The Millionaire Next Door

Critics Are Needed to Build Your Resolve

Harry owns a Jeep dealership.  Recently his 14 year old son told him that “some of the kids at school are teasing me over the headline in USA Today:  Jeep tops ‘Consumer Reports’ list of worst car values.  Earlier USA Today  published Consumer Reports’ “predicted liability by brand.”  Jeep ranked 27 of 28 makes.   How should Harry respond to his son’s concerns?   He should think of it as a great opportunity to teach his son about the realities of life, especially success.  


According to Automotive News there were 692,348 Jeeps sold in America in 2014.  That’s up from 490,454 in 2013.  In fact, of all major manufacturers Jeep was #1 overall in increased sales during that time. No wonder its factories had difficulty keeping up with consumer demand.

It is reasonable to ask how many of the Jeep buyers walked into showrooms asking to take a test drive in the vehicle that had the worst car value!  People select a particular make of motor vehicle because it provides certain features that are the best match for the buyer. What the buyer views and what professional critics expound on are many times not the same things.  
In responding to his son Harry may wish to quote a passage from Tom Stanley’s New York Times bestseller, The Millionaire Mind, that he has adhered to most of his adult life:
Even steel cannot be hardened unless it’s hammered, and it’s no different with people.  Self-made millionaires report that degrading evaluations and comments by certain authority figures played a role in their ultimate success in life.  Hammering built the antibodies they needed to deflect criticisms and temper their resolve.





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