jungle jeff

Is Disney World Our Hometown?

Living in Central Florida, surrounded by Palm Trees and Sunshine is well, glorious. (That’s just wrong to write something like that in the middle of Winter, isn’t it?)

Alright, let’s try this – living next to Walt Disney World, with all it’s Theme parks, luxurious Disney resorts, stunning landscape, friendly Cast Members, spectacular entertainment, and first class dining is well, glorious.  (Okay, strike two, right?)

Well, last night I began planning today’s work.  It started with a vision for what I need to do today and how well it should be done.

Is there ever a day when we can not worry about delivering exceptional customer service, or as Disney labels it, magical Guest experiences?  No seriously, Disney has a standard where 99 out of 100 is failure. There is never a day where mediocrity is acceptable.  NEVER.

One of the secrets of great leaders is to begin the day’s work the night before.

But you already knew that, right?

Heads Or Tails?

Age-old question.

What do you think?  What’s your opinion?

“It depends,” is the first thing that comes to mind.  Mostly the long hours are worth it.  If.

If?

Yes, if.

If it drives your ego, your title, your salary, your corner office, your feeling of self-worth – then no.

If it drives your ability to make a difference: to expand your reach, your relevance, your impact – then yes.

The challenge, when you’re insanely busy, is to not confuse the two.

Any one need a quarter?

Where Do You Stand?

Do you feel like quitting, giving up, or at the very least, backing down from reaching high?

Two of our most common feelings are:

1. Dreaming Big Dreams
2. Quitting because of the obstacles

So today’s thought for you to ponder, “What’s your big dream?”

And, “Are you still passionate about it or have you given up?”

Lane 8.org

Are you satisfied?

When you wake up every day, what are some of the first things you do or think about?  Did you start thinking about today last night?

The workday begins the night before.

So last night, in thinking about yesterday’s post and the reference to the Fast Company article, I’m good with it ending the way it did.

Do you start blaming others and thinking about all the things “they” need to do? Or do you look in the mirror and analyze what you need to fix?

This will determine, in large part, your success or failure.

What was interesting was that just yesterday, these jeff noel blogs set a single day record for daily visits. It’s taken years to get “here”.

And I got here by doing stuff, not by anything else.

Be more:

• Creative than you ever have
• Focused than you ever have
• Willing to fix yourself than you ever have
• Determined than you ever have

And find your purpose.  That’s the key.  You know it and I know it. We all read about it, and listen to others talk about it.

Talk is cheap. And so is lying to ourselves.

Does Anyone Even Notice?

Continuous improvement and ongoing professional education are crucial for staying competitive and thriving in a down economy.

Rubbish.

We should be doing all we can to do stuff, not read and study stuff.

We should be doing stuff. Stuff that our gut tells us is right. Stuff that our gut tells us needs to be started yesterday.

We can read articles and attend seminars, but at some point, in my humble opinion, we need to start doing something, something more.

At the end of this post, you’ll have a link to a recent  Fast Company article about finding creative, untraditional ways to solve unsolvable problems challenges.

It’s four pages long.  I “got it” after the first page, but read the second page as well, out of guilt – for fear of looking obnoxious or boastful.  Whatever, right?

Listen, I’m so annoyed and fired up, that I need to end this post now. After some cool down time, will try again tomorrow to finish this. Well, maybe. Maybe my point has already been made.

Click here if you want to read the Fast Company thing.

PS. Just for the record, I read a ton, in between doing stuff and getting uncommon results.

Disney Parks Magic Kingdom

A little fun and celebration from the happiest place on earth, Disney.

Click here to go to Disney Parks Blog and the video of Drew Brees and Mickey Mouse leading the Magic Kingdom Parade.

Mickey Mouse and Drew Brees share the Parade Motorcade lead vehicle, in this very brief (23 sec) Disney video.

Have a Magical and Wonderful day.

Time For Business Week?

“Guest Blogger” today is Alaina Love from The Purpose Link, sharing her Business Week article: “You Can Lead. But Can You Inspire?”

Click here to read about the ten attributes senior managers need to lead their organizations through the recession and the demoralizing consequences on their workforce.

You see it and hear it every day. In the world news and in the hallways of your own organization. There are demoralizing consequences from this brutal recession.

We are way past managing in today’s world. You know it and I know it. The antidote is inspiration.

Which leads us back to the original question, “Is there a doctor in the house?”

Here’s a Disneyland You Tube Jungle Cruise Video, reportedly from 1956.

Fast forward to January 1982. Orlando, Florida. Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park. Straw hat, 100% polyester Disney costume, Disney haircut, Disney smile, ten-minute Disney spiel in hand.

Humor was not the focus in 1956, as it was when I was a Disney Jungle Cruise Skipper, “jungle jeff“, at The Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom Park in 1982.

Most Jungle Cruise Skippers added a word, like “jungle” in front of their real name, as part Disney tradition and part Disney show. All these years later, it still means something.  FUN!

Lizard Brain?

What the?  Lizard breath?

Yes. Weird titles can be effective. Sometimes. Today’s post is about helping us understand our inherent resistance to change, even though we know change is the way.

What about providing links to other bloggers who are smarter, more successful and have way more readers than you?

What about it?  Who cares, really? You may find Seth Godin more real and more something else. You may not.

And I don’t mean bullcrap phony real. We’re talkin’, “As real as the day is long” real.

Seth Godin’s thinking is brilliant. Have had a link to his blog on the right hand column for a long time. Seth Godin’s thinking inspires me, and countless others.

Click here to go to Seth Godon’s blog post from yesterday.

Anyone need a mint?

Trust You Instinct

This excerpt is from a Speakers and Panelist LinkedIn Group Member, Stephen J Stulic. Relevant and powerful:

“Seek and Welcome Opportunities That Move You Closer To Realizing Your Full Potential.

Be ready when opportunity knocks. And sometimes, by taking strategic advantage of several small opportunities, you may move closer to realizing your full potential more quickly than waiting for one big one to come along.

Therefore, do not be content to wait for a single opportunity to be all that you want it to be; they come in all shapes and sizes and quite often come disguised as something you would not normally expect.

A person truly centered in understanding what he wants will make more opportunities than he finds.

So, when any opportunity to become more is presented to you, be prepared to make the most of it and take action.

Follow your instincts; there is nothing more discouraging than waiting back on your heels as an opportunity ceases to be one.”