Motivation in the Most Unexpected Place

This morning, I pulled into the car wash—one of those automated ones where, with the push of a button, you pick your package of suds and wax. A friendly attendant waved me forward, guided my tires onto the conveyor, and in an instant, I was carried into a world of swirling brushes, colorful foam, and sprays of water.

For two minutes, I sat back and did nothing. The machine took over, whisking away the dirt and grime with an efficiency I couldn’t match in an hour with my bucket and sponge. As I rolled out into the sunlight, roof gleaming and tires shining, I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought: Who would’ve thunk you could get motivation riding through a car wash?

It got me thinking about how often we insist on doing things the hard way—when, in fact, there are services and systems designed to free our time, conserve our energy, and deliver results better than what we could achieve on our own.

Three Lessons from the Car Wash

Don’t Confuse Effort with Value
Just because something takes longer doesn’t mean it’s better. We sometimes equate hours of work with worth, when the real value comes from outcomes. A car wash proves you can achieve more with less time if you let the right tools and other people help.

Your Time is Worth Protecting
An hour spent scrubbing, stretching, and sweating over a task is an hour you could spend creating, connecting, or simply enjoying life. Services exist to give us back that gift of time—time we should use intentionally.

Excellence Comes from Specialization
Machines are designed to reach what we can’t—the roof of an SUV, the deep polish of the wheels. In life, leaning on people or systems with expertise often produces a finish we couldn’t reach alone. Delegating isn’t weakness; it’s wisdom.

As I drove away in my shining car, I realized the greater gift wasn’t just the sparkle on my SUV—it was the reminder that life offers us ways to simplify and excel if we’re open to them. The key is knowing when to roll up our sleeves and when to let the conveyor belt carry us through.

So the next time you’re caught up in the grind, ask yourself: Is there a smarter way to do this? You might just find that, like a car wash, the answer leaves you with more than a clean finish—it leaves you with fresh perspective.