I am awestruck by the Disney fan’s loyalty to the brand. This is virtually unparalleled. Why does this media company hold such power? I would offer that part of the reason is a legacy promoting that everyone is creative. How can one not be flattered and feel special with such a pitch?
To that end, the Disney Company tries to provide entertainment that reaffirms the best qualities of life and the human condition. There has been a sense that their products, from animated film to vacation resorts, are motivated by a genuine concern and respect for people. Plus, they have created an image that they are dedicated to the community and the recognition of the positive impact they can have on the world.
Walt Disney said, “Somehow I can’t believe there are many heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secret of making dreams come true.” He was fond of saying that this secret could be summarized in four Cs: Curiosity, Confidence, Courage, and Constancy. He added, “The greatest of these is Confidence. When you believe a thing, believe it all over, implicitly, and unquestioningly.” Philosopher-psychologist Erich Fromm agreed and suggested that, “Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.”
In 1963, Walt Disney said, “The American child is sensitive, humorous, open-minded, eager to learn, and has a strong sense of excitement, energy, and healthy curiosity about the world in which he lives. Lucky indeed is the grown-up who manages to carry these same characteristics into adult life. That’s the real trouble with the world. Too many people grow up. They forget. They don’t remember what it’s like to be twelve years old. ”
In front of a group of animators and other creative talents at Pixar, director Brad Bird agreed with Walt and said, “A lot of us in this room have not grown up–and I mean that in the best way. The conundrum is how to become mature and become reliable while at the same time preserving your childlike wonder. People have come up to me many times, as I’m sure has happened to many people in this room, and said, ‘Gee, I wish I could be creative like you. That would be something, to be able to draw.’ But I believe that everyone begins with the ability to draw. Kids are instinctively there. But a lot of them unlearn it. Or people tell them they can’t or it’s impractical. So yes, kids have to grow up, but maybe there’s a way to suggest that they could be better off if they held on to some of their childish ideas.”
Author Ray Bradbury, a good friend of Walt Disney, was asked if Walt was an optimist. Bradbury responded that Walt was not an optimist but an optimal behaviorist, a person who believes that “I behave at the top of my powers. Whatever gifts God gave me, I’ve tried to find out what they are, and make the best use of all my talents.” To achieve this state of mind, Bradbury suggested, “I ask of you and others optimal behavior, and if you behave every day, and get your work done, and do it with love, at the end of a day, a week, a month, a year, whatever, you have a feeling of optimism – because you have done your work. He summed up his view of Walt’s optimism by stating, “Optimism cannot come first; behavior comes first, and out of behavior comes happiness.”
As a result, Walt Disney noted, “Whatever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it they will want to come back and see you do it again and they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do.”
Do you consider yourself creative? Do you have that Disney optimism?
You must be logged in to post a comment.