To whom it may concern

Alrighty, so this is a direct follow up to my last post. I know some of you guys aren't happy with where you placed after the auditions, and I truly sympathize; it is hard to swallow your placement when your other buds got to where they wanted to, and I've had that happen to me, twice in fact. But you know what? You are still awesome regardless of the outcome. Never, ever, let a number define you as a musician, even a person. Believe me, if you ever got to Concert 1 or even Symphonic in your first year or two, that still beats what I accomplished at that point in high school, and that is something to proud of as it is. I know it is tough to swallow, but you know something else? You still have something to be proud of. Be proud of what you did to get at that point, for the journey is what matters, not necessarily just the outcome.

And here's my advice for next time, courtesy of a deceased, brilliant man, Randy Pausch:
"Brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want something badly enough. They are there to keep out the other people".

What you do after the results will define how successful you are. Will you be content with mediocrity, or will you work your ass off to improve? Do you have a fighters spirit that says, 'get back up, never back down, and keep fighting'? It's all in how you want to deal with it, and I know that every one of you is capable of getting back up and delivering a knockout blow! Either way, I will be there to support you in your journey to attain your goals!

Finally, here are some of my favorite quotes that I think all of you guys should think about, to get you pumped up:

"What makes a true hero? Is it Love? Compassion? Power? Maybe it's a ruthless determination to be the best. Maybe it's a noble outlook on life and a willingness to stare evil in the eyes no matter the odds. Or maybe it's a fighters spirit that says, 'get back up, never back down, and keep fighting'. What really makes a hero? That's for you to decide." "Destiny is HEART, SACRIFICE, and PASSION" "All gave some, and some gave all" "It is the size of one's will which determines success" "Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." "You're never a loser until you quit trying" "The important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete" "The essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well" "Don’t give up…don’t ever give up" "It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get back up" "The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory." "Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall" "Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt." "It is courage, courage, courage, that raises the blood of life to crimson splendor. Live bravely and present a brave front to adversity." It's up to you now. How will you react?