MINDSET
CONFIDENCE
every caution, I just surged to the front with the best trucks in the field. So why have I spent so much time since then beating myself up, feeling like I squandered an opportunity? Sure, you might think it was because I eventually got caught up in the big wreck on the last lap of the race, but as I was being sandwiched by two trucks that were spinning sideways, I just kept my foot on the gas and limped my truck to the finish line. With no rear tires and a broken rear end, I scored the second-best finish of my career, 11th place. But I can’t help but recall all of those micro moments where I failed to execute what I felt like I should have been doing, and instead played it safe and didn’t force those big teams to work with me. I spend a lot of time thinking some very good thoughts, and I am extremely grateful every day for having the career that I always dreamed of. If you try to push me down, I have a perseverance in me that will make you wish you had never crossed my path. The harder you try to make me go away, the harder I’ll work to best you. But dangit, where in the heck
is my confidence when things are actually going right? Do I get so used to the chaos I forget how to excel? I love to listen to preacher Joyce Meyer, and she calls this mindset “stinkin’ thinkin’.” I told one of my lovely sponsors after the race that the devil was in my head making me doubt myself, but what if instead, it was God - with a very positive message to force me to look inside and to start actually believing that I do indeed have what it takes to win these races? Instead of feeling content with good effort, I am determined to figure out how to get an even better outcome the next time I am bless- ed with such a fast truck (I only get to race
Racing Toward a Strong Finish in 2018 CONFIDENCE IN YOUR FUTURE REQUIRES ACTION IN YOUR PRESENT.
Jennifer Jo Cobb is a public speaker, corporate spokesperson and a NASCAR team owner and driver. In addition to racing, she is the founder of Driven2Honor (Driven2Honor.org), a non-profit to recognize the efforts and plights of our female military members. Learn more about Think Realty's Racing Sponsorship and Jennifer Jo Cobb by contacting Dell Hamilton at delltrracing@gmail.com. this particular truck twice a year). We can scrape and “get by” for so long that we forget to surge ahead and take the chances that we need to take to fulfill our destiny. Every time I write an article for Think Realty Magazine , I am reminded how similar racing and real estate businesses really are. In this case, in order to achieve that next great level of success, we must believe in ourselves and be willing to take some risks, knowing that some of those risks will result in failure, but also knowing that we are overcomers. After we have fallen down, gotten back up, and dusted ourselves off, we will surge ahead. Dare to dream… believe… and achieve… let’s go be winners! •
More than once, I have found myself “running with the big dogs” as the saying goes - on the lead lap of a race, hanging with and passing trucks that would normally blow by me. Then, I catch myself thinking, “Who do you think you are?” or “Whoa, look at us go, how did we get here?!” At Talladega, I was racing at an average speed of more than 195 mph, bumper to bumper with 31 other drivers. I was faster than the trucks in front of me and I wanted to jump out of line and get to the front. I looked in my rearview mirror and saw two bright yellow trucks (belonging to the team with the most championships) coming up beside my racing line, and I contemplated jumping out of my line to lead theirs to the front. I knew I could hang with them, but something prevented me from making the move. “Who am I to think I could lead that pack?” I thought. I stayed put and blew the opportunity. After the race, I received so many messages from people telling me that I had just driven the best race of my life. My intention was to race “safe,” but my truck was so fast that after
by Jennifer Jo Cobb
I
t has been a banner year in racing for me, thanks in large part to gaining great new partners like Think Re- alty. My team has been able to upgrade our race vehicles and engines, and I have been able to focus on better management and expectations of my team. Those efforts have paid off well. In our past few races, we have skyrocketed from 22nd in driver points to a solid 18th and have had a couple of top-15
finishes (that were so close to being top-10) against the most competitive fields that I have seen in our series in years. At one of our biggest races of the year, I led some laps and raced over 200 mph at Talladega Superspeedway, gaining a lot of respect from our competitors, fans, and the racing media. But I still have a problem to overcome that I must tackle before I will achieve any more success on the track or in life: confidence.
84 | think realty magazine :: december 2018
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