Are You the Gas or the Brake?

-by Matt Leedham

I saw a great commercial last night that made me chuckle. So of course, it ends up making an appearance here.

“In life, you’re either the gas or the brake.

Which one are you?”

This can be a fun metaphor to examine to see if you’re making the most of your experiences. Whether you tend to be the gas or the brake more often in your life is not important - don't get hung up on the definitions. What is important is understanding how happy you are with the choices you make.

If being “the brake” is causing you stress or holding you back, it’s time to break out of the mold. Here’s how we would define being “the brake”:

• Reacting rather than PROacting (yes, I just made up a word)
• Allowing fear to dictate your decisions
• Adhering to pre-conceived labels of who you are
• Ignoring well-established habits that hold you back

Being “the gas” is usually more fun. Here’s how we would define being “the gas”:

• Allowing positivity and optimism guide your plans
• Trying new things simply to experience them
• Continuing to examine yourself so as to not be “boxed in” by labels and definitions
• Laugh a lot and enjoy the ride!

Don’t get me wrong. There are times in your life to be prudent, responsible, and risk averse. This is not a permission slip to be reckless!

Just get out there and have some fun. Enjoy life and make the most of it!