forgotten within the first year.”
When Disneyland opened in 1955 it was an immediate success, and has since been visited by kings, queens, diplomats, dignitaries and millions of visitors from all around the world. It’s success led to the creation of similar theme parks in Florida, France and Japan.
“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them” -- Walt Disney
Develop A Strong Brand
Recognising that a strong brand and unique product line are the keys to dominating any market, Disney was always looking for new and innovative ways to get his brand in front of his target audience. He used print, television, direct mail, and even grocery stores to achieve this objective. This ensured that overtime, the ‘Disney’ brand became widely recognised.
A good example of Disney’s marketing expertise is the opening of Disneyland in July 1955. The event was an invitation-only gala attended by the press, celebrities and dignitaries. Recognising this as a unique opportunity to leverage the big names of the time and further promote the Disney brand, the whole event was televised live to an estimated 90 million viewers.
Understanding the power of leverage, as soon as the Disney brand had been firmly established Walt Disney and his brother set about creating a range of merchandise -- watches, toys, t-shirts, etc -- and theme park attractions based around popular Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Pluto, as well as locations taken from Disney films/cartoons.
Never Give Up
Disney was no stranger to adversity. His first two businesses were unsuccessful and when he took the train from Kansas to Hollywood with only $40, some drawing materials, a few ideas and a big dream, he had no way of knowing what the future held for him.
However, Walt Disney’s ability to focus on his desired future -- regardless of what was happening in the present -- gave him the strength to overcome life’s minor setbacks and manifest his dreams into reality.
Speaking from experience Disney once said “You may not realise it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”
It was whilst on a train after just loosing the rights to Oswald The Lucky Rabbit plus most of his staff that Walt Disney created his most successful character -- Mickey Mouse.
“Mickey Mouse popped out of my mind onto a drawing pad 20 years ago on a train ride from Manhattan to Hollywood at a time when business fortunes of my brother Roy and myself were at lowest ebb and disaster seemed right around the corner,” Disney said.
Faced with many setbacks and disappointments Disney never gave up on his dreams. This is how he created success that continues today.
“All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles have strengthened me.” he said.
From this statement we learn the importance of never giving up or losing sight of our dreams.
For more on Walt Disneys' success secrets and acheivements, click on the following link:
Walt Disney - The Multiple Failure
Walt Disney - From Failure To Success
Walt Disney - Success Secrets
Walt Disney - Inspirational Quotes
How Walt Disney Made His Millions
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