How Much Time Do You Have?

When it comes to adventure and extraordinary experiences, good intentions are not nearly enough. I’m all for dreaming big (and boldly), but at some point you actually have to take the leap and climb that mountain, launch that startup, sail across that ocean or… do whatever it is you have been fantasizing about.

In the latest version of TICK TICK BOOM, now available on Netflix, Jonathan Larson’s short life once again moves front and center in our consciousness. The creator of RENT never lived to see it succeed; all he knew was the longing and drive to create something truly amazing.

Years ago—before the debut of HAMILTON—I heard Lin-Manual Miranda talk about how he hears the “tick tick tick” of time passing booming in his ears. Always.

Larson felt the same way.

Miranda directed this new version, which is ironic because as a teenager, Larson’s work inspired him… and now he is returning the favor by bringing Larson’s tremendous talent back to the world.

Watching TICK TICK BOOM last night brought me face to face with awe. It is remarkable what human beings can create when they are alone, unproven, unfunded and even frustrated. Both Larson and Miranda used “tick tick tick” as fuel when they had nothing else.

Urgency drives achievement, especially when you add tenacity into the mix. It took Miranda two years to write the first song in Hamilton.

We have less time than we think. Treasure it. Use it wisely.