When the workday is over, the tools are put away, the computers have gone to sleep, the customers have driven away safely and the last tech has clocked out, washed up and left the parking lot, do you ever just take a minute to put your hands on your hips, look around your shop, take a deep breath and think, “Is this really all there is to life?”
If so, you’re probably not alone.
After a tiring day of being responsible for everything – from customers’ cars and their safety, employee productivity and their family’s security to your own business legacy, things can get a bit overwhelming. There’s a lot of stressful nights spent tossing, turning and considering what’s next.
Bryce Kenny understands what you’re feeling. Kenny, professional driver of the Monster Jam Great Clips Mohawk Warrior monster truck, says he has been stuck in routines that were intended to bring him one level of satisfaction, only to find out that he was stuck in the wrong gear.
“I think we all have that moment where our head hits the pillow at night and we’re like, is this really it? This isn’t what I thought life would be or should be. I remember hearing someone say, ‘I just thought there would be more to all of this.’ And that’s a really discouraging place to be,” he says.
I had the opportunity to interview Bryce for my “Talking Shop with ShopOwner” podcast. During our conversation, he reveals the worst-kept secret in life: the pressure to succeed can be overwhelming, yet sometimes it paralyzes us into settling for less. He shared specific principles that he has developed in his own life to help others find direction and meaning in theirs.
He could, for example, simply exult in the cheers from the crowds as he participates in one of the most popular motorsports series in America to be happy. Yet, he says his greatest satisfaction comes from helping others to find the courage to chase their dreams.
In his book “Geared For Life: Making the Shift Into Your Full Potential,” Bryce guides readers to become unstuck in life and shift into the next gear to make a lasting impact on the world. One of the first steps? Stop chasing happiness.
“The happiness falls in line with finding meaning through the struggle and through the pain, but also through the effort. The happiness in life is a byproduct, not an end goal,” he says.
“The message in my book is not about what you’re doing or not doing – it’s about who you want to become in the process. And, by having clarity on the ‘who,’ the ‘what’ tends to take care of itself and the clearer your perspective will be on your best version,” he explains. “I learned a long time ago, it’s not fake it ‘til you make it – it’s believe it until you become it.”
Bryce admits that his book isn’t a solution to those 3 a.m. panics. Instead, he says, it’s more of a guidebook to help each reader find his or her own path.
“When I got my eyes off of myself and started serving other people, everything else seemed to take care of itself,” he says. “What I was doing every day seemed less complicated because I was becoming a better version of myself.”
Intrigued? Learn more about his book at BryceKenny.com, and listen to our entire conversation at ShopOwnerMag.com. It’s not about giving up your day job – it’s about getting more out of life.
