Lessons from Racing School

I recently attended a racing school for the 3rd time. While I also go to the track for open lapping events where I drive my personal car, I don’t actually race.

So for me, racing school is a way of having fun, learning, hanging out with other car people, and sharpening my driving skills. I was having dinner with a friend who was curious about what I learned at racing school and it occurred to me that some of these lessons were very applicable to everyday life. So, in no particular order…

Wherever the eyes go, so goes the car. Instructors tell you to NEVER look at the wall. Don’t look at the skid mark leading up to the wall and certainly not that paint mark on the wall. That’s because, however well-intended you are, the eyes tell the hands where to point the car. When driving on the track, you look ahead to see where you want to go while paying attention with your peripheral vision to where you are. This is similar to the concept of whatever it is in life you focus on becomes true for you. Are you focused on what brings you joy? Are you focused on what frustrates you? Are you looking for the good in people? Or are you looking at interactions as if they are a wall you are about to hit? Whatever we focus on becomes our reality. 

What’s behind you is not important. This saying is largely attributed to Enzo Ferrari. While it might not be perfectly true in a race environment, it’s so very true in life. No matter how talented you are, or how hard you try, you cannot change the past. Let go of it. Did you win? Great. Did you not win but you learned? Great. In either case, it’s behind you now and the only corner you can drive is the one you are in. 

Slow in, Fast out. Every driver who has taken a track lesson has heard this before. It means to brake as you enter turns, keep the throttle steady during the turn, and then when you are done turning, straighten the wheel, hit the throttle, and accelerate out of the turn. This translates into how we make critical life decisions. Don’t rush. Are you really doing something because it’s what you want to do? Are you making up a story about what you “should” do or what you “need” to do when those are narratives that no longer serve you? Take time to decide what it is you want to do, be very intentional about career choices. Tap the brakes. Once you are anchored on what it is you want, and you have really explored it, avoid the analysis paralysis and press the throttle, and accelerate towards the next corner: what it is you most want.  

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. While race car drivers and Reed Hastings are known for saying this all the time, according to the Internet this saying was first used by the Navy Seals. I specifically recall driving an open-wheel formula car and my instructor was watching me with binoculars. He met me in the pits after what I thought were some really hot laps, shook his head, and told me that I was “overdriving” the car. He told me to slow down, take a deep breath, and drive within my limits, as I was nowhere near the limits of that car, and rushing myself was not helping! It was hard advice to digest. Over the next few laps, I slowed down and focused on technique, on driving a clean line and not trying to extract 10/10th out of the car. I took my time and when I came into the pits he smiled and told me that my lap times were over a second better…an eternity on the track. This lesson works in everything from making breakfast to preparing for a meeting. Rushing through any task is a recipe for mistakes and ensuring things are done right the first time is an amazing time saver. 

To finish first, first you must finish. Hopefully, this one does not need a lot of explanation! I love it because even in a race where every driver is going as fast as they can, there is still an understanding that pacing matters. That you need to take care of the car, watch out for other drivers, and stay away from that wall. This is true in life too. Your body and mind (your vehicle) need care and regular maintenance. If you run them ragged, they will break down and you won’t be able to finish the race (life?). Your vehicle is precious, and whatever race you might be running, don’t lose sight that most of these races are about endurance. Success and outcomes are likely measured in years and decades, not how late you stayed up tonight and how hard you worked while on vacation with your (already) frustrated partner. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. 

I hope that you found something of value in these racing sayings. As you can see, learning to drive a car around a track has taught me so much that has nothing to do with driving. Interested in a track day in your own car? Visit Hooked on Driving and start your learning curve. See you at the track!