STORY
When my husband and I first met, I decided to show him my cooking skills in the kitchen and made him an apple pie.
I had never had an apple pie, but I was confident in my abilities. I grabbed my cookbook, carefully selected the ingredients, and set about measuring, sifting, rolling, washing, cutting, mixing, and baking.
The finished product looked exactly like an apple pie should. Everything turned out fine.
When my husband arrived after our appointment, I proudly presented the cake to him. He was touched that I had gone to so much trouble to make it and asked me, “Did you make it for me?” I remember that question vividly.
No one had ever made a cake for him before
I carefully cut the cake and served it, eager to see his reaction. I should know my grandmother’s recipe, he said after taking a piece.
If you’re a man and you’re reading this, you might be thinking, “That’s great advice!” You might think so.
But if you’re a woman, you probably had the same reaction I did.
I mean: how rude! You spent all your energy! I worked so hard in the kitchen for him!
How dare you tell me that someone can make a better cake than me!”.
Hmpf!
I tell this story often. I tell it when I want to make fun of the differences between men and women or when I want to rub his “ignorance” in my husband’s face. I mention small, innocuous incidents and we laugh about them.
But my husband points out that my cakes aren’t the best in the world, that his grandmother’s cakes were really good, and that it’s always good to refer to the experience of others when trying to improve your own skills.
Yikes, I hate it when he’s right.
LESSON
Whatever you want to accomplish in life, chances are someone else has already done it or is doing something similar.
And there’s a saying, “Success leaves a mark.” If someone else is doing what you want to do – making money, building a business, having a happy marriage, raising great kids, baking cakes – why go your own way? All you have to do is ask for the recipe.
Too many people look at the results of unsuccessful people to determine if they can do something.
So do those who look at Uncle Joe, who started a business and lost his shirt, or who look at divorce statistics and decide that marriage is not for them.
It’s all nuts
If Martha Stewart can bake a cake, I can too. And then there are hundreds or thousands of people who say you can’t bake a cake that this baking a cake thing will never work, and that nothing will change unless you start and stop. Why? Because Martha did it and gave me the recipe.
You see, you really do get what you want. But we need to stop listening to the negativity and pay full attention to our predecessors who have led the way and left their mark.
Take action
Not happy with the results you’re getting in certain areas of your life? Take action!
Our step today: actively seek out the people who have done what you intend to do. Listen only to them!
You won’t listen to the advice of a doctor only you wouldn’t listen to the career advice of someone who makes burgers at McDonald’s. You will only listen to the advice of those who are successful in what they want to do. Full stop.
About Author
Sara is a qualified food expert at Main food line, Canada. She had graduated from the University of Cambridge. Sara loves to write about healthy nutrients which help to prevent the human body from various diseases. So people enjoy a healthy lifestyle. She is well experienced in best apple pie Toronto and has an impressive portfolio of serving international clients.
