Author: jeff noel

Retired Disney Institute Keynote Speaker and Prolific Blogger. Five daily, differently-themed personal blogs (about life's 5 big choices) on five interconnected sites.

Amazon Best Selling Author Tips

Peggy McColl and Steve Harrison are trying to help writers become best selling authors.

How do I know? Because it is of great personal interest.

You may not have aspirations to become a best selling author. That’s ok.

You may not have aspirations to be a great leader. That’s ok too.

But please don’t complain when you look back on your life and say you shoulda, woulda or coulda. That’s not ok. Okay?

Craig

Yeah, I definitely have to get past a certain mind-set. In primary school, I thought, I don’t want to stop with a Bachelor’s degree. So, what’s left? A masters?
Life, to me, was a series of accomplishments. Milestones were degrees. I equated social class with them. I’m getting over it (still haven’t given up on the MBA goal though, maybe I will). It was definitely an entitlement mentality – If I fulfill these requirements, then these are owed to me. Just like little league. As long as I play, I’ll get a trophy. I’ve seen many places that chalk that up to Millenials.
I had all the right opportunities, but took away some of the wrong lessons.
I had this false sense of security – I’d find a job where I’d be for 35 years until I retired. Who cares what is was, it was stable.
I think that’s why I was so good at tests. If I knew how to work the system, who cares what I was learning. Who cares about the lessons and principles, as long as I was passing the tests.
Drastic wake-up call when I got to college and really hated what I was doing. Then what did I have to fall back on? Taking tests?
Taking tests in what? Well they got me into college. Got me good scholarships too. But, do you really have to work hard to do well at tests? Not really.
But you do have to work hard at the application of the principles. Ugh…it was easier to just pass the tests.OK, got that stream of consciousness out of the way. Can you tell I’m not a fan of standardized testing? If you have a chance, check out John Taylor Gatto. I intend to. If he hasn’t spoken at TEDTalks yet, he needs to. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Taylor_Gatto

Disney College Program?

Yes, Disney does indeed have a Disney College Program.

The link above is a great place to start.

Most of us can count a decent number of “life’s milestones”.

First job.  First paycheck.  First car.  First kiss.  High School Graduation.

I remember my first real paycheck in the Summer of 1975.  I was a stock boy and order puller, in an electrical parts warehouse – one that Commercial Contractors, General Contractors, and other businesses would use to buy electrical supplies at wholesale prices.

And I also remember the Winter of 1982. January 25, to be exact.

Landing in Orlando, from frosty, south central Pennsylvania, I was immediately enamoured with the palm trees and sunshine.

I hitch-hiked from the airport until I finally found Snow White Campground, near a town called Kissimmee, on Seven Dwarfs Lane.  It was behind the KOA Campground near 192 & 535.

For the next eight months, I was a college intern at The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Technically, I was also a fifth year college senior, because I changed my major and made a few “mistakes”.  It ultimately took nearly seven years for that four-year degree, but that’s another tale.  🙂

It was such a great experience to be a Jungle Cruise skipper at the Magic Kingdom.  I mean, how could it not be?  Straw hat, microphone, polyester costume, Disney smile….

Anyway, I digress.  “Oh look, a bird”.

A dream is a wish your heart makes.

Never let your memories be bigger than your dreams.

Here I am, all these years later, back in Central Florida, traveling the world, working as a catalyst for positive organizational change.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂