Last week I wrote I may cut the blog back to twice a month instead of every week. Asking a question of my readers what they thought, not only for feedback but engagement. Well my team (me) has reviewed the data from the analytics and a grand total of two people answered and while I appreciate both responses, not quite a groundswell of support.
But in spite of the dismal response I’ll keep on keepin’ on because that’s what creators do. At least for now. I once asked the most successful businessman I knew what I should invest in? A guy that started a company in his kitchen that sold for nearly 100 million
10 years later.
Without dropping a beat he said “you never lose when you invest in yourself.”
On another note, the subject of what I believe will be among the most remarkable profiles I’ve written resurfaced and we’ve made arrangements to cook together next week so we can document his recipes. This works twofold as it offers a relaxed environment for filling in the blanks of our initial interview. There’s always follow up questions and being in the same room cooking with guard down is often better than emailed responses to questions asked.
You get much more by just being and listening. Everyone has a story, but up to you to get it.
While cooking thoughts coalesce. Conversations turn to the unexpected on occasion, sometimes in directions unimaginable. And while email is concise it’s often not responded to fully. But in conversation people often start riffing on things that weren’t discussed, offering up new gems insight and background as they go off on a tangent.
Many times things said in passing turn out to be gems revealed by stream of conscienceless coupled with some gentle prodding.
The initial 60-90 minute interview acts as a skeleton of the story. To shape a compelling narrative additional info is usually needed to add some meat to said bones. Especially when a story as riveting as escaping from generational slavery and trekking through 11 countries to get here.
Next week we’ll meet at his home to spend the afternoon cooking and documenting the recipes closest to his heart while I’ll be gaining insight into the why’s and how’s of a life few could imagine. After such a dangerous and arduous journey he knows how lucky he is to be here, but how lucky we are to have him- a father of five, speaker of 7 languages with the wherewithal to walk across 1/2 a continent for the chance of a better life?
My people did it escaping Bolsheviks when it was open season on Jews. My grandmother and her sister went west via underground railroad throughout Ukraine ending up here. Their brothers went east though, to Shanghai where lax boarder control and a Jewish Ghetto awaited, never to be heard from again.
Hoping this gentleman will have the same opportunities my family had once they go here.
Keep writing and sharing your unique wisdom.
Great read, There is a gentleman Nan and I met through Refugee Community Connection that occasionally helps with computers, that has a parallel saga walking from Afghanistan to France. Keep writing Alan, your thoughts your takes and your curiosities are compelling.
It would be interesting to see who this fellow chef is.
Great idea, Alan…I agree, if you engage with someone while they’re in their Comfort Zone, they’ll be a little more “giving” in their stories.
Plus, you get to see and hear their emotion as they tell their story…I think that shows quite a bit about how those feelings resonate with that person.
That being said, I’ve kind of developed a theory about those “overcoming” or “succeeding” at things in their life. Hear me out…
When you ask successful people “hey, how does one do what you’ve done?” many times they speak in generalities like your friend (or “Always. Be. Closing” Alec Baldwin/Glengarry Glenross haha) because it’s kind of impossible to relate situations in life/direct applications on what to do. Plus, not every “achiever” is a good “teacher”, let’s be honest.
My theory is related to this discussion…it seems to me MANY smart people with great ideas, great research, great support teams, great everything FAIL every day. Similarly, there are also people who start out grossly undereducated, underfunded, with skeleton crews, in horrible locations who SUCCEED…almost every day?
My point? I don’t think “sheer luck” gets
enough recognition in succeeding in life as it should. Don’t get me wrong, GOOD LUCK isn’t a “strategy” …I get that…but lots of dumb people look smart/smart people look dumb due to Being in the Right Place at the Right Time. If you research many successful people (mostly business successes in this example), they were confronted with “Their Insurmountable Problem”, overcame it by Risking Everything (insert extreme move here), and…IT WORKED OUT. Due to Good Luck…Binary Decision that went their way.
Well, hopefully I communicated my point…I kinda feel like some of those folks who speak in generalities would rather say those things (which are true – hard to argue “Never Give Up” as good advice) than say “hey, it’s all a big Crap Shoot – Good Luck with your idea”, am I right?
Keep writing, Alan…love to hear more on these topics!
working in la studios we used to say success doesn’t matter 1 note i.e.it’s all about luck.
Always a great read from you.
This is absolutely 100% true, and everything goes into and comes from this, and it’s not rocket science, and its not gratuitous keep your chin up stuff, it’s what people need to hear. Glad to read it, keep it up! Thanks-
Great stuff – you’ve always been a good listener. Keep that up.
did you say something?