I Am a Polymath
I just returned from a trip to New York with my kids. We went to see Hamilton, the musical—and, oh what a musical it was. Kind of got me thinking about a few things. The lead, Lin-Manuel Miranda, said it best: “Ambition is my folly.” You see, I have such big dreams. I want to accomplish so much. It turns out I’m pretty good at turning my dreams into reality, but…I am a polymath.
I’m not going to spoon feed you here. You’ll have to do a little work here. Google it. If you know me at all, I’m pretty sure you’ll wholeheartedly agree with me.
I am a pain in the ass. A massive pain. I’m a bit arrogant or, as I like to call it, “self-confident.” I can be so argumentative. I try not to speak unless I’m well informed, so I always think I’m right. My brain holds a lot of complex information – and quickly forgets that which it deems to be irrelevant. I forget a lot of stuff that people in my life deem relevant [like their names] and that doesn’t make them feel special. I have a history of placing my needs in front of the people I love most.
Ambition requires sacrifice and there are prices to pay. I’ve learned to apologize quickly and forgive easily. I’ve learned that while ambition requires sacrifice, happiness requires compromise. And, that’s good because I am ambitious. I’m an addict. I freely admit that. I’ll sacrifice. I bet my career on me. What I do helps people. It makes a impact. It changes lives. It ensures a future for my children. It creates a legacy and I will never apologize for that as a priority in my life. NEVER.
But, I compromise more than I used to and happiness ensues. I talk less. I smile more. But, people always know what I’m against or what I’m for. See, I want to get ahead, but Burr was wrong. Fools that run their mouths off do NOT wind up dead. They change the world.
Thanks, Lin. Hamilton has inspired me. It made me cry repeatedly [It’s Quiet Uptown]. It united my family and was a beacon of light during some very dark times. I am eternally grateful.
So, I’ve outed myself (at least I’d like to think I have). I am a polymath. Are you fiercely ambitious as well? Can you relate to what I’ve said in this post? If so, I’d love to connect with you.
