Challenging Your Expectations

“I believe every chess player senses beauty when he succeeds in creating situations, which contradict the expectations and the rules, and he succeeds in mastering this situation.” –Vladimir Kramnik

This week I needed to have my (2005) car serviced.  When I called to make the appointment they told me that I would need to take a loaner car for the day and that the loaner car would be a 2010 model of my car with some slight differences.  After hearing this news I was expecting to “want” a new/newer car after having the loaner for the day.  Very commonly I think newer has got to be better.   But to my surprise, I actually didn't like the newer loaner all that much.

The perks of the new loaner were:

• It was higher off the ground and I missed this from my first car.
• Much quieter in the cabin.
• Slightly better gas mileage (I think…)

I was really expecting more than 3 things to like better than my car, but it just wasn't the case.

The expectations not met with the loaner:

• The loaner had way less power than my car (it was missing the horsepower and turbo).

• I did not like the color and could not find it in parking lots. (It was silver and super generic)
• The radio panel was larger, new and cool but missing an iPod jack! (Before this I didn't know that was even possible in a 2010 model car).
• The dash layout was better and more colorful but lacking the simple and bold design details that my car had on the dash.

To put it simply, I missed my car!  This car was not right for me.  I didn't have the choices that helped make the car my own.  I missed the “just right” feeling from my car.  With my car I chose the color, the model, the power (turbo), the leather seats and I even consciously compromised on the lower gas mileage and higher cost for gas.  I even compromised on being lower to the ground.  All and all this car was a culmination of all my conscious choices and wants for a car at the time of purchasing it.

Sometimes it’s great to change your perspectives and experiences so that you have something to challenge, compare and change your perspectives.  My assumptions about the newer model being better than my 5-year-old car were wrong and the experience made me truly appreciate my car even more than I thought I had and I appreciated my choices that I had made about the car 5 years ago.

I was more than happy to give the dealer their newer loaner back at the end of the day and really happy to drive my car, choices, and new-found appreciation home with me.  To make this lesson even better for me, the mechanic told me that my (read: older) car was in superb shape and that surprised them!  Always a plus!

Always be on the lookout for your assumptions and expectations and do a “gut check” to see if they are accurate and how and if they serve or hinder you.

Please feel free to comment. I love hearing from you and engaging in open dialog.