2 Easy Lessons for Students & Leaders from the opening song of Hamilton

Warning: Some words would be considered explicit in the song. 

Click here to listen to watch the Video of opening scene.

I have been listening non stop to the soundtrack from the hit musical on Disney+. I listen while getting ready in the morning, working out, reading, and while I have been working on my new book. 

Perhaps because I have been working on the new book, I keep listening to the opening song and thinking how many students that come from backgrounds do still continue to have success. I am very much aware that many do not have success, but I am in the business of inspiration, motivation, and hope. If you are an educator, parent, or leader of any kind you are also in the business of inspiration, motivation, and hope. 

 Tip #1 

You can overcome a bad start. 

The opening asks how does a _______, ________, _________, grow up to be a hero and a scholar?

I often meet students after my speeches and a very common comments is that they are grateful for the speech because of how I share starting off under bad circumstances. If you do not know me, I grew up with absent parents. Mom served prison time because of drug and alcohol abuse. This often resulted in domestic violence. We moved from trailer park to trailer park until her prison term. I was a migrant when living with my grandfather working in the hot Texas sun after school in the cotton fields. I had some educators and family members tell me that my goal was too ambitious. They told me my goal was too big. They told me my goal was not possible. 

Shortly after they list several of the ways that Alexander Hamilton was able to overcome his circumstances. 

"Got a lot farther by working a lot harder
By being a lot smarter
By being a self-starter"

One of the most transformational times in my life was when a coach told me, "It's not where you start, but how you finish." When I speak at staff developments for school districts and organizations that work with youth, I always talk about what we say to children, students, and youth. 

We may feel that the system is against a student. We may feel that it will be almost impossible. We may feel that there is no hope. But we do not know what a student can do when they begin to "Work a lot harder, being a lot smarter, and being a self starter". They can go farther, do more, and have more success in spite of the environment. I believe our job as the parents, teachers, and leaders to share how things can be better (inspiration, motivation, hope).

Blog Intermission (Please excuse my Dad Joke)

Quick Commercial. Book Launch Coming Soon for Student Leadership Playbook. 

Email me at [email protected] to be on Launch Team and be the first to get it. 

Tip #2

Be a New Person in New Environment