With March Madness (aka “The Big Dance”) fast underway (I’m watching first round play as I type this), I couldn’t think of a better time to re-post this video.

We briefly made mention of this last year, but I want to expand on it just a tad more today.

This yearly 64-team college basketball tournament brings something across the T.V. screen that is rare these days.

It’s called: Inspiration !

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Nowhere do you see more energy, more enthusiasm, more gut-level determination, and more passion as you do throughout this 3-week event.

And, while I’ll admit March Madness might grip my inner-psyche a little tighter than yours (basketball played a major role in my development — if that’s the case for you too, I want to hear about it via the comments section of this post), you still can’t help but wonder:

“Wow, what drives these kids to give it their all?”

“How do these underdog teams prepare, emotionally & mentally, for a physical challenge ahead?”

“What does the coach say to push his players beyond their beliefs about what’s possible?”

I’ve had the pleasure of hearing many a great speech, during my high school and military days, and like all great speeches, they come when the coach can see something in his players that they can’t see in themselves. The best speeches are always inspired by the purpose for experiencing greatness…. if even just for one bright, shining moment.

Yes, basketball is a fantastic team sport, and when young players are fortunate enough to have a coach who not only teaches the game, but about life itself, it’s the best darn education ever.

Via the “Barry’s Story” section inside our Online Manifestation Portal, I share some stories about my experiences with my Coach, Steve King. However, via today’s post, I’m going to share with you one of the most inspiring, uplifting, and to-the-point videos about how to get from where you are to where yo want to be.

Coach Jimmy V. – Master of His Destiny

When Jimmy Valvano was 17 years old he took out a simple white index card and wrote down all of his professional aspirations. He would play basketball in high school and college, become an assistant basketball coach, then a head coach, achieve a victory in Madison Square Garden, and finally cut down the nets after winning a National Championship. Coach V’s ability to see his place in the world with such clarity was truly a gift. This simple card, coupled with a strong belief that he could control his fate, would guide the next ten years of his life.

At the age of 36, Jimmy V. could take out his tattered index card and cross out every single dream. He was indeed the master of his destiny. Along the way, he adopted a personal philosophy for living that enabled an ordinary man to accomplish the extraordinary. Coach V. believed that enthusiasm for life, dreaming big, and working hard were the elements that allowed him to be successful. There is no doubt that Coach V.’s tenacity, passion, and vision played key roles in his rise to the top. However, listen to any individual recount a personal memory of him, and nothing from the above list of accomplishments would be mentioned. Instead, you would hear of the qualities that made Coach V. unforgettable.

This video of Coach V. — some say one of the most famous in sports-awards history — is something I encourage (no, “command”) you to watch from start to finish:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePXlkqkFH6s[/youtube]

( * if the video doesn’t play for you, try switching browsers temporarily — i.e., from FireFox to Internet Explorer — or updating your Adobe FLASH )

If you want to dive deeper into what Coach V. phrased as “how to go from where you are to where you want to be,” another coach named Dov Baron can help you out… at no charge.

I like to affectionately call him “The John Wayne of Manifestation”… and he’s not a sports coach, but a life coach and renowned mentor and author that you may have heard me mention before.

Yes, Heather and I have interviewed Dov numerous times (both separately and together), and he always makes deep metaphysical concepts easy to grasp for everyone who listens in.

Now he’s got a free e-book out called Getting What You Want… To Want You!

We’d like you to be able to get your hands on this gift, and discover the science and reality behind what sometimes might seem like fantasy… creating the life of your dreams.

So go ahead and download it now, to increase your ability for consciously Getting What You Want… To Want You!

Your Partner in the Quest For
Living a Life Without Limits,

Filed under: Living-Dying, Personal Achievement, Videos