Repair Log 005: Crash and Burn

I crashed into the side of the wall at least 20 times

I was trying to beat a time trial in Gran Turismo. 

The Racing rig with the full steering wheel and pedals was set up in a Japanese electronics store.

There wasn’t many people in the store so I knew I could play without being bothered. 

I get in the seat knowing I wasn’t very experienced using a steering wheel setup on these sim games.

Once I started, I realized it was harder than I thought. I could barely stay on the track and I was only racing against the clock.

But I knew I wasn't getting out of that seat until I beat the current lap time. I knew I had to beat that ghost.

I get comfortable, check the time 2048.

The store closes at 2200. 

My time is one 1 hour, to get one lap right. 

So I got comfortable and started crashing.

And crashing. 

Immediately taking the feedback I was getting (literally) and applying it. 

Slow down before you think you have to. 

Don’t slam the brakes and lock up your tires,

Turn smoothy so you don't lose grip, 

Let off the gas to get better grip and rotate the car into the turn

Drive, crash, repeat. Drive, crash, repeat. Drive, crash, repeat. 

Eventually I started getting sectors of the track down.

The first corner was difficult but not impossible. It taught me I could push faster than I thought I could

The middle sector was less demanding so it taught me about complacency. Coming from the first sector I got humbled immediately.

The final sector was the one that killed me almost every time, I was so cautious from the middle sector that I wasn't carrying enough speed. Through the final 2 corners.

THIS sector is where I spent the majority of my time crashing.

Riding the line between too aggressive and too scared. Trying to see where the sweet spot was to slow down or speed up.

My lack of skills being highlighted by the ghost passing me in this sector continuously.

Finally, the lap came. 

The one where I was able to take all the lessons from my crashes and apply them to the lap.

First sector, pushed through the fear and sent the car flying through it.

Middle sector, carefully monitored my speed and didn't get overconfident.

Then the final sector.

Slowed down carrying just enough speed to get me through it, but not enough to send me into the wall. Waiting for the appropriate time to floor it, and carry all that speed to the finish line.

While watching the ghost trail behind me through the finish line for the first time in my session I let out an audible sigh of relief. 

I won. 

I looked up at the time: 2145.

Mission complete with 15 minutes to spare before I kicked out from the store. 

As I got off that racing seat triumphantly I couldn’t help but realize that the hour had passed by quickly, and I hadn’t cared that I was crashing into the wall repeatedly while people walked by. 

It didn’t matter to me because I had a goal. And I knew that with enough time, I could beat it. 

That’s the way you should approach everything in your life. Treat every failure as a lesson, apply its teachings, and push harder. 

I know this is a silly story, I was just playing a game at a store. But i've learned to extract value out of the things we do.

They help us understand our behavior and serve as analogies to apply to other problems. Just like it didn't bother me to mess up in a video game in front of others casually walking around the store.

It shouldn't bother you to mess up online in front of others casually browsing the internet.

You are such a small part of their day that it won't affect them, so don't let it affect you.

That's all for this one,

Thanks for reading - OG