#42 "Make It a Learning Experience"
“Every adversity, every failure, and every heartache, carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.” -Napoleon Hill
It was a gorgeous day. I had just left a meeting with one of my favorite consulting clients. Then all of the sudden, my tire pressure monitor comes on. “Crap!” The monitor is already reading “25 LBS of air” and quickly drops to “22”. My tire is going flat and seems to be in a hurry to get the job done. I pull off and begin the process of changing the tire.
While in time’s past this would have set me off in a rage of frustration this time I found some joy. I had known for some time I needed to practice changing a tire just in case this happened. However, who really does that? Well, here was my moment. I had a learning experience on my hands. While I know how to change a tire I hadn’t done it in years. So trying to muster the enthusiasm of Ralphie’s father in “A Christmas Story” I got about my business.
It’s 2020 so first go to YouTube and watch a video on changing a tire on a 2019 Tahoe.
Next, remove the plastic covering on the inside back left hidden compartment,
unscrew the jack holding apparatus, pull out rolled vinyl sleeve containing the handle to the jack,
next remove the small cover from the bumper hiding the spare tire lock.
Look closely. It appears there’s not way to remove it without scratching the bumper. There is. There is a small indention allowing for you to remove the cover plate.
Get the ignition key, place in the lock, pull out the lock.
Now assemble the jack handle, place in the hole left open with the removal of the lock and turn to lower your spare. You’re on your way.
You know what? It wasn’t that bad. Full disclosure the lug nuts were on my tire so tightly I bent the tire tool. I had one last lug mockingly staring me. It wasn’t budging. I called roadside assistance and in about an hour the entire episode was over. By the way the guy from the towing company struggled to get the last lug off as well. He had an air gun that couldn’t get it off. He informed me it was in fact far too tight.
Instead of being ticked I now relish knowing if that air pressure monitor ever screams, “Hey dude you’re getting a flat,” again I won’t fret. I know what I’m doing. I know exactly where the tire tool and jack are. I know there is a lock for the spare that my ignition key will remove. I know I need to loosen the lugs BEFORE I jack the car up (Thanks YouTubes). I also know there is a small plate to be removed covering the lock to lower the spare that has a small indention on the edge to remove it. Oh, and I learned I have the towing package on my Tahoe! Score as revealed by first removing the wrong plate on the bumper at first! Those little plates are funny. Look at the back of your giant plastic bumper. Remember when bumpers were metal? Have you ever wondered what’s behind the little plates? Well, now I know.
Most importantly I learned it’s much better if you look at a setback as an opportunity to learn something. You’re not in a pickle you’re in school. Learn from it. Think back on your life. You’ve had many crazy things happen probably much worse that whatever predicament you find yourself in. Remember it eventually just became one of those “that one time…” stories. So will this one. It will pass. It will just be a “Well, there was this one time…” story and you will have learned from it. How we frame these moments makes all the difference in the world!
You Rule!
Jason