Advice for Life From Disney Legend Doris Hardoon

Doris Hardoon, a retired Imagineer was just honored at the D23 Expo as a Disney Legend. Her illustrious career spanned 2 decades and more than 5 Theme Parks.

Beginning her career with Disney Parks in 1979, she helped bring EPCOT to life and worked on Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Doris also was a key leader in projects like the opening of Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. At Shanghai Disney Resort she developed culturally relevant details for the resort.

Credit: Disney

To say that she is an inspiration would be an understatement. She created some of my favorite Park elements and truly brought magic into the world and proved anyone can do wonderous things. Last night she sat down to discuss her career during the Disney Legends in Conversation Panel at D23 and the conversation quickly moved from her work to life advice.

Credit: D23

I grabbed my pen and wrote down many of her inspirational messages to keep on hand. Tonight I thought, “why not share them with everyone?” So here they are, some of Doris Hardoon’s most profound statements from the panel.

On Teamwork: 

• “Success comes from being family.”
• “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
• “You can’t do it alone. I’m telling you, you cannot!”
• “We’re all rowing in the same direction. We all have different colored oars, but we are all rowing in the same direction.”

On Youth:

• “I’m glad about what I did when I was young. The mistakes and missteps because every young person needs that.”
• “Wherever you are in your life and your career, enjoy it. It’s seasoning you.”

On Following Your Dreams: 

• “Never worry about what you can’t do. Just learn to do it!”
• “I did it and you could be there too. Why not? Why wouldn’t you?”
• “Find out what you want, seek it out, and do it! Don’t stop til you’ve done it.”
• “You have to have a passion and a will.”
• “Take the risk”

On Respect: 

• “When you’re asked to do a job, go and do it and do it with respect.”
• Learn to listen and meet people where they are- that’s respect.”

On Failure: 

• “You can’t spend your time wondering where it went wrong. You just move on.”
• You have the idea [and] the dream and it doesn’t always happen. It’s hard but you lick your wounds and start again.”

On Life: 

• “It’s worth it!’
• “Be true to yourself. It’s easy to say but it’s not an easy answer because it changes throughout your life.”
• “Dig deep and really find out who you are.”

Credit: D23

I hope those quotes inspire you as much as they inspired me. I walked away from that with a fresh outlook on life, full of motivation for what the future holds and I hope it does the same for you.

We’re so excited about all of the incredible announcements so far! Ready for more? Stay tuned right here for full coverage of the D23 Expo 2022 because as soon as we know, you’ll know! There’s so much more to come!