Red Cars and Goals

Cathie Leimbach • December 12, 2023

In their ebook, What Do Red Cars and Goals Have in Common?, the PREPARE2RISE organization explains why setting clear goals sharpens our focus and greatly increases our success in any aspect of life.


After buying a new car, many people are amazed at the popularity of the same make, or even the same model and color. Before they chose that car, they didn’t realize there were so many on the road. Why do our choices impact our perception of the world around us? This ebook explains how this phenomenon can help us achieve our goals.


Human beings are wired with a Reticular Activating System (RAS) which is a network of neurons in our brainstem. This system filters the information we are exposed to, bringing our attention to pictures, conversations, articles, etc., that are relevant to something we have been focusing on lately and lowering our awareness of topics that aren’t currently top-of-mind.


When we buy a red car, our awareness of other red cars on the road increases. Similarly, if we focus on setting a goal that will make a difference in our lives, our awareness of resources and strategies for achieving that goal increases greatly. When we are intentional about our priorities for the near future, we will notice online posts, magazine articles, and conversations that increase our ability to achieve our goal.


If we just let life happen to us without being intentional about setting priorities, our RAS doesn’t know what matters to us so we don’t benefit from its filtering capacity. Setting a clear, specific goal sends a message to our brain that we care about this area of our life. Then our RAS filter starts to work, heightening our awareness of related resources and opportunities, increasing our progress towards our goal.


2023 is winding down. 2024 is on the horizon. In what area of your life would you like to be more successful next year? What specific goal will you set for 2024 so your brain’s filtering mechanism can support your success?



To dig deeper, read next week’s blog or click here to access the What Do Red Cars and Goals Have in Common ebook.

By Cathie Leimbach May 19, 2026
Many organizations assume their biggest challenges are rapidly changing technology, customer retention, and employee initiative. But quite often, the root cause is people leadership problems. That’s one reason The Imperfect CEO by Jim Brown is so timely. Releasing today, May 19, the book explores how leaders build healthier organizations not by pretending to have all the answers, but by creating cultures grounded in trust, clarity, accountability, and meaningful conversations. Brian Besanceney, Chair, Board of Orlando Health, Inc., described the book this way: “Through vivid stories, real-world examples, and a model grounded in collaborative culture, Jim Brown gives leaders permission to wrestle honestly with the generational divides, misaligned targets, and cultural fractures that can too often sabotage high-potential organizations.” Greg Apple, CEO of Amgine.ai, connected the book to leadership beyond business alone: “In a fast-moving company, culture is everything. Jim Brown’s principles have helped our team lead with greater clarity and alignment. The Imperfect CEO distills those lessons brilliantly. Every leader should read it.” What stands out to me is how closely this book aligns with the principles behind Conversational Management. Healthy cultures are rarely built through policies alone. They are built through the quality of everyday leadership conversations — how expectations are clarified, how accountability is handled, how feedback is delivered, and how trust is strengthened over time. That’s why leadership development cannot stay theoretical. Culture changes conversation by conversation.  The Imperfect CEO is an easy-to-read business fable that illustrates common people leadership challenges and provides suggestions for overcoming them. Order your copy today and start building healthier leadership conversations inside your organization.
By Cathie Leimbach May 12, 2026
Chick-fil-A restaurants often receive far more job applications than they have openings. This is not luck. It is leadership. People apply where they believe they will be treated well. At Chick-fil-A, employees experience respectful communication, clear expectations, and leaders who support their success. That reputation spreads quickly through word of mouth. Leaders in these restaurants do simple things well. They ask questions before they assume. They listen to employees. They provide encouragement and clear direction. They notice good work and address problems in a helpful way. As a result, employees feel valued. They enjoy coming to work. They tell others. That is what attracts more applicants. Many organizations focus only on hiring. Strong organizations focus on how people are treated after they are hired. When leaders create a workplace where people feel respected, supported, and clear on what success looks like, something powerful happens: People stay. People perform. And more people want to join. This is what leadership really is. Would you like to see several leadership and culture practices Chick-fil-A uses to attract and keep quality employees? Click here to view: How Chick-fil-A Attracts Quality Applicants