Lex DeVille
Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
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Stopped by the DMV a little bit ago. It was renewal registration time. Seems like people hate the DMV. I've hated it in the past..when I had a job. Time slips by. Money lost. You never have all the paperwork they need. But the DMV isn't so bad anymore. Didn't have to fit them into my break. Nobody was hawk-eyeing my timecard.
HOW TO SUCCEED AT THE DMV
I perused their website beforehand. Found out their hours so I didn't show up too early. Read through the registration requirements. We'd lost our original registration, but I had time to send off for a new one. Read up on their fees so I knew exactly how much we'd be charged. Printed insurance. Checked for my license. Put copies in a notebook and off I went.
9:30. Only one person in line ahead of me. I sat down with the service rep. Handed her my paperwork in order. No rush. No frantic time checking. Maybe 10 minutes total and I was on my way.
Wasn't much talking during this time, expect the guy next to me. He was cracking nervous little jokes -- the kind you crack when you want to distract someone from something. He'd just bought a truck. Got through most of the process unscathed until the cashier told him the amount he owed for excise tax.
SURPRISE YOU OWE MONEY
His voice trembled, "say that again?" Out of the corner of my eye I saw his expression go from smiling jester to that look you get when Starbucks declines your card with people behind you in line.
The man fumbled around. Fidgeting hands. "I didn't expect it to be so much." He said he might have to use a check, but didn't have any on him. "How long do I have before this has to be paid?" Three weeks. He fumbled some more but answers didn't come. Clearly he wasn't used to thinking ahead. That's when he went full sidewalk...
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?
"Why is it so much?" He asked.
The cashier explained it's based on purchase price.
"But why?" He continued, "I didn't buy it from a dealership, I bought it from a person."
Again the cashier explained it doesn't matter who you bought it from, it's an excise tax based on the purchase price of the vehicle.
Now he looked upset. He made her explain this at least two more times before asking, "What even is excise tax?" The cashier explained, but the man just returned to "why?" What he was really saying was, "Why is this happening to me?"
Eventually he was overwhelmed. Time lost. Money lost. More money lost. With irritation seething through his teeth, he threw in the towel, "I'll have to come back later." He got up and stormed out the door.
At least he had that fancy new truck to peel off in...
THIS WASN'T A MONEY ISSUE
It was a mindset issue. Had the man bothered to find out how much taxes might be before buying his truck, he might not have this problem right now. If he could afford the truck he bought, he'd just whip out his debit card and be done with it. But he wasn't prepared, and didn't have access to that kind of cash.
All of this got me thinking about that old quote, "how you do one thing is how you do everything." It reminded mewhy how my business has progressed over the years. It reminded me why how my visits to the DMV have gone from teeth-grinding, multi-round trips, to zen mastery in-and-outs in under 10 minutes. It also reminded me why how I don't have problems with vehicle taxes.
It's mindset.
It's process.
It's due diligence.
It's not taking shortcuts.
Anyway, just thought I'd share the experience with you. What hard things require your due diligence today? Will the shortcuts you're thinking about taking work for you, or against you tomorrow? Is your short term personal gratification worth the years of pain it might cause later? Or is your short term pain worth the years of personal gratification later? How you grow is up to you.
HOW TO SUCCEED AT THE DMV
I perused their website beforehand. Found out their hours so I didn't show up too early. Read through the registration requirements. We'd lost our original registration, but I had time to send off for a new one. Read up on their fees so I knew exactly how much we'd be charged. Printed insurance. Checked for my license. Put copies in a notebook and off I went.
9:30. Only one person in line ahead of me. I sat down with the service rep. Handed her my paperwork in order. No rush. No frantic time checking. Maybe 10 minutes total and I was on my way.
Wasn't much talking during this time, expect the guy next to me. He was cracking nervous little jokes -- the kind you crack when you want to distract someone from something. He'd just bought a truck. Got through most of the process unscathed until the cashier told him the amount he owed for excise tax.
SURPRISE YOU OWE MONEY
His voice trembled, "say that again?" Out of the corner of my eye I saw his expression go from smiling jester to that look you get when Starbucks declines your card with people behind you in line.
The man fumbled around. Fidgeting hands. "I didn't expect it to be so much." He said he might have to use a check, but didn't have any on him. "How long do I have before this has to be paid?" Three weeks. He fumbled some more but answers didn't come. Clearly he wasn't used to thinking ahead. That's when he went full sidewalk...
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?
"Why is it so much?" He asked.
The cashier explained it's based on purchase price.
"But why?" He continued, "I didn't buy it from a dealership, I bought it from a person."
Again the cashier explained it doesn't matter who you bought it from, it's an excise tax based on the purchase price of the vehicle.
Now he looked upset. He made her explain this at least two more times before asking, "What even is excise tax?" The cashier explained, but the man just returned to "why?" What he was really saying was, "Why is this happening to me?"
Eventually he was overwhelmed. Time lost. Money lost. More money lost. With irritation seething through his teeth, he threw in the towel, "I'll have to come back later." He got up and stormed out the door.
At least he had that fancy new truck to peel off in...
THIS WASN'T A MONEY ISSUE
It was a mindset issue. Had the man bothered to find out how much taxes might be before buying his truck, he might not have this problem right now. If he could afford the truck he bought, he'd just whip out his debit card and be done with it. But he wasn't prepared, and didn't have access to that kind of cash.
All of this got me thinking about that old quote, "how you do one thing is how you do everything." It reminded me
It's mindset.
It's process.
It's due diligence.
It's not taking shortcuts.
Anyway, just thought I'd share the experience with you. What hard things require your due diligence today? Will the shortcuts you're thinking about taking work for you, or against you tomorrow? Is your short term personal gratification worth the years of pain it might cause later? Or is your short term pain worth the years of personal gratification later? How you grow is up to you.
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