26. Author Jeff Barnes on The Wisdom of Walt

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It’s easy to look at Walt Disney’s life as one success after another, but it’s hardly that simple. He failed repeatedly and faced serious doubts from his associates and family about every big move. Even a legendary place like Disneyland received a lot of cynicism when it opened. Walt’s belief in that park held true despite the initial challenges, and there are many similar examples from his life. In his book The Wisdom of Walt, Jeff Barnes found inspiration from Walt’s history that applies to our life today. He presents life lessons that connect to more than just Disney fans.

In the latest episode of The Tomorrow Society Podcast, Barnes joins me to talk about The Wisdom of Walt, teaching a college course on the history of Disneyland, and his upcoming book Beyond the Wisdom of Walt. Jeff’s personal story has included quite a few challenges, especially a brain tumor discovered several years ago. We discuss how those obstacles inspired him to write the book. Once he decided to take the plunge, Barnes completed the book in 142 days. Considering all the research that’s part of the book, that’s a surprisingly quick time frame.

Beyond the Wisdom of Walt will focus on Walt Disney World and the achievements from Disney after Walt’s passing. Roy Disney took the mantle from his brother and ensured that the resort was completed. Judging by what I learned in this podcast, I’m excited to check it out when it’s released in October. It feels like a natural progression from Barnes’ first book and is definitely worth your time.