Wild, unpredictable and emotional are the words to best describe the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, known as March Madness.

It takes a special leader to be able to guide his team through the pitfalls of the tournament. While coaching philosophies differ, the five legendary coaches we’ve highlighted in today’s Monday Motivation were each able to guide their teams to at least one Championship. Take their words to heart and let them guide you to your own personal success.

“The key is not the ‘will to win’… everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important” – Bob Knight

A legendary practice coach, Knight knows a thing or two about the value of preparation. Adversity in the heat of competition is inevitable. The ones who come prepared for the adversity are the ones who will end up succeeding. Preparation may take time, but it’s that extra time that can mean the difference between success and failure.

“There is a lot of basketball beyond our control, but a player should never let anyone try harder than he does”
– Dean Smith

A lot in our lives and careers are out of our control. However, the one constant thing we can control is our effort level. There is a certain satisfaction knowing that you’ve tried as hard as you can in both success and failure. Not giving your full effort can leave feelings of doubt and regret. By putting your best effort forward every day, you can overcome those feelings.

“To go from where you are to where you want to be: you have to have a dream, a goal, and you have to be willing to work for it” – Jim Valvano

You might as well call this the ultimate blueprint for success. Really no explanation needed for Jimmy V’s words of wisdom.

“You have to lose yourself in the team and you have to lose yourself in the game” – John Calipari

A very interesting take from Calipari. In this quote he highlights the importance of both dedication to your team and your craft. Absolute commitment to both is a surefire way to get the results you desire.

“I do not judge success based on championships; rather, I judge it on how close we came to realizing our potential” – John Wooden

Just because you get an award doesn’t mean you’ve reached your full potential. You are always going to have areas that need improvement. Success should be based on how close you came to meeting your own goals and expectations. It should not be defined by an award criterion or a third-party source.

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