Auto Repair Shop Owners: When Did Your Life Stop Being an Adventure?

Adventure by Rick White, President 180BIZ

I want to ask a question. When did life stop being an adventure? When was life all about playing it safe? I listen to shop owners talk all the time about wanting to grow their business, and then they continually play it safe. Playing it safe is one of the most dangerous things you can do in your business. Things can change in an instant, and if you're not prepared, if you're not watching the horizon looking for opportunities, you are going to be in trouble. Safety is an illusion. Comfort is an illusion. It is a moment. Safety and comfort are actually the most dangerous things in your life. 

I truly believe that each and every one of us, me included, are here to do amazing things. I figured out there are three things that are preventing you and me, at different times, from recognizing and creating and becoming the person that we're supposed to become. There's an old saying that says, “You can never find a new continent if you're afraid to leave the shore.” Think about that for a second. I'm telling you that each and every day you should be looking for a new shore. 

I want you to be excited about the growth. I want you to be excited about the opportunity. I want you to be excited about what could be. But there are three things holding us back. There are three things keeping you at the shore instead of going out and looking for that new continent.

1. Meaning. People associate failure with defeat, and I need you to change the meaning of the word failure. Failure is simply a lesson. The only way you can actually fail is if you give up. Otherwise, you're going for a destination. You're going for a destination and trying this path. And if that doesn't work, you will go to a different path. And if that doesn't work, another path, and another path, and another path. But you never give up. These aren't failures, you've just found paths that don't get you to where you want to go. Imagine getting in the car, hitting some construction, and then saying, “Nope, I'm done.” That was a failure. It didn't work and you went home. It's absolutely ridiculous. Why? Because we don't see the obstacle on the road as a failure. We just see it as an inconvenience. I want you to change the meaning of the work failure to lesson.  We have all failed, but none of us are failures.
2. Fear. Fear of people laughing at us stops us from reaching our destination and growing. You don't think Columbus and Magellan and all those guys didn't have people laughing at them at the dock as they were shoving off. They're going to fall off the edge of the earth. You can't let fear stop you. The fear of rejection, the fear of ridicule, the fear of failure. These are the things that are stopping you. But again, who cares what others are thinking about? All of this is just there to stop you from becoming everything you could be. Don't let other people's opinions and limited thinking and bitterness be your defining moment. Don't let that happen. Believe in yourself. There are enough other people that are going to follow you in.
3. Limits. Too many people are letting their lessons dictate what they can’t do instead of learning from them. I want you to learn how to take those lessons, learn from them, and get up to begin again more intelligently. That was so brilliantly said by Henry Ford. “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.”  So, change the meaning of the word failure. Let go of fear. Let go of trying to please everyone. If you try to please everyone your whole life, you're going to end up at the end of your life filled with regret because you never found out who you are. How amazing you could have been because each and every one of us has greatness within us.

Let's let go of the meaning. Let go of fear. And let's change the limits. Start leaving the shore.

Go find your continent because I believe in you. I believe in your capabilities. And I believe in your greatness.

 Take care. Go make some money. Stay safe and have fun.