Falling in Love With the Madness
When I think of my existence, talents, and opportunities, I’m propelled by a hunger to achieve everything I'm capable of. For me, this comes to fruition through entrepreneurship and building a startup.
In all its glory, reverence, and charm, March Madness descends upon us. 68 teams with full hearts and hopeful spirits eye the ultimate prize: to be THE NCAA national champion. It’s kind of silly when you think about it. Does Austin Peay University really have a chance to knock off the likes of Kansas? Not really. What about Hawaii? Don’t tell them they can’t beat California! (Cal. starting PG Tyrone Wallace is out with a broken hand, so maybe!)
There are a number of perennial powers we’re all used to seeing in the Final Four. Last time I checked, when your coach is Izzo, Calipari, or Krzyzewski you’ve always got a pretty good chance. But no one watches basketball in March to see what’s predictable. We're here for the madness, like this great memory.
We want to see a Cinderella story rise and take down Goliath! (Welcome to sports metaphors, where Disney characters can be used alongside Biblical allusions.) We want to see a dark horse rise, and we want it to happen in the most unexpected way.
Similarly, there's a number of influencers in any space that we're used to seeing all the time. Google, Bing, and Yahoo!. Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Apple and Microsoft. Merrill Lynch, UBS, and Morgan Stanley. Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. McDonald's, Chick-Fil-A, and Sonic. But who's to say an underdog can't climb the ranks for battle?
The dreams and reckless ambition of March Madness are preceded by toil, sweat, tears, and relentless dedication. Nobody makes it by accident (unless you’re Holy Cross, 14-19 this season). You don’t slump your way through a season and end up in the NCAA tournament. 350 Teams start the season with their sights on the tournament, but only 68 will make that a reality. You put in time, become a student of your craft, and hope it’s enough to carry you through to the big dance. It's the same in the startup world.
It doesn’t take firm brush strokes to connect the mentality of a Cinderella hopeful with that of an entrepreneur. The chances you'll make it are slim to none. The odds are forever stacked against you, but there’s a hunger in you that won’t quit. There’s a fire that can never be quenched. A battle that you need to fight, and a world that has to acknowledge your light.
When March Madness rolls around, we all want to see the little guy pull off the upset. We want to see the underdog beat the odds because that fight is our fight. We desire to prove the world wrong, rise above all obstacles, and make our dreams reality.
We wouldn’t watch the Madness if dreams didn’t come true. We wouldn't be entrepreneurs if we didn't believe we could become real players in our field. Whatever it is that's driving you, or whatever you’re driving towards, keep fighting. Use the madness of it all to propel you to achieve everything you're capable of. Don’t stop until you cut down the nets.