Failure Story: Walt Elias Disney

Few people in the twentieth century had a greater influence on both the entertainment industry and popular culture than Walter Elias Disney. His numerous innovations include the first synchronized sound cartoons, the first full-length animated feature film, and the theme park. Mickey Mouse, his most famous creation, has become a cultural icon around the world. His films celebrating the triumph of the underdog and the simple charms of small-town life captured the imaginations and fueled the dreams of six generations. While Disney's trademarks were wholesomeness and nostalgic sentimentality, the forces that shaped this maverick movie mogul and his empire were much darker and more complex. Even the unhappiest of beginnings can’t hold you back when you have drive and determination.

"If you can dream it, you can do it."-Walter Elias Disney

Meet Walt Disney. You’ve heard the name before, whether from the beloved mouse who’s graced our TV and movie screens for almost a century, to Frozen and a whole slew of animated and live-action movies our kids beg us to watch repeatedly.

Disney never set out to become a household name, even though that’s what happened. His beginnings have a lot more to do with escaping from a bad situation and trying to find his place in the world.

Walt Disney grew up with a father who was so cruel and abusive that Walt's older brothers couldn't wait to leave.

Walt himself escaped before he was even fully grown. He lied about his age to escape and join the army as an ambulance driver during WWI.

With such a rocky start, it's no surprise that young Walt kept drawing to keep his sanity in difficult times. After the war, he attempted to make a living from his drawings, first as an apprentice at an animation studio, then later in his studio, which he established with the assistance of his brother. He was a colossal failure.

Disney, not one to be deterred by failure, dug in his heels and tried again. He set up shop in California, which he saw as the film industry's future. Here, he was successful with Oswald, a popular cartoon rabbit. So did the shady people he was working with. His animators were taken from under him, as was the character he created.

Most people would have given up somewhere around here.

Walt, not so much.

Instead, he made a mouse named Mickey and carried on.

Disney never stopped since. With Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, he attempted a full-length animated film, which was a huge success. On the other hand, he experimented with films that were considered flops, such as Fantasia and Pinocchio. His career had its ups and downs. Everything that could go wrong did when he opened Disneyland. He simply dug in and worked harder to ensure that it became the success he knew it could be.

Many lessons can be drawn from Walt Disney's life. First and foremost, it makes no difference where you begin. The goal is to get going. Second, you cannot allow adversity to bring you down. Simply pull yourself up and move forward without looking back.

"I hate to see downbeat pictures," Disney said shortly before his death. I know life isn't like that, and I don't want anyone to tell me otherwise." Millions of his fans agreed, and his adoration helped him become one of the most popular and influential figures in postwar American culture. And as the studio he founded continues to produce films with his personal touch, Disney's magic will undoubtedly touch the lives of many more generations to come."

Keep going, no matter where you are in life. The only thing that can stop you is yourself.