It Starts with Passion, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 8What’s the big picture for you?

Have you ever had the opportunity to visit Disneyland? The last time I went I purchased a book called WALT … The story of Walt Disney. The seed for Disneyland was planted when Walt would take his daughters, Sharon and Diane, to an amusement park or to Santa Monica Pier on the weekend.

Disappointed with the dirtiness of their facilities and how they were operated, he thought there must be a better way for families to connect and have fun together. It was this idea that inspired him to dream a dream that has made 630 million people happier, including a number of us reading this book.

For Walt Disney that initial seed soon bore fruit. In 1953 he purchased 160 acres of orange groves and walnut trees south of Los Angeles. Walt drew up his plans and costed out his dream and then went about securing the funding to turn his dream into a reality. In 1953, $17 000 000 was a lot of money, and do you know what? It still is today! So Walt, in his best suit, his grand plans under his arm, a clear vision in his head and passion in his heart, approached the first bank.

Now I’m not sure just how the conversation went, but you could imagine that after he had made his pitch with enthusiasm, the exchange was most likely something like, ‘So what you want to do, Mr Disney, is to bulldoze the income-producing orange and almond trees on your 160 acres an hour and a half outside LA and build an amusement park that you hope people will come to?’

‘Yes!’

‘You ...