Try to imagine a world without Walt Disney. A world without his magic, optimism and childlike fantasy. Walt Disney pioneered the fields of animation[1], and transformed the entertainment world. He did more to touch the hearts, minds, and emotions of millions of Americans than any other person in the past century.

The man who had one of the most fertile imaginations in history, who managed to turn his musings[2] into a billion dollar company and whose legacy would continue to live on for decades after his death, was born Walter Elias Disney on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. The family quickly moved from the increasingly dangerous city of Chicago to Marceline, Missouri, where they purchased a farm.

It was on the farm where Disney first discovered his passion for drawing when a retired doctor who lived next door to the family paid Disney to draw pictures of his horse.

In school, Disney was an average student, with a penchant for doodling rather than listening to his teachers.[3] During high school, he also occupied his time drawing patriotic cartoons for the school newspaper. And, when he could find enough time, he would attend night classes at the Chicago Art Institute.

At 16, Disney finally dropped out of school to join the army, only to be rejected for being too young. He then decided to forge his birth certificate and join the American Red Cross Ambulance Corps, but by the time he finished his training, the First World War had ended. Disney decided to stay in France and worked as an ambulance driver, all the while continuing to spend his spare time drawing, completely covering his ambulance with his own cartoon creations. After two years, Disney grew lonely in Europe and returned to America, where he decided to finally pursue his passion seriously.

Upon returning, Disney immediately went to see his family; he wanted to share with them his newfound dreams of becoming an artist. But, his father did not support his career choice. Then, with the help of his older brother, Roy, Disney found work making print ads at the Pesemen-Rubin Art Studio and continued experimenting with animation. He soon found himself fascinated with the possibilities of animation and knew he had finally found his niche[4].

At last, he created the world’s first multimedia empire and he did it by making people smile. An entrepreneur with a natural flair[5] for animation, Disney became one of the world’s most well-known and respected entertainers. What was the secret behind the magic?

He followed his dreams: “You reach a point where you don’t work for money,” Disney said. He reached that point early on in his career; he had pursued his passion to the point where he had made it successful and his work became a pleasure. He encountered obstacles and discouragement at every step of the way, but was passionate and courageous enough to continue working towards his goals in spite of everything. “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me,” he said.

He was creative: “I first saw the site for Disneyland back in 1953,” said Disney. “In those days it was all flat land—no rivers, no mountains, no castles or rocket ships—just orange groves, and a few acres of walnut trees.” Where others saw a blank canvas, Disney saw a work of art. He noticed opportunities where others had not even been looking. It was his creativity and his fertile imagination that enabled him to sustain a decades-long successful career.

He seized control: After an early learning experience, Disney quickly came to understand the importance of having creative control and legal ownership of his work. Once he had become his own boss, Disney prided himself on his management skills, maintaining a hands-on approach while still giving his employers a degree of independence. By taking control of his own business, Disney steered[6] himself to success.

He was selective: “You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth[7] may be the best thing in the world for you,” said Disney. Despite his success, Disney was not without his failures. He, too, had to learn the difference between passion and blind faith. While passion was a crucial ingredient to his success, Disney grew to understand that passion and business did not always go hand in hand and that success required sacrifice.

Disney died on December 15, 1966 but his legacy carries on to this day. As a producer, director and animator, Disney created one of the world’s most recognized and cherished brands. To other budding entrepreneurs, he says this: “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”