Out of 36 million brackets submitted to major online games for the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, only four perfect brackets remained heading into the final day of the second round.
And none of those brackets stayed perfect heading into the Sweet 16.
Still, even though "perfect" is no longer possible, the tournament will go on. There will be more upsets, more blow-outs, and more brackets busted. And fans all over the country will cheer some wins, cope with some disappointments, and find new teams, players, and storylines to root for if their favorites don't make it all the way.
Throughout the course of your financial plan, you'll often have to let go of "perfect" and adjust to the ups and downs that life throws at you. These three strategies can help you stay in the game and win round by round all the way to retirement.
1. Focus on What You Can Control
At the end of a thrilling first-round matchup, Allen Graves hit a 3-point shot with 2.4 seconds left to put Santa Clara ahead of perennial powerhouse Kentucky. The Wildcats could have deflated or beat themselves up about mistakes and bad luck. Instead, Kentucky's Otega Oweh seized the moment and hit a long 3 of his own to tie the game at the buzzer. Kentucky went on to win in overtime.
When an unexpected financial shock hits, it's natural to feel down. If the stock market takes a sudden dive just as you approach retirement, you might spend your days glued to financial news. If your car breaks down and repairs will break your monthly budget, it's tempting to ruminate on the unfairness of the situation. But as long as there's still time on the clock, there are variables that you can control: your saving and investing rates, how much you're spending, a potential career change, or an attitude adjustment. Focusing on the levers you can pull will help you come up with a winning game plan rather settle for an L.
2. Cultivate Psychological Resilience
#11 Virginia Commonwealth's upset of #6 North Carolina wasn't just a major bracket-buster. VCU's 19-point comeback was the biggest ever in the first round and the sixth-largest in the history of the men's tournament.
Resilience on that scale and on that big of a stage is a skill that elite athletes build over time through repetition, experience, and belief. But, in the end, even an NCAA tournament game is just a game. It's a lot more challenging to learn to be resilient when a market swoon is putting a dent in your retirement accounts or you lose your job unexpectedly.
If you can develop resilience, you can also gain the ability to spot opportunities you might otherwise overlook. That could mean having the confidence to "buy low” during volatility to boost your long-term wealth-building prospects or finding the courage to make a major career pivot that will make you more fulfilled in the long run.
3. Work With a Winning Coach
Wooden. K. Izzo. Smith. Pitino. Boeheim. Williams. Calhoun. Knight.
Whatever the situation is on the court, the best coaches always have a plan. They know how to maximize their players’ strengths and shore up weaknesses. They know how to adapt and recalibrate as the game evolves. And they have the experience and perspective to help their teams build strong habits, improve their mindsets, face adversity, and keep winning.
Let’s talk about putting our Life-Centered Financial Planning approach on your bench. You can rely on our expertise and our process to lead you from “one shining moment” to the next.
