Why you should drive like there’s someone behind you.

I bought a car two years ago.  It’s the first car I’ve owned since I was 16.

And ok, I didn’t buy it.  I leased it.  And, actually, I’ll be giving it up at the end of November and not getting another one for a while.

I’ll miss it, because I love driving.  I just hate drivers.

So much of NYC traffic is caused by selfish drivers.  There are the double parkers that could pull over into an empty space, but nooooo, because it’s five feet farther away from their stop.  There are the people who don’t use turn signals so you get stuck behind them when they surprise you as they try to turn right.  You know what I’m talking about, right?

These people drive like there is no one behind them.  Like they own the road.  They forget that their actions have a ripple effect on everyone that is following them.  And when they pull some selfish move, everyone behind them suffers.

Conscientious drivers, who think about the people behind them as well as the people in front of them, make the road a better and safer place for everyone.  And, we all get to our destinations faster.

And the same is true in business.

Too many people in all businesses pursue their goals selfishly . . . without thinking of the people coming up behind them.  They make deals that serve their purpose but set horrific precedents.  They treat potential partners with disrespect, turning them away from the industry as a whole.  This selfish approach to success makes it harder for the next generation of people pursuing the same goals.  And it makes it harder for the industry as a whole.

Pursue your goals, your dreams and your success with unwavering passion and perseverance.  You can even go a little bit over the speed limit down the highway of your career.  But never get too enamored with your destination that you start to forget that there are a lot of people behind you trying to get to the same place in their own time.

Oh, and use your turn signal.