Turning down Disney’s job offer
Good morning!
A few years ago I had a clarifying moment on a Zoom call with a 25+ year Disney Executive.
At the time of the call I was still working at Nike, but we had moved to Florida with no plans of returning to Oregon. And there was a looming official return to office mandate. That meant the sand was running out of the proverbial hourglass on my career at The Swoosh.
I was staring being jobless in the face - and I needed to find a solution.
Enter: Job opportunity at Disney - and my Zoom call with this woman as one of the final steps towards me receiving an offer.
She was smart and accomplished. Her roles had taken her all over the world and she had done some big and intriguing jobs. Her resume made it clear she had given up everything to move her family across the globe for Disney.
In the midst of our discussion she brought up the need for me to be in the office three days a week in Orlando. While I knew spending some time in the office was going to be needed, I had initially applied for the role because of the perceived flexibility in working location.
Being in Orlando in the office a full three days a week was a huge wrench in my plan…. because the office was a two hour drive (on a good day) from our house.
And then the woman said something that made it clear we had different definitions of success.
“Why don’t you just rent an apartment in Orlando three nights a week? That means you’ll still get four nights a week at home with your family.”
I can’t remember how I responded in the moment, but I know what was running through my head: not.a.chance. We didn’t move to Florida so I could be away from my family three nights a week… or do four hours of commuting multiple times a week.
DECISION TIME
It turns out that whatever I said to her didn’t disqualify me. The next week they presented me an offer - well paying, great benefits, and with a requirement that I acknowledge the official policy was three days a week in the office.
This was a BIG moment!
I was feeling the pressure of my impending joblessness - and the cost of saying yes to this job and spending so much time in Orlando.
As I discussed the situation with Erin, she asked a really important question: “Do you really want this job?”
She barely got the question out of her mouth before I could easily respond: No!
Her response was so on point: “Well, I know you, and if you really wanted this job then you would do whatever it takes to do it.”
(Point taken - and shows the value of marrying a wise woman!)
Erin helped me see that I didn’t actually want this job because what it required wasn’t going to be worth it for me.
PICKING YOUR PAIN
When you ride Tiana's Bayou at Disney's Magic Kingdom you see these words... and I agree fully.
So, much to Disney’s disappointment, I turned down the job.
I never spoke to that Disney Executive again. I’m sure she was confused when she heard I turned down the offer. But our definitions of success were different. We each have the opportunity to choose what matters most for ourselves, of what the Worthy Wins are - and the reality is that journey to succeeding in those places will come with pain.
I heard a new friend, Rich Robinson, say this last week…
“You pick your pain - you either embrace pain now for the prize that is beyond or you kick it down the road. Pain is going to come…”
That Disney decision was an inflection point in my life because it was the moment I realized that what mattered most to me was going to require doing just as Rich said - embracing the pain now. There was no other route to get to my Worthy Wins than to turn down Disney’s offer and go a different, less clear path.
THE FIRST STEP
For me, it was also a moment of my faith being put to the test. I believe I have a part to play in my journey - and I also believe God guides my steps. There had been a trail of breadcrumbs towards the path of entrepreneurship and consulting. But it was so uncertain - and felt so vulnerable. Seemingly much less secure than a job at a big company like Nike or Disney.
The question became: Would I trust what had been put on my heart and the way that God had oriented the opportunity for the next season of my life?
All I knew was that spending loads of time away from my family was not winning for me. By saying no to Disney, I was taking the first step down the path towards the Worthy Wins for my life after Nike.
Multiple times in the New Testament we see Jesus invite people into a first step. All of the men who ended up becoming his disciples had a first step to take. For instance, in Matthew 4, we see Jesus invite Simon Peter and Andrew to leave being fishermen in order to follow after him.
This was a HUGE moment for them. They were being asked to give up everything to go a new direction. They had to be wondering if following Jesus was really going to be worth leaving what they knew. And they also had to come to grips with the uncertainty and pain required to pursue a better long-term outcome.
Could they have kept being fishermen? Of course. But if they wanted a different outcome, they would have to take a first step into a new direction.
COUNTING THE COST
The first step is the only way to start the journey.
For me, saying no to the job at Disney was a first step. There have been - and there will be many more - steps required to pursue Worthy Wins in my life.
To be clear: Worthy Wins are not specifically about leaving a company or turning down a job offer or becoming an entrepreneur who works remotely. Worthy Wins are focused on the long-term success with the accomplishments and people who matter the most in your life.
This is my encouragement to take the first step - however big or small that may be for you to start pursuing your Worthy Wins now.
Much love,
JO
WORTHY WINS REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Here's a few questions to consider as you start your week...
Are you taking steps towards your Worthy Wins right now in your life?
If so, what does that look like tangibly in your day to day?
If not, what’s holding you back from taking your first step in a new direction?
