I hate to say it, but you’ll go a lot further in life if you can figure out your priorities and keep them straight.
Or, as I always love to say, “Yes, you can have it all. Just not all at once.”
Most people don't understand the sacrifices made to have a car like this.
Priorities aren’t necessary to have it all, but they will help while you’re getting there.
Basic Definition
Technology is wonderful, isn’t it? A few clicks and I came up with this:
The right to precede others in order, rank, privilege, etc.; precedence.
Via dictionary.com. This is what a priority is, in a nutshell. Why am I including this? No, it’s really not because I think you’re dumb. It’s because the word is thrown around so much that sometimes you may not think about exactly what it means.
Take a bit and reflect on the definition. Don’t just blow it off — this is important, whether you want to realize it or not.
Your Take
Now, if I asked you what your priorities are, could you tell me? Would you be able to list out five things that are a priority in your life?
Here’s mine, for example:
- My cars — including modifications & maintenance
- Racing — the way I enjoy the money I put into my cars, I always make time for racing
- Education — I’m inclined to be a perpetual (nontraditional) student
- Culture — this is my “travel,” when I go somewhere, I want to learn culture, not just see sights
- Networking — having a network of family, friends & associates is an area of focus for me
Final Thoughts
It isn’t enough to just list out your priorities. There are a few key things to think of when you see your own list:
- Your priorities should reflect your values. If not, something’s misaligned.
- Your priorities should be a summary of what you’re like — If I don’t know you at all or very little, what your priorities are should tell me something about you. (So you’d better like the message they project.)
- You should be working towards your priorities. If you aren’t, it’s time to figure out how to fix it.
- Set goals following your priorities. If you’ve been honest with yourself, your priorities are what speak loudest to you and what you hold most dear. You can’t go wrong following your passions… Promise!
- And remember — Nobody can tell you if your priorities are right or wrong except for you. Yes, they say something about you, but don’t let anyone judge you just on them alone. As with many things, they’re only one piece of the puzzle, and a small one at that.
Tie-In With My Cars
Okay, some of you may be wondering what this has to do with cars at all…. And it’s this:
My cars are my priority, so they’re first in line when it’s payday. If you ever wondered how we afford our cars, it’s because we value them above many, many things.
For those who are petrol-heads of a similar caliber, you totally get what I’m saying. Sadly, people who aren’t have a hard time getting it. (I think some people who I try explaining it to this way don’t even have their own priorities straight, which pretty much means, as suspected, the problem is with them and not us.)
Additional thoughts, peeps? Or am I being too deep and just thinking too much again?
No related posts.
Having a SO who supports (if not outright enjoys) your hobby helps a lot.
That’s definitely true. My husband was a total car nut when I met him, and I always supported him in it, even before I truly got into it. We see so many couples where, usually, the guy wants to get into it and the girl won’t let him for whatever reason. I vowed to never be like that and to always support my hubby.
(So when he wanted to get a rifle, I told him to go for it and even went to the range with him, when guns totally aren’t my thing.)
You are quite wise, Meg. My hat’s off to you.
Well, I get it, but you knew that.
For us, throughout this past year, the priorities have shifted. We have a kid whose college lasted longer than our savings, and we’ve been shoveling cash at her since last fall. My car projects start with the challenge, “What can I do without spending any money?” (Cleaning, removing rust, painting trim pieces, all kinds of stuff, as it turns out!)
Darling Daughter graduates in June, though. A good thing, too, because the Miata needs a clutch, the Spider needs a front-end rebuild, the Subie may need tires, and our about-to-be-a-graduate’s little sister needs a fuel pump for her Berlina. And that doesn’t even touch the 356 or the Milano!
@Meg: I have to touch briefly on your comment that “the girl won’t let him for some reason.” 20+ years ago I was witness to a really embarrassing exchange between a Car Guy friend and his significant other (we’ll call them Steve and Suzy, though those aren’t their names). Suzy berated, belittled, and humiliated Steve in front of me (and a few other buddies) about some car-related sin he had committed.
On the way home, I stopped and bought a bottle of champagne, a favorite beverage for my wife, Kim. I walked into the house and handed it to her.
“Why the champagne?” she asked with a bright, happy smile.
“Because you’re not Suzy,” I answered.
Sometimes it’s alright to not be spending money on the cars like crazy, because it really helps you focus on the little details or find alternatives. It’s as cheap or expensive as you’re willing to make it, I’ve found.
That last story = awesome!
I feel so bad for some of the guys sometimes, girls just don’t always get it. I had one guy at an autocross once tell me he wished his girlfriend would be a bit more like me. Not that he expected or even wanted her to go out and race too, but just to be out and social and not sit around and pout about a wasted day.
I met a couple not much older than me and my wife at a car gathering and they made an observation that was backed up by a gentleman who’d been married to his wife for 40+ years: there are stages to supporting your spouse’s hobby.
1.) Hostility
2.) Acceptance
3.) Enjoyment
That distills a long and entertaining conversation, but I found myself really thinking the younger guy I was talking to was lucky that his wife had come with him and really seemed to be enjoying herself.