This month is the 4th anniversary of Safe Driving Coach, and it has been quite a ride (pun intended) so far! Now, I didn’t just start teaching safe driving skills 4 years ago. I’ve been doing that for many years both on the road and on the race track. As the Safe Driving Coach, my work with new and inexperienced drivers over these past 4 years has been both challenging and highly rewarding. I feel extremely blessed that the skills I teach help make the world a safer place.
In life, just as in driving, it’s important to keep an eye on what’s behind you. One of the parts I love most about my driving school is watching students make progress. If I don’t remember where my students started, then I can’t really be impressed with how much they learn. So I take time to really think about that progress and then share it so that my students can celebrate their own efforts.
I’ve had students come to me terrified of driving who go on 6 months later to pass their driver’s license exam as competent and safe drivers. That’s an incredible thing to see over and over again, but it’s only noticeable if I keep track of where we’ve been.
I didn’t always have plans to own a driving school. And the last two years have pushed me to deal with all kinds of challenges, obstacles, and fears. But when I look back at all I’ve learned in my business and in life, I am proud of everything I’ve accomplished. I’m proud of my family and my students, too, of course! Safe Driving Coach is growing, and I’ve brought on more driving coaches to meet the need for teaching safe driving skills all over the Delaware Valley. There’s a lot to celebrate!
Keep the Past in Perspective
One question I always ask students is, “what color is the car behind you?” When your eyes are laser-focused on what’s in front of you, you miss the other important elements of your surroundings, which include what’s behind you. But, and this is really important, knowing the color of the car behind you means that you have noticed it and registered its significance. I’m not asking what make and model it is. I’m not asking what color shirt the driver is wearing. If you take your eyes off the road ahead for too long to scrutinize what’s behind you, you’ll lose track of where you’re going and run into problems.
So while the past is important, remember that viewing it is observational. You can’t change it. You can critique it and consider how you might have handled certain things differently, but the fact is that the sum of your past brought you to exactly where you are right now, and there’s no place else you can physically be. So turn your eyes to the road ahead and consider what’s next.
Pay Attention to Where You’re Going
I’m excited for the future of Safe Driving Coach. I hope to continue bringing on additional coaches so that we can increase the number of safe drivers on the road exponentially. I thoroughly enjoy working with teens and young drivers. It’s a great feeling to know that these young people are learning lifelong skills, not just in driving, but in critical thinking and analysis. Students of our school really do learn to take a calm and measured approach to all kinds of life issues, and I’m glad that my coaches and I can be part of their development.
When was the last time you took a few minutes to take stock? I encourage you to catch up with yourself soon. Take a look at how far you’ve come in the past 2-5 years and write down your accomplishments. Did you learn any new skills, take on a challenge, let go of bad habits, or re-prioritize your life? Mark your progress and consider what’s working and what new goals it’s time to set.
And of course, if a teen driver is somewhere in your future, I hope you’ll prepare for it with our Parent’s Survival Guide for New Teen Drivers. Or plan for the greatest success on the road ahead for your teen with professional driving lessons from me or one of my coaches. Either way, I wish you all the best success on the road ahead!
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