There’s a big sports buzz again in Indianapolis, and it’s not about our Indianapolis Colts.  It’s about our hometown university, Butler, playing in the NCAA Final Four tournament, which is also being held here in Indianapolis this upcoming weekend.   Who would have thought that a university of 4200 students would have a team that defeated top seeded teams and are now playing in the Final Four versus a university of 47,100?  Does it seem unfair that a team from smaller school would be playing against one over ten times its size?

Butler has been compared to the Milan High School basketball team in the movie, “Hoosiers.”   The real-life team Milan High, won the Indiana boys basketball title back in 1954, when there was just one classification of basketball.  Milan took on the big boys and won.  Butler, a small university, is also taking on the big boys in the NCAA tournament: Syracuse, Kansas State, and now Michigan State.  But just like David versus Goliath, the Butler boys have “smooth stones” in their pocket to knock out the big competition in players Gordon Hayward, Matt Howard, and Shelvin Mack.  They haven’t listened to critics and sports writers.  The boys have gone out and executed a good game of basketball, both offensively and defensively.

Have you ever been faced with a big decision or challenge in your life?  How do you react?  Do you “play” with fortitude, perseverance, and determination to do the best you can, or do you approach it with an attitude of “there’s no way that I can win against this HUGE adversary?”  When you apply fortitude, perseverance, and determination, nothing can stop you from succeeding.  The Butler boys haven’t let the Goliath colleges intimidate them.  Instead, they are taking one step, or game, at a time.  And, they have succeeded.

I’d encourage you to look at the “Goliaths” in your life.  When an issue seems too big, here are some thoughts:

1.  Seek counsel from others on how to develop your game plan. They can help “coach” you to success.
2. Take one step at a time with your game plan and include fortitude, perseverance, and determination.  You may be surprised at the outcome. 
3. Evaluate and make adjustments to the plan as you go, if needed.  If the opposition changes “players”, be prepared to make “substitutions”, too.

The Butler Bulldogs basketball team hasn’t let the big boys stop them.  You can overcome big challenges, too.