Tag: vision

What does EPCOT stand for?

What does EPCOT stand for?

Every Person Comes Out Tired!

What?

Just kidding.  You can take the boy out of the Jungle Cruise, but you can’t take the Jungle Cruise out of the boy.

EPCOT stands for Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow.

That’s what Walt Disney called Walt Disney World, before it was officially named Walt Disney World.  The entire 43-square mile piece of alligator, snake and mosquito infested swampland he called EPCOT.

He said it would never be completed.  He added, “The sketches and plans you see here are simply a starting point. Our first overall thinking.”  As he continued, “Our plans may change time and time again.”  He gave us permission to take his crazy, “impossible” vision and find the best way to get to our destination – “that EPCOT will always be a showcase for American ingenuity.”

And so it is with me.  And with you too.  Who wouldn’t want to always be in a state of becoming.  Always changing and growing -serving more people in more ways.  Then those people go out and do the same.  We know this as “the ripple effect”.

Who’s helping you?   Who’s holding you accountable?

At last week’s National Speakers Association Winter Conference, prior to the opening Keynote speech from Roxanne Emmerich ( https://www.emmerichgroup.com/ ), author of  “Thank God It’s Monday:  Kicking Butt and Taking Names to Grow Your Business”, we were asked to find one or two accountability partners.  It was great to establish this upfront.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff  🙂

What’s the paradox of risk?

Why take a risk? Aren’t risks dangerous?  “Yes, and”.

Risks can lead to breakthroughs.  Risks can catapault a product or service into market domination – into brand recognition so great, it makes the product or service a household name.  Risks can enhance your career.  We can even argue that rewards are directly proportional to the risk involved.  Not always, but mostly it’s so.

Why not take a risk? And the obvious, biggest reason?  What if we fail? This makes it hard to be risky.  What a paradox.

Risks can catapult us or destroy us.

Will this paradox frighten us or challenge us?

Will we act, or retreat?

Will we “walk the talk” or feel the guilt of hypocrisy?

Will we lead or follow?

These questions can only be answered by you and me, individually, in our own realities.

My personal reality is I’m insanely busy.   Additionly, I don’t like to fail.  Do you?  It really makes me look bad in front of my boss, my boss’s boss, my peers, my Customers, my finance manager, etc.

Today, I promise to take risks.  Whether they be small, medium or large, I vow to take them today.  And tomorrow.  And all week.  All year even.  How about, “until I die.”

Walt Disney was the consumate risk taker.  My 35 years as a business professional have inspired me to ask, “What would Walt Disney do?”

As the Mastercard commercial catch phrase states, “What’s in your wallet?’

Make it a GREAT day!  Because if you don’t who will?

Hey everyone, I’ve enjoyed having you read this.  I hope you’ve enjoyed being had.  Now that’s classic Jungle Cruise “humor”.   Or not.  🙂  Respectfully, jungle jeff

Walt Disney said so

‘It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”

“If you can dream it, you can do it.”

“Laughter is no enemy to learning.”

When was the last time you had the chance to hear someone speak to your organization who really created positive energy and excitement?  When the goals you dream start to seem within reach, because your speaker inspired you to clarify your vision, and communicate it in a way that inspires interest and creates followers?  When you start to actually believe that anything is possible?

If it’s been recent, great!  That’s awesome news.

Walt Disney was a genius.  But you already knew that, right?

Make 2009 GREAT!  Because if you don’t, who will?

Carpe diem,  jungle jeff  🙂