The ball is tipped…ok ok I will not go into the rest of the song. For those that have no clue what I am talking about the song is called “One Shining Moment.” It will be played at the end of this wild and crazy NCAA basketball tournament that is widely known for it’s coined time period called March Madness! Don’t worry if you don’t like sports you can still like this post. After all, I am a civilized and cultured (ok maybe not totally) March maniac.

This event of which I speak composes of the 64 teams from across the United States all battling for their dream shot at the National title. There is no other sporting event quite like it (outside of the college baseball world series which is grand but does lack the same energy). Sixty-four teams are in the hunt from day one of the tournament. Each of these teams has either won a tournament to make it to the big dance or has been selected at large by a committee based on their performances during the regular season. For the most part the committee tends to get it pretty close to right. Of course not all would agree but most would accept that the teams that make it have a right to be there (with a few arguable exceptions each year).

Amazingly enough there are so many life lessons to be learned in watching this event.
The underdog! America’s love story is of the team that becomes the Cinderella. How can you not love seeing a group of kids from Coppin State or Valpo push the envelope and make some magic happen by beating a team that has far more talent than they do? It gives me goose bumps to wonder who will do it this year. What is wonderful and a lesson to learn here is that it happens EVERY single year. There are always teams with less talent that do incredible things. Even if you believe yourself to not be the most talented in certain areas of your life please know by statistical fact that you can still achieve more than those who may have more talent IF and only IF you have the heart and courage to just go for it. You will see, just as with this tournament, that people will cheer you on more than you ever know as you show them you are serious about doing great things. The underdog is real. Don’t ever say never…it just aint true!

The high seeds lose. Why do many of the high seeds that do have the talent…that do have the better records…that do indeed have better teams lose to lesser competitors? So many teams work so hard to get there and then turn around and forget what got them to such an amazing place. Their arrogance in having already achieved is apparent as their hopes and dreams of becoming the National Champion quickly dissolve. It is such a shame because it could be different for them if they just took a second and re-evaluated how they got to where they currently are. This lesson is one that so many live through in such a heart breaking fashion. So often people rise into a great position at work or a huge level of success and become too great in their own mind because of their status. The downfall happens fast and is hard to stop. Wherever you are in life, especially if it is in a spot where you are considered to be successful, don’t forgot what work ethic got you there. Don’t forget the hard work that you put into it and don’t get lazy assuming it will always be. You clearly deserve to be there. Don’t waste all of the hard effort that it took! Stay great!

One of the most amazing things to watch to me is the unblemished innocence that most of the players still carry as human beings. The twinkle in their eye and their dreams of greatness have not been tarnished by this so called “reality” of mediocrity that can soon so find all of those that indeed will not go pro, which is the mass majority of the tournament players. A human being absent of that “reality” is a beautiful thing to see. The absence of such a false concept that we quickly learn through a negative society promotes an achievement level far superior to those that live in this “reality.” Perhaps that should be the biggest lesson here. When you accept this false notion your ability to achieve your dreams vastly decreases by leaps and bounds. If you have done this yourself, which I know I had for a long time in life, I beg you to watch these kids and learn. You can be great if you don’t allow for such stupidity in your definitions of reality. Dare to dream about greatness. Dare to know you can do it. Dare to not accept societies false notion of “reality” and you too can live the life that you dreamed of as a kid!

I could go on for days with so many more lessons that can be learned from this tournament, but I will let you watch and see what you can come up with. Just know that greatness is found in any event. Perhaps this March can become your madness. You deserve more than one shining moment in this life, and I know for a fact that you can achieve such. I believe in the human spirit and I believe in you. Be great and don’t let anyone hold you down.

To your success
Young Guns Always Wanted
Wesley Anderson