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Dropping knowledge left and right. But mostly left.
Cheating: why being accused is like a (Ninja Turtle) Christmas morning.
Cheating: it’s a topic that comes up a lot in certain divisions and series of racing. In our area, there’s a constant dialogue about cheating and tech inspections in the modified and late model divisions. With the sprint cars? Not so much.
That’s why I get excited when I hear cheating rumors in that division.
Everybody reacts differently to being accused of cheating. Some people get mad. Others get self-righteous, hurt or embarrassed.
Me? Not so much.
No. When my team gets accused of cheating, it’s like Christmas morning. And not just a regular Christmas morning. It’s the Christmas morning when you unwrap a Nintendo and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sleeping bag and you know you’re going to spend all day sitting in that sleeping bag playing Ice Hockey with your brother until you can’t move your thumbs (or clean your room, thank you very much.)
It’s that good.
Why? If someone thinks you’re cheating at something, you must be doing something good. Something really good.
You must be performing so well, in fact, that it’s inconceivable that you’re following the same rules as everyone else.
On an average night, teams don’t get accused of cheating. You only get accused of cheating if you’re doing something more than just winning. You must be dominating.
Maybe you’re winning the majority of your races. Maybe you won from the back of the pack. Maybe you won by a six-second margin.
Whatever it is, you’re performance is so above average that your competitors can’t explain it.
See, people don’t like to lose. That’s a given. But they can accept being beaten by their peers if they think they have a chance. They accept being beaten by just a little bit, a stroke of luck, or every so often because they still believe they’re in the game.
It’s when they get thoroughly dominated that they start to think they never had a chance. And if they believe they never had a chance, that’s when they jump to the conclusion: that’s only possible if you’re cheating.
So what can you do when someone accuses you of cheating? First of all, you have to accept that you’ll never convince them otherwise. People see what they want to see and believe what they want to believe. Don’t try to defend yourself.
Second? Celebrate it. Get excited. You must be doing something pretty amazing – so amazing that your competitors feel they can’t beat you within the rules.
And, that’s probably the biggest compliment you’ll ever get from your competition.
P.S. I’m keeping it short since there is so much actual racing going on this week. But next week, I have a follow-up post for you on how to cheat legally. Want to be the first to get it? Subscribe below to have it delivered directly to your inbox.
We see what we’re looking for.
How many times have you had a version of this conversation:
Person: Where do you start tonight?
You: Seventh
Person: Well, who starts on the pole?
You: Little Jimmy.
Person: Oh, of course. [Throws hands up in the air.] Little Jimmy always starts on the pole.
Now, in reality? Little Jimmy has just as much of a chance of pulling a one pill as every other driver. Maybe he does start there more than other people. Or, maybe it just seems that way because you’re focused on what Little Jimmy gets that you don’t.
In reality, Little Jimmy getting the pole so often probably can be chalked up to a combination of luck and showing up. Often.
But, we see what we’re looking for.
Have you ever bought a new-to-you car? I did pretty recently. I decided ahead of time that I wanted a certain car – all wheel drive, low profile in black (the only color vehicles come in, right?) – and started shopping around for it. Pretty soon, I was seeing them everywhere. My car at the stoplight. My car in the television ad. Oh look at the ice cream cone the guy driving my car has! (Sometimes I’m looking for ice cream and cars, what can I say.)
I was seeing what I was looking for.
Expectations are a heck of a thing. If we think we’re going to get screwed, in one way or another we probably will. Not necessarily more than usual, but we’ll find an instance to plug right into that expectation. We love to be right.
What’s my point? If we see what we’re looking for, then we can change what we see to a certain degree by changing what we’re looking for.
For most of us, this means losing whatever chip we have on our shoulders. Little Jimmy always starts on the pole. Twitter’s going to be blowing up over where Sally finishes (as usual). Uncle John is going to make some snide remark about where we finish.
They’re all chips that we’ve accumulated, maybe for good reason. But it’s time to let them go, a little bit at a time.
Give it a shot. It will probably go well at first, but then something will get under your skin and you’ll question why you thought things would change. Keep going. Changing expectations doesn’t just happen overnight – mental muscles are built in the same way physical ones are, over time and with repetition.
If you started looking for the positive instead of expecting to get screwed, what might happen? You might attract a new sponsor, make a new fan or inspire a storyline for a publication. You might find a dedicated crew chief, gain a Twitter follower or sell a t-shirt. Heck, you might even get a girlfriend.
There’s only one way to find out.
With love,
Kristin
My take on the size of your dreams.
I thought I’d do something a little bit different this week and record an audio version of the blog post. This week, we’re talking about dream shame – when the size of your dreams doesn’t match up with what others expect.
In racing, we talk about pursuing our dreams with others often. And we usually get unsolicited opinions on what we should and shouldn’t pursue. Click on the video below if you’d like my unsolicited advice on the size of your dreams and how to ignore the well-meaning advice.
As always, I’d love it if you’d leave a comment telling me if you liked this different format and if you’d prefer to receive more information this way. You can also tell me what else you’d like to see or hear from me, now or in the future.
With love,
Kristin
More than the minimum at Fremont Speedway
Last weekend, I traveled out to Fremont Speedway for the All Star Circuit of Champions double header. I was pleasantly surprised by a lot of what I experienced in my first visit to the place they’ve dubbed “The Track Where Action Was Built.”
If you read my recent article on DirtClassic.com, you know that I subscribe to the belief that showing up is essential for success. And, going beyond expectations even when you don’t have to is what creates a tribe for your team or event.
I saw a lot of that at Fremont this weekend, and so I called Promoter Rich Farmer to talk to him about their philosophy on delivering a great experience to fans, drivers and marketing partners. I’m sharing a little bit of that conversation today in hopes that we can apply some of these philosophies to our interactions with our customers, whether they’re re-tweeting your updates, buying your t-shirts or sitting in your grandstands.
For the most part, attitude has a trickle down effect. From the front gate to the food lines, I ran into positive attitudes and refreshing experiences. One of Farmer’s philosophies is that everyone who walks through the gate is a customer, and I could tell by the way I was treated by everyone I talked to.
“Our staff understands that whether you’re in the pits or the grandstands, you bought a ticket to get in to Fremont Speedway and therefore, you are a customer,” Farmer said. “And you should be treated as such.”
One of the first things that stood out to me was the price of pit passes – no higher than most weekly shows. For an increased purse, it’s unusual to see that the racers didn’t have to foot that bill.
“At the end of the day, the racers are the entertainment,” Farmer recognized. “They are the people that are putting on the show so we try to make it as economical for the teams as possible.”
Talking to Farmer, I heard countless examples of how treating people well creates an experience for the customer. It’s easy to take the people who are involved in the behind-the-scenes of racing, teams included, for granted. They’re dedicated. They love the sport. If there is a race, they’ll show up.
But just showing up for them sells one ticket. Creating a positive experience, though, builds a loyal fan base. You’re not just selling tickets to a race, you’re selling them an event. And for a track that competes for entertainment dollars with a number of popular venues nearby, the minimum just won’t cut it.
“We don’t believe in the minimum,” Farmer said. “I’m a go-big-or-go-home kind of guy. Anyone can sell tickets to a race. But at the end of the day, we want to see our campgrounds full, we want to see our stands full, we want to see our food lines full. We want the fans to have the best experience they can have at a racetrack. Everything matters.”
More than the minimum is the difference between a one-time customer and a customer for life. A customer that buys your shirt every year, sleeps in your campground for every event, shares your Twitter memes and upgrades to the pit pass when the big show is in town.
Are there ways that you can give your customer for life more than the minimum?
With love,
Kristin
Delivering a great experience, even when you don’t have to.
This week, I’m shaking things up a little bit with a special post. As you might know, the last few months I’ve been working on a passion project – The Dirt Classic Presented by Kasey Kahne. I’ve always been very lucky to be able to enjoy my work and the people that I get to collaborate with, and this race has taken that to a new level.
One of the things that we’re really focusing on with this project is delivering a new experience for race fans and teams. We’re applying many of the concepts that we’ve learned about business outside of the racing industry to this race. Some of it will work and some may not, and I’m grateful to be working with a team of people who is willing to do things differently for the benefit of improving the sport.
On that note, we’ve decided to complement the regular press release program that most races do with editorial pieces about the racing industry, regional racing, observations and interviews. This week, we debuted our first piece about the opportunities that we as racers and promoters have to deliver a fantastic experience even when we don’t have to.
If you’d like to check it out, please click over to The Dirt Classic website to read: Chomping at the Bit – Opening the Season with Opportunities.
xo.
Kristin
What it means to turn pro.
Turning pro is an interesting concept. It seems straightforward at first, right?
A pro football player is someone who plays football for a living. Getting drafted and entering the big leagues is considered ‘turning pro’. A professional driver is someone who pays their bills and feeds their family through racing, whether that’s from t-shirt sales or their cut of the winnings.
Going pro might also be thought of as a way of carrying oneself. “That Johnny…he’s a real pro.” They dress and act professionally, have a certain type of appearance and lifestyle. They have a professional attitude; they’re careful to say and do the right things.
But there’s a third way to go pro, and it has little to do with how much money you make or the label on your t-shirt. It’s a mindset. It’s a decision that everyone who wants to achieve something great has to make.
Simply put, a pro is the opposite of an amateur. A pro is someone who consistently pursues success at a given level.
Most of us have a job to do and a dream to pursue. The difference between those who succeed and those who don’t is often a choice: whether they show up as a pro or as an amateur.
I read a book a few years ago called The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield. In it, Pressfield defines the concept of turning pro – he’s since written a whole book on it. There are complexities to his definition, but to me, turning pro means making the decision to honor your dream by showing up and honoring your dream.
It might seem like a small difference, but deciding to turn pro changes everything.
So what do pros do?
Pros show up. They show up in the garage and at the track. When they’re totally exhausted after a race, they don’t just put the car away dirty. Pros go beyond the minimum. Pros take care of business.
Pros recognize their skills, and they put a value to them. Pros aren’t willing to waste their talent by not taking risks and opportunities. Pros make the phone calls to sponsors, manufacturers and car owners because they owe it to themselves to put their ability in front of the people that can help them achieve their goals.
Pros aren’t distracted by things that don’t matter. Pros don’t focus on the fun, easy stuff. Pros know what it takes to get the job done, and they do it, consistently.
Pros welcome failure. Pros learn from every attempt. Failure is only a step on their path to success. Pros fail, and they fail often.
Pros work for the future, not the present. Pros have long-term goals that they’re chipping away at. Pros don’t show up on the last lap, even though that’s the only one that counts. Pros race to every corner.
Turning pro means being patient. It means anticipating and dealing with challenges. It means creating meaningful habits. It means showing up and doing the work when the amateur calls it a night.
Turning pro means committing to your dream every single day.
I can honestly admit that I’ve been an amateur in many areas of my life. There have been times when I haven’t shown up in ways that I should have. I’m probably not the only one. But I decided a few months ago that I wasn’t messing around anymore.
When the going gets tough, ask yourself – am I operating like a pro? Or an amateur? I’m showing up and I’m turning pro. I’m not perfect but I’ve already seen one heck of a difference. And I’m just getting started.
With love,
Kristin
P.S. I’d love to hear how you’re turning pro. Any habits that you’re getting rid of or changes you’re making? Leave a note in the comments and the rest of us will cheer you on.
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