The Ride of a Lifetime - Part One: Learning (Chapter 1)

Part One - Learning

Chapter 1: Starting at the Bottom

The author begins the first chapter by stating his attributes, qualities, habits and generally provides an insight into his early life. As he asserts, there are things he was always doing, which are a result of a mixture of nature and nurture. For instance, he would always wake up early and he would always enjoy those hours to himself prior to the rest of the world waking up. 

The author subsequently points out that his father was the most influential person in his life. As Iger asserts, “He certainly made me curious about the world. We had a den lined with shelves full of books, and my dad had read every one of them. I didn’t become a serious reader until I was in high school, but when I did finally fall in love with books, it was because of him.”

Iger then states that his dad would check on him at night before going to bed to ensure that he was “spending time productively”. That included things such as reading or doing homework or being acting in a way that would “better” Iger in some way. The author also outlined that his dad wanted his sister and him to have fun, but it was also essential that they would use their time “wisely and work in a focused way toward our goals.” Hence, according to Iger, his time-management skills come from his dad. 

Iger went to Ithaca College and he would work nearly every weekend night in his freshman and sophomore year at the local Pizza Hut. Additionally, he added that he obtained mostly B’s and a few A’s in high school, but academics were never his passion. Nonetheless, something clicked for him in college. He found himself motivated, with an enhanced work ethic, and a passion to learn as much as possible. Something which also goes back to his dad, due to the fact that he did not want to feel like a failure like his dad. His dad was diagnosed with manic depression and hence, he could observe and understand that he did not want to live the disappointment that his dad felt for himself. As the author put it: “I didn’t have a clear idea of what “success” meant, no specific vision of being wealthy or powerful, but I was determined not to live a life of disappointment. Whatever shape my life took, I told myself, there wasn’t a chance in the world that I was going to toil in frustration and lack fulfillment.”

Another point worth mentioning, is that he started at the very bottom of his first job, in ABC, since his role paid $150 per week, which was the lowest point in the ladder of the company. 

Iger still wakes up at 4:15 every morning, which now is for selfish reasons. He does it to have “time to think and read and exercise before the demands of the day take over.” He also emphasises that he would be less productive and less creative in his work if he did not spend this time alone in the mornings, prior to getting bombarded with emails and phone calls and general work responsibilities. 

His boss at ABC, Roone, taught Iger an important lesson he would always remember in his life. Innovate or die. Note that it is important not to fear innovation. 

Iger also makes reference to a significant point in his life, one where he admitted and owned up to his mistake in a room full of people. As he explicitly says: “Roone never said anything to me about it, but he treated me differently, with higher regard, it seemed, from that moment on. In my early days, I thought there was only one lesson in this story, the obvious one about the importance of taking responsibility when you screw up. That’s true, and it’s significant. In your work, in your life, you’ll be more respected and trusted by the people around you if you honestly own up to your mistakes.”

Lastly, Iger is right to point out that excellence and fairness don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Something that is a common misconception in society.