No chipped paint…
“The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.”
-John Scully, former CEO of Pepsi and Apple Computer
One of the great dreamers of the twentieth century was Walt Disney. Any person who could create the first sound cartoon, first all-color cartoon, and first animated feature-length motion picture is definitely someone with vision. But Disney’s greatest masterpieces of vision were Disneyland and Walt Disney World. And the spark for that vision came from an unexpected place.
Back when Walt’s two daughters were young, he used to take them to an amusement park in the Los Angeles area on Saturday mornings. His girls loved it, and he did too. An amusement park is a kid’s paradise, with wonderful atmosphere: the smell of popcorn and cotton candy, the gaudy colors of signs advertising rides, and the sound of kids screaming as the roller coaster plummets over a hill.
The carousel especially captivated Walt. As he approached it, he saw a blur of bright images racing around to the tune of energetic calliope music. But when he got closer and the carousel stopped, he could see that his eye had been fooled. He observed shabby horses with cracked and chipped paint. And he noticed that only the horses on the outside row moved up and down. The others stood lifeless, bolted to the floor.
The cartoonist’s disappointment inspired him with a grand vision. In his mind’s eye he could see an amusement park where the illusion didn’t evaporate, where children and adults could enjoy a carnival atmosphere without the seedy side that accompanies some circuses or traveling carnivals. His dream became Disneyland. As Larry Taylor stated in Be an Orange, Walt’s vision could be summarized as, “No chipped paint. All the horses jump.”
Vision is everything. It is utterly indispensable. Why? Vision leads. It paints the target. It sparks the fire within, and draws people forward. It is also the fire lighter for others who follow. Show me someone without vision, and I will show you someone who is not going anywhere. At best, that person is traveling in circles.
True vision is far reaching. It goes beyond what one individual can accomplish. And if it has real value, it does more than just include others; it adds value to them.
What have you done this week to add value to another’s life?
“Success on any major scale requires you to accept responsibility…In the final analysis, the one quality that all successful people have is the ability to take on responsibility.”
-Michael Korda, Editor-in-chief of Simon & Schuster
Have a great week!