There has never been anyone in the film industry, or in the entertainment industry in general, who has had the same impact as Walter Elias Disney (1901-1966). But what many people don’t realize is that their formula for success can be easily replicated. In fact, he gave us the keys:
“Somehow I can’t believe that there are heights that a man who knows the secrets to making dreams come true cannot scale. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summed up in four C’s. They are curiosity, confidence, courage and constancy, and the greatest of all is trust. When you believe in something, believe in it to the end, implicitly and unquestioningly.” -Walt Disney.
Curiosity
Curiosity keeps us going, which is the crux of another Disney quote. It helps us persist when the chips are low. It transforms our perceptions of the world from negative reality to positive possibilities. Curiosity makes things possible because it negates the procrastinator in each of us. It is push and resistance.
Trust
Goethe famously said that “audacity has genius, power and magic”. Trust allows us to do almost anything, especially in our relationships.
Courage
All of these C’s are intrinsically linked. Courage and trust are so closely aligned; one does not appear without the other seems. How many times have we failed simply because of a lack of courage due to a lack of faith in ourselves and in what we are doing? Courage gives us the ability to do seemingly all things.
Constancy
There is nothing that will stand the test of time better than constancy of purpose if we are on the right track. If we are doing the right thing in the right way, we will reap at the right time if we don’t give up (see Galatians 6:9).
The Common Thread – Faith
The common thread of the four Cs is faith. Each of these words means something related to faith. The greatest expression of faith is perhaps the confidence that brings us back to the starting point of Disney.
We are often the only ones in the way of our own progress. Even when there are roadblocks to our goals, it is often how we view these roadblocks that further limits our potential.
Resilience is the key. This is another attribute that requires a firm foundation of faith.
Copyright © 2009, SJ Wickham. All rights reserved throughout the world.
