Ok, I confess. I stopped half-way through reading Pamela Slim’s post “Are You Ingredients Looking For a Recipe” so I could hop over and make a note to blog about it. (And then I just kept going and wrote this post in two acts. *smile*) ~sg

ACT I

Say you want to do some thing (open a restaurant, gig, write your novel, etc.). You work out the practical steps and you do them.

Nothing happens (or not much happens).

So you go and ask other people who know about your thing or are doing something like your thing about how you can do this thing better.

They give you more practical steps. Maybe a fair amount repeats stuff you already figured out or someone else has told you.

…

But you want the secret ingredient, the magic bullet. How did they turn the corner? How did they get that regular gig? Find that great job? Write that first draft?

And here’s where my cake analogy comes in.

…

There will be a part in any mentor speech where s/he will be talking about ingredients (which you are dutifully jotting down … okay 1/2 cup ambition, add 1 web site, mix in 3 grants and 1 workshop) and then …

There’s a cake.

…

The cake may take the form of 10,000 blog readers or a 6-month waiting list for reservations or a publishing deal, but inevitably, there will be a part of the recipe that just isn’t there. People will you give you a list of ingredients, but no one tells you how to make the cake.

They’re not being mean. (Okay some people might be being mean, but …)

Each of us has a different recipe for success. Each of us has a different set of ingredients (skills) and equipment (experience) at hand.

Also, a lot of people don’t remember the recipe. There was a lot of trial and error involved. Some of it was timing. Some of it had nothing to do with anything they did.

Third, we’re good at different stuff. For instance, I’m a very good baker, but I’m a mediocre (i.e. boring) cook. So their recipe might not turn out for you. We each need to work out our own recipe.

…

ACT 2

What I enjoyed about Slim’s post was the idea of pulling together all my various and disparate interests (and in my case, work experience) to make a career. Since leaving my publishing position, I have been involved in many work activities. My list of interests and work skills ranges from singing to sudoku and house sitter to receptionist.

I cobble together employment using my diverse skill sets. And, guess what? I kind of like it.

(This was a great surprise to me — you know how much I like to have a plan.)

…

When I was working on my web site redesign last year, part of the Stuck was about how to present all of the different things I do (or have done) in way that was cohesive and believable. I mean publishing professional, vocalist, instructor, director, consultant in everything from woodworking to counseling and wedding singer to web designer — how’s anyone s’posed to take that seriously?

The trick was I needed to take myself seriously. I finally realized that I was the binding ingredient, the dough that combines and holds all those unique experiences and talents together.

With this knowledge, I’ve created some unique recipes in the past year.

For example, when I mix nine years of print production with a love of local jazz, I get to help produce the program for the annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival. When I fold in “likes kids” with “vocal instructor,” I get a job as a vocal coach on a middle school musical. And when I combine “loves to sing” with “likes to write,” you get the Songtaneous blog.

What about you? Any recipes you’d like to share?