I’m not a “stuff” guy.
I have no collections, I don’t judge myself or others based on the things they own, and I don’t care how much something costs, as long as it solves a problem or serves a need.
When I made my list of things I want to accomplish in my life, I gave myself the rule that the list could not include a desire to “own” something, since any schmuck with a few bucks can buy a thing.
But then there’s my car. I drive an ’03 Mini Cooper that now has about 85k miles on it, and I can’t get rid of the thing.
Every year for the past three years I’ve considered the alternatives, and every year, I’ve opted to hang onto it for another season.
It’s always something: the new car doesn’t get good enough mileage, isn’t a convertible, doesn’t have a horn like the General Lee. Something.
It’s a strange kind of loyalty to a car; I can’t tell if there truly is no better option on the market, or if I’m rationalizing to myself so that I can avoid admitting that I do in fact have some attachment to this car.
85k miles.
And she doesn’t even have an iPod adapter.
I often work with organizations where a leader can’t fire an underperformer, can’t sell a non-strategic asset, or can’t delegate some piece of low-value work.
Everyone complains, the leader says s/he wants to change, but season after season, things remain the same.
And you know what?
I get it.
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You can tell that you are pretty attached since you referred to the Mini as ‘she’. I only very reluctantly gave up my old pickup, ‘Rebecca’, a couple of years ago. Once the car gets a proper name, it gets really difficult to let go I think. I get it too.
Steve, I didn’t even catch that when I wrote it. Ha! But you’re right, I call her Little Blue.
LB’s a lucky little Mini!