The "Disney World Mindset"

If you've ever worked in a monotonous job, then you know what it feels like to become jaded at work.  This feeling ranges from data entry to listening to the same playlist every night to working with short-term volunteers.

While I'm hard-pressed to use the proceeding explanation for office jobs, I've found some merit in a way of thinking I call the "Disney World Mindset." The origins of this idea came from Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet, a really short book that, until plans for its theatrical release were announced, only saw the spotlight when its On Love chapter would be read at weddings.

Gibran spent twenty years writing the book to make sure it was perfect.  It manages to use flowery language, without being long-winded.  That's one reason it's ideal for reading out loud.

One of my favorite chapters (if I were forced to choose) is On Work.  My favorite quote from that chapter goes something like:

Bread baked without love leaves a man half full.

I interpret that to mean no matter what you're doing, put everything you have into it.  This was part of my pep talk to volunteers at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.  We worked four straight months giving the exact same presentation several times a day, but never to the same group of people.  For all the students knew, it was the first time we had ever done it.  With that kind of expectation, how could we show how bored we were with the material?  There's no reason one person, in this case, likely a child, should have a bad experience because I'm having a bad day.

When his bag check line is not too long, he asks kids in costume for their autographs..
“Their face brightens up,” Wieczorek said of that moment when pint-size princesses and pirates realize they’re being mistaken for the real thing. “This is something so unbelievable for them. It gets them by surprise and they feel special." (via today.com)

This is how Disney World works. Every morning, it looks brand new, like it's its opening day. Mickey Mouse and the gang put on the same act for every child who passes through.  Perhaps more relatable --  is working in a bar and listening to the same playlist every single night.  Especially in a place like Sihanoukville, it's essential to remember that most tourists have never been here before.  Whether or not you're not in the mood to listen to the same Oasis song for the gazillionth time doesn't matter. A consistent atmosphere is necessary to not only keep your brand, but also your type of customer. 

Applying this to nonprofit, most volunteer coordinators who work in short-term programs have to facilitate the exact same training -- sometimes every week -- to a new batch of volunteers.  It can make anyone feel disenchanted, but each group of volunteers deserves the same level of enthusiasm as the one that came before them.

I'll offer a quick anecdote: two years ago, my co-worker and I were sitting at a restaurant, mulling over our computers.  A fresh-from-the-bus backpacker hopped off a moto and gave a friend of hers a big hug.  It was apparent this was her first stop in South East Asia.  My co-worker said she remembered that same feeling of excitement from five years ago -- getting on a moto for the first time, no helmet, no plans, sun shining, and a massive backpack sitting precariously in front of the driver.

It would be a tragedy if we only felt that excited once.  The Disney World mindset encourages you to see your boring old job from a new set of eyes every single day.