I once read an interview with Paul Newman and he was asked his favourite word. He responded that it was “try” which opened up a whole slew of amazement. A man who made a name for himself in film then made a fortune for charity in food, but here he was touting the wonders of trying. Not getting there, not succeeding, not being golden, but just that first or second step in the process. The try part. That always stuck with me. Which is a long time because the interview was ages ago back when I was a camper at one of his Serious Fun camps (The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp) and admired him more than most teens in the 1990s. But I always was an old soul. Give me a dinner with Paul Newman, Cary Grant, or one of the Herpburn ladies any day. They had style and manners and taste. And wisdom. They knew that to try was half the battle.
Here I am ages later after trying many things in my so-far-short life, but looking forward to more than just trying. The last year, I took on the challenge to design patterns, perfect recipes, and devise sewing projects for a seasonal book which has grown thanks to Kickstarter backers to be the Bake Knit Sew book that will be published next month. Sometimes try is all we need. I tried to write a book. I did it. Next, I try to get the book to sell.
What are you about to try?