Lessons from a Classic Car Show

Let me start out by saying that I am not a classic car expert. I, like many women I suspect, look at classic cars and can appreciate that they are old and worth more now then they did when they were new, but when it comes right down to it we don't salivate like our male counterparts when one comes down the road. That being said, I can tell you that my family is into classic cars and we own a few. As a matter of fact, the 1937 Ford in the picture belongs to my step-father. Because of owning classic cars, I am a member of a car club called the Prescott Antique Auto Club (PAAC) in Prescott, AZ. Last weekend I attended, worked rather, the 35th Annual Watson Lake Auto Show hosted by the PAAC. My job was to assist with the registration and ballot counting of the cars, and while I do not know much about the cars themselves, I did pick up on some characteristics on the people both attending the show and car owners in the show.

I have come to the conclusion that there are two types of classic car owners. The first type are those who have the money to purchase a car already restored just to add to their collection. You can tell which people they are because they will park their car, open the hood, and display their trophies or dash plaques. Now there is nothing wrong with this type of person, they have a beautiful collection and maintain their cars well. The second type are those who either bought their car as a piece of junk and restored it or those whose car was passed down from father to son over the years. You can tell who this group is because instead of trophies, they display photos of the car's history and documentation as to the car and restoration project. The biggest difference between these two groups is only discovered when you speak to them. Both groups will talk about how beautiful the car is, but you can tell the level of pride and enthusiasm is far greater in the people whose blood, sweat, and tears have contributed to the immaculate machine you are looking at. Also, the people who are attending the show will gravitate towards those cars just to see the progression of when it was first a rust bucket, and slowly morphed into a car that looks like it was just driven out of the showroom. To see the before, during, and after pictures really makes you appreciate the car as a work of art and not just a machine you trade in after driving it for a few years.

I am reminded of another car I saw not too long ago at a car gathering. A few months back, Jon and I went to a gathering that occurs every Saturday night near our home. As we were walking through the cars, we came up to one that beautiful to look at. Although I cannot recall the actual make and model of the car, it was a metallic gray 1960's muscle car. The owner of the car was kind enough to all us to open the doors and check out the interior. When he started the car up, "she" purred like a kitten. The interesting thing is that the car was not the focal point. Placed on a podium in front of the car was a scrapbook. This book did not contain the restoration process or bills of sale, but it had photos, news clippings and movie stills of the man's sister. She was a popular 1960's screen actress who originally purchased the car as her daily driver and according to her brother, she loved this car. When she died, she willed the car to her younger brother; and since then, he has restored the car to its former glory. As we thumbed through the scrapbook which displayed her life's work, he mentioned to us that he was always so proud of her and the car is his way of showing his appreciation and pride for his sister and her legacy.

Pride in one's accomplishments can apply to any situation or task, but this level of pride can only be achieved when you have a meaning purpose and you put in your own efforts to see it though. Just think, once you are done, you will have "one sweet ride".

I Fail Therefore I Don't Try

How many times have you heard people you know automatically give up or assume the worst before they even try. Well, I see this too often and given the economic times, people seem even more beat up than before. I know that it is difficult to think positive when you have been searching for a job for months or concerned about losing your home; but when you approach a situation with a "I am going to fail" attitude, guess what you will. Sure this sounds harsh, but the truth can be harsh. The secret is that you do not have to be this person but it does require you to recognize what it is that you are doing and change it.

In addition to my regular employment, I also teach nights at a local community college. I see students of all ages and backgrounds who walk in already defeated on the first day. Last year in fact, I had a non-traditional student who was getting back into school after many years and was concerned that my class was going to be too difficult. On the first day of class, I was sitting on the bench outside of the room waiting to go in and set up. This student (not knowing I was the instructor) approached me and asked if I thought this class was going to be a lot of work (which is a normal inquiry) but her reasoning was because she did not know if she could handle it. She hadn't even seen the syllabus or assignment list but she already has put in her mind that she was not going to do well. Oh by the way, I teach Interpersonal Communication which is a freshman level class and not something like Bio-Chemistry. I understand that people are going to be successful at some things and not so much on others; but don't set yourself up for failure before you even try. I am passionate about this and therefore I decided to say something, especially since my brother-in-law made the following comment last night "Stressing over this damn college placement test. I know there are no grades, but I'm gonna fail anyway."

My bother-in-law is going back to school. He has been out of a "school" routine for quite some time now. As expected, he has some anxiety about starting college. As part of the process, he is required to take some assessment tests so the school will be able to properly recommend the right courses for him. Before he even saw the test, he already decided that he was going to do poorly.

You can't be perfect any everything, but you don't have to be the one stacking the cards against yourself. We have enough adversity against us without having to add our own mind talk to the pile.

I am reminded on another situation. A couple of years ago I had a couple football players in my class. There was a big game the next night and my footballers were already counting themselves out of the game. They were convinced that they did not stand a chance against this other school. I told them that they may win or lose but don't walk off the field before the coin is even tossed. After a few minutes, one of my students said that I had give them the best pep talk they have ever received. Although they did not win, they played the game with their heads held high.

If you are ever doubting yourself, just think about what the AZ Cardinals did in 2008. When no one believed in them, they believed in themselves.