“Hey look kids, the new Tesla!”, I exclaimed to my daughters as the latest Model X pulled into view.
As we drove down the interstate I proceeded to give my daughters a “dad lecture” about the history of Tesla and Elon Musk’s vision for the future. As I lavished praise on this mid-sized, all-electric marvel the driver abruptly cut me off so violently that I had to slam on my brakes not to smash into the clean lines of its elegant bumper. They then proceeded to cut the person off to my right as well before exiting abruptly.
After I started breathing again we all had to laugh at the absurdity of the scenario. Here I was gushing over this vehicle and the next second it almost got us all killed. What’s more human than laughing at our own mortality — and who doesn’t love a good dose of irony?
Abundance on Wheels?
This person was driving what I believe to be the most incredible invention on the road. It has sleek design, raw power and is an answer to fossil fuel scarcity and air pollution all-in-one. This vehicle is basically abundance on wheels. Yet the driver was in a mindset that was anything but abundant. They were driving a vehicle that costs more than many people will make in a year and yet were rushing like a factory worker chasing a downtown bus.
Scarcity Driving Mindset
This encounter gave me an epiphany about the way we conduct ourselves on the road. I label this type of behavior “Scarcity Driving” and have broken it down into 5 categories that I’ll share with you. And before I start to sound judgmental of this particular driver, let me say that driving with a scarcity mindset is something I participate in with the best of them (more on that later).
Why you should care about Scarcity Driving
You may be wondering how the way you drive could have anything to do with the way you live your life off of the road. And I would argue that the way you drive is also the way you live your life. I believe that the way we drive is both an indicator of our habits and our general mindset. I also believe that if you are interested in self-improvement then driving is the perfect environment for testing your new resolve. Would you like to become more compassionate toward others? Why not start with the guy who never got the memo about 4-way stop etiquette? If you are interested in a self-transformation tool that you can put to use right away . . .