The Greatest Showman – My Thoughts

I went to see The Greatest Showman last week. It was a musical inspired by the story of P.T. Barnum’s creation of the Barnum & Bailey Circus. The movie and the music were very inspiring and the movie touched on two elements I wanted to expand on.

The first one is imagination. We live in a society that does not support our imagination enough. It starts in schools where we have to abide by the rules and imagination is frowned upon. “Stop daydreaming” is a warning many of us heard while in school. It continues into adulthood where people will often scorn “silly” ideas.

What I loved is that P.T. Barnum’s imagination was present and thriving and brought to life in this movie. The musical scores also brought it to life as well. In the lyrics of  “A Million Dreams”, imagination is key.

“They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy
They can say, they can say I’ve lost my mind
I don’t care, I don’t care, so call me crazy
We can live in a world that we design

‘Cause every night I lie in bed
The brightest colours fill my head
A million dreams are keeping me awake
I think of what the world could be
A vision of the one I see
A million dreams is all it’s gonna take
A million dreams for the world we’re gonna make.”

Also with the song  “The Greatest Show”.

“And all that was real is left behind

Don’t fight it, it’s coming for you, running at ya
It’s only this moment, don’t care what comes after
Your fever dream, can’t you see it getting closer
Just surrender ’cause you feel  the feeling taking over
It’s fire, it’s freedom, it’s flooding open
Watching it come true, it’s taking over you
Just surrender ’cause you’re calling and you wanna go

Impossible comes true, intoxicating you
Watching it come true, it’s taking over you
It’s everything you ever want
It’s everything you ever need
And it’s here right in front of you
This is where you wanna be.”

Both the movie and the character of P.T. Barnum invite you to explore your imagination. In the song “The Other Side” P.T. Barnum invites his future partner Phillip to leave the conventional world and join him.

So come with me and take the ride

It’ll take you to the other side

‘Cause you can do like you do

Or you can do like me

Stay in the cage, or you’ll finally take the key

Oh, damn! Suddenly you’re free to fly

It’ll take you there to the other side.

So like P.T. Barnum, I invite you to let go of the constraints and let your imagination fly this year.

The other element I want to touch on is being yourself. That was really clear in the song “This Is Me”.

“I’m not a stranger to the dark
“Hide away, ” they say
“‘Cause we don’t want your broken parts”
I’ve learned to be ashamed of all my scars
“Run away, ” they say
“No one will love you as you are”

But I won’t let them break me down to dust
I know that there’s a place for us
For we are glorious

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I’m meant to be, this is me
Look out ’cause here I come
And I’m marching on to the beat I drum
I’m not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me”.

As P. T. Barnum said in his book, The Art of Money Getting: Golden Rules for Making Money,  “We are all, no doubt, born for a wise purpose. ”  (Contact me if you would like a copy)

So in 2018 go out and be yourself, be unique and let your imagination fly to create your desired world.

Here’s to your success.

Charlene