Since local channels started airing American Idol many seasons ago, I tried my best not to miss a single episode. To say that I religiously follow the show is an understatement. I sometimes find myself leaving things in a heartbeat just to root for my favorite contestant and see him go through the next round.

Perhaps it’s the frustrated singer in me that likes this reality show very much. Having joined several singing contests in the past, I can totally relate to what the contestants feel minutes before their performance. I also like seeing dreams realized and immortalized on TV. And, I must confess, American Idol is the only show that makes me cry.

Apart from the glitz and entertainment that is American Idol, there are some lessons from the show that we can apply to our day-to-day life:

1. Be an underdog, but do not overdo it

Admit it: underdogs are adorable. We are passionate about cheering for the underdog (think Syesha Mercado and Elliott Yamin) and when our voices are hoarse from too much “coaching,” our underdog is certainly not an underdog any longer because the rest of America– and perhaps the world– have decided to cheer him on, as we have.

Lesson: It is okay to be imperfect or not so popular at first because the world always looks for fortitude and resilience in addition to raw talent. However, overdoing it is a no-no. Nothing looks more miserable than one who is trying too hard to look and act like an underdog.

2. Listen to constructive feedback

The American Idol judges are there for a reason though sometimes I’m baffled by some of Paula’s incoherent remarks on the show. Of course, Simon, in all his pompous glory (I call him the WYSWIG guy), is there not only to spite contestants, but to tell the truth (his side of truth, that is). The key is for the contestant to listen closely to what the judges have to say, build on it, and come back with a vengeance.

In life, our detractors are there for a reason. Whenever we are faced with tremendous opposition, we need to step back and try to dig for the grain of truth in their words. Then begin the process of trying to improve ourselves, ignore them, and move on.

3. Believe and become

One of the many things that makes my jaw drop when watching American Idol is the massive number of people who believe and announce it with certainty that they are the next Idol. While some contestants are just plain conceited, there are those who actually have the pipes and the confidence to back their claim. Seeing them pursue their dreams week after week makes us realize that dreams indeed happen.

If we are as relentless as American Idol contestants in attaining what we want in life, we can easily have our hearts’ desires. Unless things won’t go as planned, there is no giving up in wanting to achieve greatness in life.

4. Humility will get you places

There is something about insolent American Idol contestants that turn me off and I’m sure millions of voters share my dislike. There are contestants who get booted out immediately from the show after revealing their egotistical sides. Remember Justin Guarini from Season 1? He and Simon Cowell had a row and the former, in response to the latter’s critique, said he did not care because the audience liked him. He apologized the next episode but he will forever be remembered as the guy who got drunk from all the attention that he forgot to keep his feet on the ground.

5. Be likeable

Remember Sanjaya? The judges would tell him every single time that he was not the best in the group (Simon even said he’ll quit if Sanjaya won), but it was quite a while before he got axed. The truth is, Sanjaya is quite likable. There wouldn’t be any crying girls in the audience if he were not. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t the best. As Paula would often point out, he makes almost everybody happy.

The main point here is that an Idol is not just a singer who can belt out Steve Perry and Whitney Houston classics. He is someone whom people admire and someone whose personality is bigger than him.

It is true that it is impossible to expect everyone to like you. But think of it this way: there will always be someone rooting for you. Be the best you can be, because for that person, you are already the best, and it would be so heartbreaking to prove him wrong.