Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of Hamilton, the musical sensation that is the hottest ticket on Broadway, was interviewed by the show 60 Minutes. This is an updated interview that aired recently. It’s worth a watch, but my observations below can be understood without watching it because I wrote out the relevant quotes.

In the interview Miranda says that the success of the musical has “Put my dreams to shame.”

What that must be like to have a dream come true but on such a larger scale than you could have planned!

Charlie Rose, the journalist on the piece, delves into Miranda’s upbringing and what I am beginning to see are the keys to really enjoying life and being successful. Miranda’s father says, “We have always known this kid was destined for greatness.” His mother comments that, “From the time he was tiny he always loved to sing. He was creating and he loved words and song.”

Talking about his education, Miranda explains, “I went to a school where everyone was smarter than me….I was surrounded by genius genius kids. What’s interesting about growing up in a culture like that is you go, alright I got to figure out what my thing is because I am not smarter than these kids; I am not funnier than half of them so I got to figure out what I want to do and work really hard at that and because intellectually I am treading water just to be here.”

Rose then asks why am I talking to you and not one of your classmates.

Miranda replies, “I picked a lane and I started running ahead of everyone else.”

That lane was theater. Growing up, Miranda listened to Broadway musical albums. He is obviously very gifted and talented musically but he is also extremely focused and has worked diligently to hone his craft and creativity. This was a choice he made, buoyed by supportive parents and excellent education. He has pursued something he loves to do and is gifted in. Seems like a recipe for dream fulfillment.

It takes courage to dream. It takes courage to refuse the labels and limitations people have put on you. Not all of us were (or are) fortunate enough to have parents who saw their child’s talents and nurtured them. Much of the time this is unfortunately due to financial concerns and mindsets.

In fact, Miranda’s father says as much after noting the potential they saw in their son: “My only concern was always is this greatness going to come with money so he can survive forever.” In the interview, they all laugh. According to the NY Times, Miranda will make at least $6.4 million this year from the show, and much more off it in the years to come. The show itself could pass the billion-dollar mark in a few years.

Miranda’s greatness has come with money. Not everyone’s does, but as I have faced extremely difficult circumstances in recent years, I can say that money cannot buy health or happiness. But that’s a topic for another day.

Miranda’s parents could not have known he would become a multi-millionaire. They simply loved their son and did everything they could to set him up for success, encouraging him to pursue his gifts and talents and find his lane and run. His financial success is arguably a fruit of the beautiful convergence of dreams, passion, talent, preparation, focus and diligence. He is doing what he has always loved to do AND what he is gifted at! This is the same child who loved words and song, now grown up, still loving words and song.

Parents, take note. What do your children love to do? Do they sing constantly? Does your son deconstruct every toy to see how it is constructed? Does your daughter dream up new inventions and improvements on current ones? Do they like to color on the walls? Think about it and figure out how to channel those little “loves” because those are the seeds of their greatness.

I always wanted to be an artist. As a toddler my parents gave me the biggest box of crayons they could find – at least 64 colors – rather than the small box of limited ones – and as much paper as I wanted. They enrolled me in art classes and camps, and bought me whatever supplies I needed in pursuit of my latest art or craft obsession, whether it was modeling clay, watercolor, or embroidery floss. I learned to draw and develop my talents. Yet I stopped running in this artistic “lane” for a number of years and it has been through a sabbatical season that I have rediscovered my love of art, which I am now seriously pursuing. With a good foundation laid, I am working to hone my craft. And I love it.

What can we learn from the creator of Hamilton?

I took a long detour to where I am today. It was not intentional but I do believe it was necessary. The art I will create going forward will benefit from my years of doing other things. Looking forward though, I know that I am in the early days of finding and running in my lane. In the midst of my sabbatical soul-searching time, a wise person told me I needed to find what I loved to do. I could not answer him at the time. It took me months to answer the question. Lin-Manuel Miranda loves words and song and now we have the massive Hamilton sensation and the impact therein. Alexander Hamilton is still on the ten-dollar bill partly because of the musical! There are many other examples of people who took their basic loves, found their lanes, and kept running. Such people impact the world in varying degrees, but I imagine all of them live with a sense of contentment and purpose. I want to be one of those people, discovering what I am good at, what I love, and going for it.

If you are like me and you took a detour from your ideal lane, don’t sweat it. Make a conscious, deliberate choice to discover/rediscover your lane and get back in it.

Here are some questions that can help you get in your lane:

What do you love to do?
Hint: Look at your childhood. How did you spend your time playing?
How do you spend your free time now?
What do you spend your money on?
What do you enjoy about the work you do?
If money was not an issue, and you could do whatever you wanted with your time, what would you do?
What gifts and talents do you have that need to be developed?
What steps can you take to develop your talents? Enroll in a class? Watch you-tube videos? Set aside time to practice? Schedule regular writing/playing/creating time? I started painting again by giving myself ten minutes each day and gained momentum so that it became a habit. If you want to write, how about writing a sentence a day? Starting small is still starting.

Dream big, but do the work. Pick your lane, and start running.