Why Walt didn't worry, and why you shouldn't, either.

Walt Disney knew and understood how to tell a good story. He told stories that people would remember and talk about, and many of them became classics. One thing that everyone who ever met Walt would tell you is that he would do whatever it took to tell the story the best he possibly could. The Davy Crockett production is one that is certainly a Disney classic. The story of Davy Crockett played well on the big screen and on television. It became a story that produced a hit song, sold merchandise, and made a sensation of star Fess Parker. But the journey to get the story to the screen was slow.

At one point the production was running three weeks behind schedule with another week to go. The director, Norman Foster, was under tremendous pressure. He was trying to get it done well, but at the same time he was carrying the weight of costing the studio money and running way behind. As his stress continued to build, he feared that the studio was growing more and more impatient with his progress. Then word leaked out that Walt Disney was going to be visiting the set the next day.

Norman knew that the ax was getting ready to fall. He was a director who couldn’t get the project done and the boss was coming to fire him. It happened all the time and he knew in some ways it was inevitable. Removing a director who had gone over-budget was a common reaction for a Hollywood studio and now it was his turn to be replaced. The night before Disney’s visit Norman went around and told the actors and the crew goodbye. He knew that the following day Walt would be there and introduce the new director to the cast.

High anticipation charged every moment of the next morning as they continued work on the film. Soon, a long black Cadillac was seen coming down the dusty road leading to the set. The word spread like wildfire that Disney was there. Norman Foster was busy setting up the last shots they would get in before lunch and which, with a heavy heart, he knew were destined to be the final shots he would be putting on film.

While whispers announced in hushed tones, “Walt’s here …”, Norman carried on with his work.

Disney arrived, along with his wife and a couple they were staying with on their visit. People greeted Walt, and the cast and crew made their boss feel at home. He seemed pleasant and his mood was light. Engaging and talking to everyone around him, Walt moved about the set enjoying his visit. Norman ignored them and stayed busy with his work. Walt then approached and watched from a slight distance as Norman directed the set up of the scene, giving him room to do what needed to be done.

Finally Walt walked up and stood next to him.

“Hello, Norm,” Walt said.

Norman turned and acted surprised as he smiled, “Oh, hello Walt.”

The two men shook hands and Norman continued, “I heard you were coming.”

Walt nodded and looked around. The lull in the conversation was awkward and uncomfortable, so once again Norman spoke up to fill the void.

“How does the stuff look?” He was asking for Walt’s take on the film they had already shot and sent back for approval.

“OK,” said Walt, “except for one thing.”

Uh-oh, Norman thought. This was it! This was the moment that Walt was going to fire him. He braced for the moment and listened.

“You know that scene where Fess wrestles with the bear?” Walt paused. “I want you to retake that scene. The bear’s zipper was showing.”

Norman didn’t get fired. Walt knew the footage looked good and he knew that they were making something very special. He was willing to give the director time to get the story done and he wanted to actually add some production time to make the story better (and get footage without the zipper). It was about telling the story well … very well … and sometimes to do that he understood it would take time.

Your life and my life is a story in the making. Sometimes we think it is taking too long to develop or we wish we could change direction because it isn’t moving fast enough. Don’t get in a hurry and allow each moment of each day to be lived to the fullest. In doing so you are making sure that the story others are seeing in you is a story worth watching … a story about someone who isn’t so busy trying to live life that they have quit living altogether. You have a story to tell … tell it well.

Norman Foster had worried himself into thinking he had lost his job, although he was the only person who had ever thought that thought. The worry had turned into an anxious day, some premature good-byes, and avoiding Walt until Disney eventually sought him out. Walt Disney said it this way:

Why worry? If you’ve done the very best you can, worrying about it won’t make it any better. I worry about many things, but not about water over the dam.

Walt knew that worry can rob you of the joy of the moment, it can rob you of your ability to accomplish what you are trying to do, and worry can become a barrier that can stop your progress as you chase dreams and discover what you are supposed to be. Life does not offer you a rewind, but you can find redemption. Worrying about mistakes, the past, and what could have been or might be prevents you from experiencing it.

Surrounded by the stories and legends of the Old West on display and remembering what Walt said leads us to another Disney-Driven Life lesson. This lesson reminds us of how important it is not to let worry immobilize us. Worry is like a rocking chair; it uses up all your energy, but when you are done, you’ve gotten nowhere and you’re still in the same place you started. Mathematically speaking, it doesn’t make sense to worry. Although the numbers will shift based on which research you are studying, psychologists tell us that roughly 30 percent of what we worry about never happens, another 30 percent has already happened, 12 percent is about unfounded health concerns, and an additional 20 percent involves “sweating the small stuff” of life. That leaves only 8 percent. We worry 92 percent of the time for no good reason at all.

Walt nailed it when he said, “worrying about it won’t make it any better.” Living without worry frees you to do the stuff that can potentially become legendary. Living with worry can prevent you from accomplishing anything at all.

Continued in "The Disney-Driven Life"!

Why the sun always shines on Main Street, U.S.A., even when it's raining.

Stepping onto Main Street, U.S.A. gives you a sense that you are walking in a place of boundless possibilities. The attraction and lure is that anything can be accomplished and it won’t be long. The endless optimism of your surroundings reminds you that the glass is always half full on Main Street.

This is the perfect place to begin your journey deeper into the Magic Kingdom. The vision for this street was born in the memories of Walt Disney. The Imagineers tell you that Walt wanted Main Street to embody the American spirit. It is the kind of place where the people you meet are friendly, most are in festive moods, hard work is valued, and the dreams of a better life are alive and well. In many ways it reflects Walt’s love of country and the hopeful message he always strived to convey through his work.

There is a lot more to see on Main Street that we just don’t have time to explore on this trip. Any adventure into the Magic Kingdom forces you to make choices as to what you will do and not do on any particular visit. Our tour this day is no different. Another trip might give us time to spend a few minutes at the fire station. The Engine Co. 71 sign over the second story is a reference to the opening date of the Magic Kingdom in 1971. You may have noticed the windows on the storefronts along the street seem closer to the ground than the time period might indicate. It is on purpose, because Walt wanted children to be able to see inside. If you are need of a trim, visit the real working barber shop, the Harmony Barber Shop. Periodically throughout the day, you can get a haircut as you are serenaded by a talented barber shop quartet, the Dapper Dans.

The music you notice in the background on Main Street not only represents the time period but evokes a sense of optimism. It is up tempo with a bit of a bounce. It compels you to move but also adds to your mood. It would be nice to spend more time here, though if you did you would never get off the street, because there is so much to take in.

Before we leave, allow me to share one more story. Walt Disney once said:

Think beyond your lifetime, if you want to do something truly great. Make a fifty-year master plan. A fifty-year master plan will change how you look at the opportunities in the present.

The people who knew Walt, the people who have studied his life, and the people who have enjoyed the things Walt created all agree that he was a man with incredible vision. Bob Matheison, former vice president of theme park operations, recalled:

Walt was always way ahead of the rest of us. After dealing with Disneyland and its limited space issues, we all had a hard time grasping Walt’s vision for Walt Disney World in Florida.

In fairness to those working with him, the so-called “Florida Project” had thousands of acres to work with and the people who were helping plan and design the park were challenged with how big and massive Disney World would really be.

One day, as the design team met in their California “war room”, Walt grew more and more irritated because everyone was thinking “way too small” and felt they were limiting what they could create. Finally he had enough and erupted at the room:

The trouble is that you aren’t thinking far enough ahead! We are just beginning! You have to think beyond Disney World! We haven’t even begun to think big!

That is the kind of vision Walt Disney had. History reminds us that even though he imagined Disney World in Florida, he never lived long enough to see it opened. On the park’s opening day in 1971, someone commented to Mike Vance, creative director of Walt Disney Studios: “Isn’t it too bad Walt Disney didn’t live to see this?” (Walt died five years before Disney World opened to the public.) Vance replied simply, “He did see it … that’s why it’s here.”

The ability that Walt had as a visionary was truly a gift. Most people just don’t have that kind of vision. But at the beginning of this chapter there was a quote from Walt about designing a plan. The advice is simple: with a plan you operate and see the opportunities around you differently. For many of us that would be a good place to start. A large number of people float through life loaded with great intentions. There is always a desire to do some really good things … eventually. Sadly, most never get around to doing anything. That is the problem with intentions. Intentions don’t accomplish much.

One of the things we should try to do as we live lives is to remember that direction (not intention) gets us to our destination. In other words, if we desire to get to a certain destination in life, then we had better set our course in the right direction. That is a plan. That is a roadmap. You might not always make the destination you were aiming at, but one thing is for sure: you were moving forward and you made some progress.

You were created to make a difference, you are not an accident, you are here for a purpose. Don’t waste a life by floating on good intentions. Set your direction and get moving!

Continued in "The Disney-Driven Life"!