Today marks the 85th anniversary of the release of “Steamboat Willie,” the first animated sound cartoon created by Walt Disney. It also was the first Disney cartoon to feature synchronized sound. Despite having appeared in previous Disney short animations, “Steamboat Willie” is the film that is credited with starting Mickey Mouse down the path to becoming one of the world’s most beloved fictional characters. The release of the cartoon also served as the pivotal moment in the business careers of Walt and his brother, Roy. To celebrate Mickey’s birthday, here are 10 Monday Morning Motivational quotations from Walt Disney that will remind you that it’s a small, small business world after all.

1. “I only hope that we don’t lose sight of one thing—that it all started with a mouse.”

(Partners statue. Photo: Jeremy Dennis via: Flickr)

Quotation Source: The Story of Disney (2004) by Adele D. Richardson, p. 41

2. “Somehow, I can’t believe that there are any heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secret of making dreams come true …”

(Not only does the company Walt Disney started scale heights, they make mountains, like the The Expedition Everest roller coaster at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.)

Full Quote: “Somehow, I can’t believe that there are any heights that can’t be scaled by a man by a man who knows the secret of making dreams come true. The special secret it seems to me is summarized in four C’s. They are Curiosity, Courage, Confidence and Constancy. And the greatest of all is Confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionably.”

Quotation Source: As quoted in Perceive This! : How to Get Everything You Want Out of Life by Changing Your Perceptions (2004) by Kevin A. Martin, Ch. 9, No Bar Too High!, p. 64

3. “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me …”

(Photo: Tollie Schmidt via: Flickr)

Full Quote: “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me. You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”

Quotation Source: As quoted in The Story of Walt Disney (1957)

4. “I suppose my formula might be: dream, diversify and never miss an angle.”

(In 1937, introducing “The Seven Dwarfs.” Photo: WikiMedia Commons)

Quotation Source: “Walt’s Profit Formula: Dream, Diversity, and Never Miss an Angle” in The Wall Street Journal (4 February 1958)

5. “Happiness is a state of mind. You can be happy or you can be unhappy. It’s just according to the way you look at things.”

Quotation Source: Interview with Fletcher Markle (25 September 1963) in Walt Disney: Conversations (2006) edited by Kathy Merlock Jackson The Walt Disney Story (1973)

6. “A person should set his goals as early as he can and devote all his energy and talent to getting there …”

(Photo: via Disney Wiki)

Full Quote: “A person should set his goals as early as he can and devote all his energy and talent to getting there. With enough effort, he may achieve it. Or he may find something that is even more rewarding. But in the end, no matter what the outcome, he will know he has been alive.”

Quotation Source: As quoted in Walt Disney, Magician of the Movies (1966) by Bob Thomas p. 116

7. “I could never convince the financiers that Disneyland was feasible, because dreams offer too little collateral.”

(Photo: Jim Hill Media)

Quotation Source: As quoted in The Stuff Americans Are Made Of : The Seven Cultural Forces that Define Americans (1996) by Joshua Hammond and James Morrison

8. “We don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious … and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

(Photo: Tomorrowland via the Hollywood News)

Quotation Source: As quoted in the film “Meet the Robinsons.”

9. “All our dreams can come true—if we have the courage to pursue them.”

Quotation Source:  Imagination Unlimited, Chapter 3, p. 63

10. “Do a good job. You don’t have to worry about the money; it will take care of itself. Just do your best work—then try to trump it.”

Quotation Source: Triumph to Tragedy