This story begins in 2010. I had just hung up my chefs jacket for the final time and was beginning a new career in live events and concert productions.
I decided to take a one year event planning program at a local college to reinforce some skills and hopefully make some connections in the elusive music industry I had chased my whole life.
It worked. And the first concert I was a part of producing was none other than Elton John. This was the first time I needed a Cadillac Escalade - well actually, we needed TWO! One was a decoy as we literally drove out of the arena in two different directions after the concert. To be honest, I don’t recall even being aware of this vehicle before needing to drive one for Elton John that night.
Meanwhile, at the college I was attending, I was introduced to the law of attraction and vision boards. At first glance, the concept seem ridiculous - and a lot of people can’t get past that. But in 2010 I literally had nothing to lose, so I gave it a shot. I spent a month creating the perfect vision board for my life. I still have it, and look at it daily.
On this vision board, along with about 30 other pictures, I put an image of a third generation, 2010 Cadillac Escalade (see below for the EXACT picture that is on my vision board). This instantly became my “dream car”. I can’t even explain it. It was just how it made me feel. I knew I needed one. But then I discovered how ridiculously priced they were, and I knew it would forever by a dream for the vision board.
The years rolled by and I almost bought one as a commercial vehicle for my concert production company when for a few months my rental charges eclipsed what a lease payment would have been! But it never happened; and I was left to keep looking at the picture of it on my board.
Well seasons have drastically changed since those years, but the desire has never died. I still get excited like a little boy every time I see one on the road. However, I’ve become more realistic in realizing that due to its exclusivity and price tag it's probably not the vehicle for me. Also, I have to admit that a lot of pessimism has crept into my mind - the complete opposite of the law of attraction - especially as few of my dreams have come true in life.
Last year I started a new annual tradition. Setting 20 goals for the year. My 2020 Twenty. The 11th goal on that list I made, was to buy a new vehicle. I mentioned the Cadillac Escalade in the blog, but quickly dismissed it and suggested a Toyota Sienna or a Ford Expedition may be more realistic. At the time, my fleet consisted of two large vehicles, but both were dated and starting to fall apart. We needed a new vehicle - hence why I added it to my 2020 Twenty list of goals.
As you may know, I am now juggling four car seats - with one mobility restricted child in the mix as well. Of the 260 vehicle models offered in North America, I had narrowed it down to less than 10 that would actually work for my family. We were driving one of them, but it was 20 years old and dying quickly. I watched friends who are in similar situations as us, buy new vehicles and time and time again, they too selected off this short list of 10 vehicles.
Its next to impossible to find a vehicle that has four rear seats with lower anchors and tethers for children (LATCH), so that is always the first thing I look for. Then seeing as I have four car seats, I have to be able to get to the back row of the vehicle WITHOUT folding down the second row (how can you fold down a bench, with two car seats installed on it?), which means I need captains chairs with a path in the middle to get to the back. This either rules out most vehicles, or forces me to consider the top, most expensive trim level. For example a friend of mine wanted me to consider the $42,000 Honda Pilot. But it's not until you buy the $55,000 "Touring" edition, that you get the true 7 seat experience with captains seats.
Finally, the price tag has always limited me and my search. While most people dream of owning a brand new vehicle, it is one of the worst financial decisions you could ever make in your life. Furthermore, with what I need from a vehicle, I knew that even if I wanted to throw my money away, I wouldn't even have enough for them to let me on a new car lot. The mini vans on my short list started at $48,000 and the SUV's started at $76,000 with the Escalade topping the list at $94,000 for a base model. Add in any extras - like we all want - or upgrade the trim level, and it quickly surpasses $100K.
So we have been patiently searching and waiting for the right deal to pop up on Auto Trader or the used vehicle section of the classifieds. Generally speaking the used vehicles we've found and have been considering have been hovering between $18,000 - $30,000. Then we need to factor in the milage and the CarFax report and somehow make an informed decision.
Well out of the blue this past week, while we've been displaced from our home and on evacuation order, with a million other things on our minds, Lisa found the EXACT Cadillac Escalade from my vision board being sold at a used car dealership where we knew the owner. All the details such as the mileage, a clean collision report and the price aligned with what we were looking for and in a spontaneous whirlwind in the midst of all the chaos surrounding us right now… I bought my dream car eleven years after adding it to my vision board.
It's still very surreal to me. I look out the window every morning and wonder who's vehicle that is. I took the boys out for a little adventure the other day, and we wandered around the parking lot for five minutes when we were done, looking for our vehicle. But I'm 100% convinced that this is the result of the law of attraction. See, things don't just appear in your life because you slap a picture of it on your wall. And it's never instant. But the day I added a picture of an Escalade onto my vision board, I set into motion new situations and opportunities in my life. Had I never done that, I wouldn't necessarily have made exclamations out loud every time we passed an Escalade on the road. It wouldn't have mattered as much renting one for every concert I produced. And finally, Lisa would have most likely skimmed right over it when she saw it come up for sale last week. But she remembered the game I played FOR YEARS every time I saw one on the road. She remembers all the rentals over the years, and she too has seen the picture of this vehicle on my board for the past 11 years. And because of all of that (and more!), my dream car is parked outside and the keys to it are in my pocket!
