Moon Cakes
This past Monday was the Moon Festival, a tradition celebrated for thousands of years in Chinese culture.
A special treat on this day is eating the moon cakes.
I have watched and assisted my mom in making them.
I have watched and assisted my friends in making them.
Because of the intricacy it requires, I made up my mind I would NEVER make them myself.
I would rather read a book or take a walk with that kind of time it takes.
"NEVER say NEVER".
On this Moon Festival, I found myself digging out the recipe I had saved for years.
I dusted the mold I purchased several years ago, and never attempted to use.
I purchased all the ingredients.
Before I knew it, I was making Moon Cakes.
Here is what I learned through this process:
It looks harder than it actually takes. Once you start, it's not that bad. Just START!
You won't know the process fully until you are in the driver's seat. I have assisted many times, and I thought I knew. No, I don't.
Your first try won't be perfect. If it is perfect, you are either lucky or talented or both.
You turn to the expert when it didn't go well. The expert can help you pinpoint why it cracked even though you were following the instructions precisely. Just because you have the knowledge doesn't mean you have the skills.
Once you "failed", you can make adjustments to make it better.
Once you are skilled in the process, you can innovate to make it your own. I adjusted the ratio of the filling to suit my family's preferences.
These are the leadership lessons I pondered while making the moon cakes.
If you want some moon cakes, become my friend.
