Leslie had an offer that was solid to be on a television show, but he really wanted to be part of a little broadway show that at the time was little more than a concept. Safe to say, he made the right choice. 

One of the book’s lessons that stuck with me was the idea of doing something every day to make your tomorrow better. This is regarding our dreams and achieving goals. At this moment in the book, Leslie was contemplating quitting acting. That’s right, the man who brought Aaron Burr to life wanted to quit acting shortly before Hamilton even happened!

It is easy to see how this could have occurred. We tend to beat ourselves up for not accomplishing our goal as quickly as possible, but this little shift of just doing one thing every day…even something very small that sets up your tomorrow, is a powerful practice. This puts our plans into action. 

Some days you will accomplish a lot, and others, well, you won’t, and that’s ok, but in those moments just doing something small helps us get there that much faster. 

Leslie tells this story so beautifully. He recalls visiting a trusted mentor and discussing his dilemma. The mentor said, “I’d like to see you try before you quit.” This took Leslie by surprise. He went on to ask him what he did today to ensure a better tomorrow. Was he just sitting by the phone waiting for it to ring? This struck a nerve with Leslie and the rest, as they say, is history. 

So now I ask you in the words of Lelsie Odom Jr.

“What are you ignoring today? What did you do to help yourself today? Who did you call? What did you read? Did you take one step toward something that makes you come alive today? If you’re willing to take one humble and meaningful step toward making a dream come true, the Universe will take two. You will be aided. You will get the help you desire and desperately need. Take the step. You’ll win, or you’ll learn.”

Even when I am crazy busy with tasks unrelated to my goals, I always try to do one thing to get me to my goals, no matter how small it is. Maybe it is sending an email, responding to another request, reading an article, connecting on social media, something. Every baby step towards your goals is beneficial. 

Later in 2019, my husband and I had the pleasure of seeing Leslie perform live in Boston at Symphony Hall, and we met him after the show (see picture above). The show was breathtaking, and he was so gracious with his time and energy after the show. We chatted briefly, and I referenced his book and its importance for me personally. And he told me, “you gotta put what you want out into the universe.”