The other day one of my Twitter friends asked, “What is March Madness?” She thought it was a sale at Target or something.

This made me realize that some people don’t know what they are missing by not following the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. As children, girls have their fairy tales that inspire their dreams, hopes, and expectations. For boys (and girls), sports can do the same thing. March Madness is a marathon drama that plays out on the hardwood.

Sports are a metaphor for life. There are some inspirational lessons that we can all take away from the NCAA Tournament. Incredible story lines play out during the tournament. Here are 7 tenets we can takeaway from March Madness that illuminate the human condition and enhance our lives.

1. Hard work pays off. Your blood, sweat, and tears CAN make the difference in whether or not you succeed.
2. Teamwork is essential to success.
3. Fairy tales can come true. The Cinderella Story plays out every year in one form or another during the NCAA Tournament. This year 3 of the 4 number 12 seeds beat the number 5 seeds in the first round. Inspiring to say the least.
4. The little guy can prevail over the big guy. Small business owners often feel like they can’t compete with bigger businesses with more resources. David does beat Goliath in the Tourney. This year small school Siena’s amazing win in double overtime with powerhouse Ohio State comes to mind. (I know. Siena who?)
5. Strong Leadership is essential to success. Pay attention to the coaches. We can learn from them.
6. We are all a part of something bigger than ourselves.
7. When times are tough, having something to believe in brings communities together. Michigan State will play in the Championship. In Michigan. With all their economic woes, the people of Michigan have rallied around their team. They will be able to forget their problems, even if only for a few days or hours. Their team has lifted their spirits!

What do you think? What do sports do for you? Leave a comment and tell us what you think.