No, this isn't a tale about Sunday breakfast gone wrong.
The "first pancake theory" isn't literally about pancakes, but it takes its name from a common phenomenon in kitchens around the world.
You see, when you make a stack of pancakes, often the first one out of the pan is imperfect. Perhaps the pan wasn’t hot enough, or the butter not evenly spread, resulting in a pancake that's less than picture-perfect. This one often ends up in the trash bin as we adjust the settings for the next one, which, guided by the experience with the first, usually turns out much better.
When I was in L.A. pitching my first book, Living With A Seal, as a TV series, I worked with my agent to set up a schedule that would increase our chances of getting a sale. We wanted to throw out the first pancake because we knew there was no way the first pitch would be our best pitch.
So, we identified the least important meeting, in terms of getting a deal, and then made it first on the schedule. And sure enough, the first meeting was flat, misshapen and didn’t taste great. It wasn’t until the third meeting where we cooked it to perfection and got a development deal with CBS studios.
The first pancake may not be the most aesthetically pleasing or delicious, but it serves a vital purpose. It represents the beginning of a learning journey, a starting point from which we can refine our techniques, build resilience, and ultimately achieve success.
By embracing the first pancake mentality in our professional and personal lives, we can capitalize on the power of iterative improvement and unlock our full potential.
So, the next time you find yourself standing at the metaphorical stove, remember that it’s okay to throw that first sh*t out– it's all part of the process.
But I’ll take it a step further, create opportunities to make that first pancake. If you have four pitch meetings lined up in Boston next week, try and secure a fifth one even if there is very little chance of booking it. Put it first on the schedule and throw that first pancake out!
