COULD YOU BE CINDERELLA?
More than perhaps any other in history, this year’s edition of March Madness has been especially...well, mad. We all know when we fill out our brackets that upsets are inevitable, but this tournament has been more unpredictable and unexpected than ever. None of the four #1 seeds advanced even to the third round - the first time in history that’s happened, and now, heading into this weekend’s Final Four, none of the top 12 overall teams coming into the tournament remain.
That’s a big reason why March Madness is so great, because even if it ruins our bracket, we love a Cinderella story. But while it’s easy to fall in love with these teams we’ve never heard of as they step into the bright lights of the big stage, it’s important to recognize that their success is no accident. These teams have been building and preparing for their big moment long before now. We celebrate their surprising results, but only because we haven’t witnessed all the work they’ve done to get ready for their moment. If we had, we probably wouldn’t be surprised to see that their Cinderella slipper fits.
These last few weeks of college basketball chaos got me thinking about what it is that makes some teams worthy of writing a Cinderella story. What is it that they’ve done, usually without much fanfare or recognition, that has prepared them to take advantage of their opportunity, and to do what no one saw coming? And what is the application for people like us, who are working to win in some important area of our lives, and may at some point have to do so when the odds are stacked against us? I found myself challenged by this question. Everyone wants to win, but do you have what it takes to win like this? If it was required of you…could you be Cinderella?
Answering that question requires evaluating ourselves in a few critical areas where Cinderellas excel…
1. Belief. A Cinderella’s unexpected upsets begin with an almost irrational belief in their ability to succeed. Ironically, in their moments of triumph, they are often the least surprised by what’s happened because in truth, they don’t really see themselves as underdogs. Success is not something they’ve hoped for. It’s not something they’ve wished for. It’s something they’ve worked for, something they've earned...and something they expect.
2. Toughness. From both a mental and physical perspective, Cinderellas recognize that toughness is a separator. They may be outmatched in size and strength. They may be inferior in talent or skill. They may not have what many people think they need in order to win. But Cinderellas have what matters most - a unique level of fortitude and resilience. They are simply willing to fight longer and harder than their opponent. They may get knocked down, but they refuse to be knocked out.
3. Discipline. Cinderellas understand that just showing up and hoping for the best is a recipe for defeat. They recognize not only that a game plan is important, but the discipline to execute that game plan is just as important. When the bright lights come on, when the pressure starts to mount, and even when their opponent captures the momentum, Cinderellas stay focused. They have the discipline it takes to do what winning requires.
I don’t know when it may come or what it might look like, but I am confident that at some point you might find yourself in a tough spot, where you want to win but the odds are stacked against you. Determining whether you could be Cinderella starts with determining if you have what it takes - the high-level belief, toughness, and discipline required to turn that dream into reality.
Remember, for Cinderellas like the ones in this year’s NCAA tournament, those qualities haven’t been mustered up in their big moment, here under the bright lights of the big stage. These teams have been working to build and develop those winning qualities all along in the dark, without much fanfare or recognition, and that is what’s prepared them to take advantage of their opportunity, and to do what no one saw coming. That means, if you really want to win, even when the odds are stacked against you? Then today matters. Working to build and develop your belief, your toughness, and your discipline today will mold you into exactly the kind of person that winning tomorrow requires you to be. When that time comes, everyone might be surprised to see that your Cinderella slipper fits. Everyone, of course, but you.