The delusion of continual growth
Some years back I had the opportunity to sit in on the sales and management meetings at a large auto dealership. After a short while a pattern of thought in the meeting began to take shape and each subsequent meeting I sat in on thereafter followed the same disturbing pattern, one of demanding, expecting continual growth in actuality.
Their reasons and motivations were evident, income. The dealership needed to sell vehicles to make profits for the year and each salesman also required sales to secure their income for living. It wasn’t the drive or ambition that caught my attention it was the management delusion that continual growth was not only expected, but was an absolute accepted fact.
They truly believed that there should be no time when sales would “drop off” and not show constant and consistent growth. Each month and year would grow to surpass the previous without digression in any manner from this upward ladder of productivity.
It is interesting that many of the businesses that I review have similar thought. They view business and production as a golden road that need only be followed. The surface will be smooth and few if any potholes and dangers will exist right from the first day they open the doors. Then they are shocked when things turn out differently.
We all want to improve and make progress in our lives. Every company in existence has that same mindset. Grow or die, make money or perish. However, it is the natural ebb and flow process that dictates times of gain and loss. Without a downward turn or at least stability the upward turn could not even be identified. Up and down must exist in a synergistic relationship. One cannot exist without the other.
Was it possible for the auto dealership to show continual growth over the years without any setbacks or slowing of sales? Certainly, but it is more probable especially with fluctuations in the economy that they would see good months and bad months just like the other businesses around them.
It was fine for them to approach their salesmen in a meeting with ambitious talk of projected record sales and commissions, but the managers should have a reasoned comprehensive grip on the fact that constant growth without slippage was improbable and virtually guaranteed not to occur over the long term. To accept and foster within self this ardent belief of constant growth was to create a delusion that brought great stress and anguish to them in times when actual growth faltered and their mindset pattern collapsed.
Over the years I have found that individuals also adopt this mentality regarding their life. They truly believe that they will awake each day and that everything will be perfect and productive. They seem oblivious to the fact that setbacks, delays and issues beyond their scope of influence exist and will eventually affect their lives in some way.
This is a natural part of living and interacting with others. Setbacks will always exist so expect them. If you don’t you will spend a large portion of your valuable time pondering what went wrong and why. Give your very best and accept the results you get. Then if you know in your heart and mind that you gave full effort the results will be disappointing, but not tragic.
You will be able to move on in a new fresh attempt to get better and better results instead of standing still ruminating over what has happened.
Positive thinking is fine, but comprehensive thinking defines both good and bad.
Results are the substance of living and teach us valuable lessons in how to refine life.
Cherish both the good and bad for what they provide and then move on decisively.
Downturns and setbacks are nothing more than the messengers or signals of change. They provide us with valuable information to be studied in the quest for better results that define quality and success in life.
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