Confidence.
This is one of my favorite times of year. March Madness is filled with drama, excitement, and upsets. This year is no different. On Friday, #15 seeds Lehigh and Norfolk State broke everyone’s brackets by defeating #2 teams, Duke and Missouri respectively. Prior to Friday, this had only happened 4 times in history (in over 100 games played between those seeds). The last time was 10 years ago, and it had never happened on the same day. In reality, though, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is annually filled with David whooping up on Goliath stories. This phenomenon is not limited to college basketball. It does happen in business all the time for those who believe they can win.
Small retail stores battle “big boxes;” solo consultants battle large consulting firms; and Main Street USA battles Corporate America all the time. Small can always be as competitive, and often better, than big. Small can be more nimble, more innovative, and quicker to make decisions. The key attribute that all “smalls” must have is confidence. Many times, the “Smalls”” have an inferiority complex that they can’t compete against the Goliaths in their world. If they believe that, they are right. However, if they have the genuine confidence that they offer tremendous value, can do it better, and get the right slingshot, then they can defeat their larger opponent.
Lehigh and Norfolk State believed when nobody else outside their programs did. Do you believe in yourself?
This week’s quote – “Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism. Confronting your fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically, make yourself a happier and more productive person.” Dr. David Burns
