Driving and the Power of "Why"

Grab your cup. ☕ Happy Father's Day!

This week's coaching calls took a deep dive into an intense emotion: the fear—and for some, the absolute hatred—of failure. It got me thinking about what drives that fear, and it brought back a memory of my dad that completely mirrors how we look at business.

A Lesson from the Passenger Seat

My dad was the one who taught me to drive. He was into racing, so of course, I followed suit. I always felt completely confident on the road because HE was such a confident driver. A great leader once told me that sometimes others have to borrow our belief until they can believe in themselves.

Dad didn't just tell me what to do; he explained the mechanics of it. He was a jet engine mechanic, and a heck of a car mechanic so he knew exactly what was going on inside the engine. He taught me where my eyes should land when oncoming headlights blind you at night, and exactly where to look in a turn so you don't go too tight or too wide. He taught me the feel of a clutch, learning to read the RPMs by sound so I'd know the optimum time to shift. Later, when I raced the downtown boulevard on Friday and Saturday nights, that tidbit of info really came in handy. I can't say I raced that often, but as a "girl" racer, it was pretty fun and even though dad didn't like to hear about it, I think he was secretly proud that I could hold my own. I was, of course, driving his 68 El Camino with a 327 engine, three on a tree, with incredibly tight gearing. I don't even want to think how many tires he had to buy because of me.

The way he taught me to drive is pretty much the way he taught me about everything. He wanted me to understand the "why" behind the mechanics so I would always have options in how I executed a task or when making decisions and it's a skill I'm grateful to have been taught.

The Engine of Empowerment

In our coaching sessions, many of you have faced my relentless "why" questions. This is exactly why I ask them.

When you truly understand why you make the decisions you do, the fear of failure loses its hold on you. You are no longer driving blind. You can either lean into your choices feeling empowered, or you can use the information to make a different turn and a different decision.

It's not about never stalling the car, although if you grew up driving a manual transmission you know how to stall and you know it's not the end of the ride. It is about knowing how the engine works so you can get it moving again.

The Weekly Challenge

Take a look at your big goals for the coming week, and ask yourself:

"What would I execute tomorrow morning if I spent less time fearing the crash, or the stall, and more time focusing on the mechanics of the drive?"

What did your dad, a grandfather, uncle, coach, or mentor impart to you that still shapes how you think today?

Hit reply, let me know what they taught you, and tell me the one mechanical or decision you're taking this week.

Enjoy the day with your families!

Robin