You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand why you need self-control when driving a racecar at high speeds as you weave through corners door-to-door with others who share similar thoughts. But the need for self-control doesn’t end when you take off your helmet.
It’s well-known that most Americans spend far more than they can afford on cars and trucks, and it doesn’t stop there. If you’re honest with yourself, using good financial judgment when buying or building a racecar can help you with restraints that can help prevent overspending.
We all know that at times, having self-control can be difficult or even overwhelming. There are always going to be those times when we learn of some new-fangled, cool-looking product that comes available and convinces us we must have it because it will make our car faster. “Honey, I have to have it because everyone else will, and you don’t want me to get passed, now, do you?” Sound familiar?
Just because the monthly payments are manageable doesn’t mean it’s smart to let your racing passion gobble up a huge chunk of your paychecks every month. This is one of life’s biggest expenses, and it’s a purchase where you have total control over how much you spend. I like to think of this whole scenario as “The Call of the Wild.” In Jack London’s saga about a dog named Buck who wants to be the lead dog, which is the primordial beast or the most wolf-like. Buck becomes progressively feral in the harsh environment, where he is forced to fight to survive and dominate other dogs. Sound familiar? You bet it does.
Why do we race? Because the primordial beast in us wants to be the lead dog. It’s the reason you lose your senses and end up convincing yourself that a few more bucks won’t hurt. That’s when you lose self-control and you lie awake at night wondering how you’re going to make ends meet. All of a sudden, you’re no longer in control, and racing is no longer fun. Face it … at this point you’re no better off than an addict trying to convince yourself you have things under control.
Self-control is an important skill that allows you to regulate behavior to achieve your long-term goals. People with greater willpower tend to do better on the track and financially, not to mention, have higher self-esteem. Self-control the ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts and behavior in the face of temptations and impulses. Self-control is a cognitive process that is necessary for regulating one’s behavior in order to achieve specific goals. The bottom line is, learning to have self-control can help you in many ways. You will learn to control your bad habits, control your thoughts, control your fears, your finances and ultimately control your impulsive urges, thus making your racing experience so much more rewarding.
You will be a lot happier being able to go to the track on race weekends knowing your bills are paid, and being able on focusing on having a blast with your NASA friends and family.
When I was a boy, my father taught me fishing and hunting wasn’t about filling my creel with fish or shooting my full limit of quail. More importantly, it was about spending time with those we care about. In other words, racing doesn’t have to be all about spending more money so that we can win more races. Self-control leads to enjoying the passions we love.
Gary Faules, this is why I gave up golf as everything that would take one stroke off your game cost $300.00 or more.
Ralph, I hear yiu loud and clear. By the way, I still very much want to do and interview with you. Maybe we could do it over the phone soon.
Any time you want, Mr. Faules, my cell phone works best because I am as deaf as a jelly doughnut which is a lot worse than a plane doughnut however I still do buy green bananas.