I’m thinking that even if you don’t, you probably have. We often lie to ourselves in order to justify whatever it is we’re trying to justify.

Let me save you some consulting money…

The biggest problem in your used car department

isn’t your market…

isn’t your inventory…

isn’t your competition…

It’s you.

More specifically—

The lies you tell yourself.

Now before you get defensive… stay with me.

Because these aren’t the obvious lies.

These are the comfortable ones.

The ones that sound smart.

The ones that feel justified.

The ones everybody nods their head to in the meeting.

“We’re priced to the market.”

(Then why are your cars having birthdays on the lot?)

“Recon is fine.”

(Define ‘fine.’ Because you “think” you’re getting them through quickly.)

“Packs are working.”

(I doubt it. I really, really doubt it.)

“We just need more leads.”

(You’re not converting the ones you’ve got.)

“I don’t want to get rid of it because I can’t replace it.”

(Are you serious? You want some more of those so they too can sit around for 90 days?)

Here’s what you’re really doing—

You’re building a case… instead of building a business.

And you’re a good lawyer.

You’ve got evidence.

You’ve got opinions.

You’ve got other people agreeing with you.

But none of that changes the scoreboard.

And make no mistake—

Used cars is a scoreboard business.

Turn.

Age.

Gross.

TAG…fix the tag.

No opinions.

No feelings.

No stories.

Part of the lying is the justification.

You start explaining instead of fixing.

Defending instead of adjusting.

Talking instead of acting.

And here’s the truth nobody likes—

Every time you lie to yourself about your used car operation is another day justifying what you want to justify.

Choose your lies wisely, that’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs.