The WALT DISNEY TRAIN RIDE IN 1928

Walt Disney is a favorite of mine and many others. He gave us so many great films and top notch amusement parks. The world is in his debt.

Most people think that Walt Disney had it good all his life - great films, great theme parks, lots of money. He had it easy, right? Wrong!

Before Walt made it big, he went through some very tough times!

As many of you probably know Walt started as an animator. He loved making cartoons. By the age of 26, he and his brother, lead an impressive team of animators. They were making very successful cartoons titled Oswald the Lucky Rabbit for Charles Mintz. In Feb 1928 Walt took a train from Hollywood, CA to New York to negotiate a higher fee for animating the Oswald cartoons, but things didn't turn out so well for him.

Upon arrival he found out that Mintz wanted to reduce his fee and that most of his main animators were going to leave him. Mintz had hired them away. Only one animator, Ubbe Iwerks, refused to leave Walt.

Walt was on his own and without a character to draw since Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was the property of Mintz.

Can you imagine? You take a train across the country thinking you are going to make more money in a business you love, with a team you adore, only to find out that you essentially have lost almost everything. Talk about disappointment.

How do you think Walt handled that train ride back? Do you think he put his head in his hands and started moping? No. On the return train ride he immediately created a new character. However, this character could never be taken away from him.

Know which character he came up with? That's right! The character was Mickey Mouse. (It was actually Mortimer Mouse, but his wife made him change it to Mickey.)

Take a look at this quote from Walt 20 years after creating Mickey Mouse.

"Mickey Mouse popped out of my mind onto a drawing pad 20 years ago on a train ride from Manhattan to Hollywood at a time when business fortunes of my brother Roy and myself were at lowest ebb and disaster seemed right around the corner."

Walt made it through what was arguably the absolute lowest point of his career. He didn't give up. Do you feel the same way some days? I bet there are days that you just want to give up. Don't give up. Keep moving forward and keep working towards your dream. You will make it through.

Scott Postma

Also read: Take Action and Practice, Use your mind, Never Give Up, 3 Seasons of Life, A Touching Story and Every Story

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