Does the Price of Gas Upset You?

The last time I checked sales of SUVs dropped between 30% and 55% and with gas costing $1.00-$2.00 more per gallon than a year ago, I am a little surprised that those figures aren't higher. While I do not feel too sorry for the auto manufacturers because of the high prices they charge, I am sorry for all of those who have SUVs and are now having to pay in excess of $100.00 to fill their tanks only to get 10-15 miles per gallon. Now many owners of these once popular vehicles want out but are finding that it is hard to sell them because no one wants a big gas guzzler any more, and if they decide to trade them in many are finding that they owe thousands more than their vehicle is worth. It looks like they are stuck; or are they?

It depends where you focus your thinking. When I saw my gas bill exceed $500.00 per month I have to admit the thought ran across my mind to get rid of our SUV and get a more efficient vehicle. When I spoke to my wife about it she said; "I love my SUV, it makes me feel safe and has a lot of room but if we must, we must." I thought, if we must, we must? Hmm do really we have to compromise and lower our standards or are there other options available? Sure there were; I could either allow the high price of gas to decrease my lifestyle and place my wife and family in a vehicle that they did not feel safe in to save a few dollars, or.... I could increase my income a few hundred dollars to overcome those higher prices.

I chose the latter. I took the attitude of victory not defeat and surrender. I made up my mind that I would do what it took to hold onto something that I valued. I began to look for ways to increase my income by finding another business to get involved in, another investment, I would increase my speaking engagements, write another book, write more articles etc. (I wound up doing all of these)

I knew that the opposite thinking would result in loss. Loss of value if I traded the vehicle in, loss of a feeling of security for my spouse and of course the loss of comfort and space. The loss I was going to receive for compromising was greater than the few hundred dollars that it cost me every month so I kept the SUV; and as a matter of fact, because it was getting up there in age I sold it and brought another one. Get this; because sales of SUVs were so bad I was able to buy it for $5,000 less than book value! With that savings alone I could buy almost a years worth of gas, even at $3.00 per gallon.

It all comes down to choice. One choice is to do what it takes to succeed and the other is to submit to the pressures of loss. One way of thinking is that of the victor and the other is of the victim.

If you have been hit with hard times, if you feel as though you are in a rut because of the times we live in or because you have made an unwise decision, do not keep your actions and thoughts limited to just decrease and cutting expenses. Why not focus on increase and expansion. Ask your boss how you can make more money. See if you can afford to take on additional work without compromising family time. Ask yourself if there is any other way you can bring increase into your life.

I read about an individual that learned how to build and maintain websites. He targeted businesses and large corporations with his skills and over time secured a large number of clients working part time. He brought his income up to $11,000 per month. This individual was only 11 years old at the time! (Tell that to your MySpace expert child)

Then there is the woman who went to yard sales buying up used name brand jeans for less than a dollar. She placed them on Ebay and had people in other countries where these type of jeans were in demand and yet hard to come by pay her upwards of $30.00 per pair. Talk about a profit.

There are some folks who have lost the use of their limbs who sit on the sidewalk with a cup looking for a hand out while others with similar disabilities are out running races, going mountain climbing and are living life to the fullest. Why? Because one focuses their thinking on all the things they cannot do, while the other focuses on all the things they can. One looks at their disability and other looks at their ability.

Don't sell yourself short and do what it takes to succeed!

Oh yeah, about the gas prices? Once the price of Gas goes down, that extra money I was making to offset those high prices? I will still have it to do other things with and I've had my eye on one of the 42" plasma screen TVs or a cruise for me and my wife.