Let me tell you a story:
The Great Depression tumbled many a successful business off its feet—and that’s exactly what happened to the legendary hotel owner, Conrad Hilton. The crash of 1929 was anything but kind to Conrad. People weren’t traveling much and if they were, they weren’t staying in the lavish hotels Hilton had bought during the booming 1920s.
By 1931, the high-flying Hilton’s was failing. Creditors were threatening to foreclose on his properties, his laundry was in hock, and he was borrowing money from a bellboy so he could eat. That year, when he was at his lowest, Conrad came upon a photograph of the incredibly grand Waldorf Hotel, with its six kitchens, 200 cooks, 500 waiters, 2000 rooms, and its own private hospital and railroad depot in the basement.
Conrad clipped the photograph from the magazine where he’d seen it and wrote across it, “The Greatest of Them All.”
The year 1931 was, “a presumptuous, an outrageous time to dream,” Conrad later wrote. But he slipped the photo of the Waldorf in his wallet, and when he had a desk again, he slid the picture of the Waldorf under the glass top. From then on, it was always in front of him. As he worked his way back up and acquired ever-bigger desks, he would slip the cherished photo under the glass where he could see it.
In 1949, 18 years, Conrad Hilton acquired the Waldorf.
Amazing story, isn’t it? It shows the incredible power of intention. The photo of the Waldorf gave Conrad’s comeback dream shape and substance. It gave his mind something to focus on in the midst of crisis. It became a visual cue guiding his behavior.
Visual cues can be so energizing! I love the idea of using one to spark ideas and action. My friend Eddie made a beautiful card for me with the artwork for my play, Dust of Egypt. I’m going to keep it where I can see it every day to inspire me to keep moving the play forward.
How about you? Is there a photo or other visual image that captures a project you’re working on? Why not take a tip from Conrad and keep it front and center as a visual cue as we all write on!
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