Yes. I have become "Hamilton" trash. I have started singing the soundtrack at the top of my lungs to annoy everyone around me. I have given in. There’s no stopping me now.
But in all seriousness, I actually find the musical extremely inspiring, especially as a writer and actor myself. Lin-Manuel Miranda is in many cases an inspiration, because he creates the work that he wants to see, and does not let anyone stop or define him. Not only that, but he is extremely nice, and is doing all he can to bring theater to a younger audience.
What I want to talk about though is what the musical "Hamilton" teaches us about success, and the path to it. To give a quick summary, "Hamilton" tells the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton and his rise in American history. The show especially delves into his rivalry with Aaron Burr, who shoots him in the end. One of the big things this musical explores is Burr’s jealousy of Hamilton, and why exactly he is succeeding while Burr is left in the dust.
I think I had the realization one day when I was discussing the musical with my friend Julia. She stated how, “It’s interesting, because Burr is actually better than Hamilton at most things. But Hamilton works harder than he does, so he succeeds.”
This conversation occurred before I listed to the musical in more depth. But after listening, I understand what she means entirely. Throughout the musical, there is a ton of acknowledgement that Burr is smarter than Hamilton. He is more experienced, and Hamilton even acknowledges that Burr is a “better lawyer” than he is. But the reason why Hamilton succeeds against all odds is because he never stops working. As quoting the finale of Act 1, he is “non-stop”, writing at all times and being relentless in pursuit of what he wants. It does not even matter that he looks ridiculous, or if people don’t understand him. He fights all the time, Burr, on the other hand, keeps more to himself. He “Waits for it”, literally, over-thinking everything he does. In other words, he does not act immediately the way Hamilton does.
In a way, I also find it similar to the actual people who play Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton in real life; Leslie Odom Jr. and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Although both have had success, Mr. Miranda is the one receiving the genius grants and recognition. The interesting thing is that Leslie Odom Jr. is arguably a much better singer and actor than Lin-Manuel Miranda is. However, Miranda is starting to become a legend because he is an extremely hard-worker. People are forgetting that he started working on the show in 2009, and only now has the show gotten successful. In an interview, he even stated that it took him a year to write the number “My Shot.”
I believe this is the reason why I find the show so inspiring and so brilliant: because it is a reminder that talent is only a small part of the reason why anyone is successful. "Hamilton" reminds us that in order to get what you want, you need to work harder than anybody, but most importantly, you need to act as soon as possible. Furthermore, people often forget that getting what you want does not happen overnight. It sometimes takes years to get to the place you want to go, and good work not only takes a lot of effort, but a lot of time to perfect it.
So, go listen to "Hamilton," and use it as a reminder that the time to work at your craft and to pursue success is now… Do not throw away your shot.
