Every weeknight I tune into StarWorld to watch Masterchef Australia. I look forward to the intense competition amongst the participants battling out to be Australia's next Masterchef. It is a wonderfully crafted show - fast paced, sharply edited, incredibly exciting. The participants are amateur cooks while the judges have established reputations and restaurants. It is the chance of a lifetime for the chosen ones who get to battle live on TV as team challenges, pressure tests, invention tests and elimination rounds are thrown at them. The show is smart, savvy and scrumptious. Guest chefs share recipes, compete with contestants and cook at exotic locations. The judges are tough with the tests but kind with their words, they are true mentors who love to see their proteges shine and produce delicious food. They are generous with compliments to the deserving and clear in the feedback to the unlucky ones. Being vegetarian, I sometimes balk at the exotic meat that is included in the ingredient lists, the memorable one being octopus. But I still watch to see how it all turns out.
When it is time for a contestant to be eliminated quite often they are asked their reason for participating. For most, it is a way out, a new fork in their path as they struggle with mundane jobs or dead-end career prospects. It is a chance to make a living using their passion for food. Some look at the competition as a shot to open a restaurant, publish their cookbook or get into a profitable catering business. They give up jobs, put their wedding plans on hold and spend weeks away from their families as they struggle to keep their place in the Masterchef kitchen. They all want to win. Desperately.But something strange happened today. As four contestants battled yet another elimination challenge, just before the announcement of the loser, Adam, a scuba-diving instructor stepped down and away from his shot at possibly winning the title. In a few straight from the heart words, he mentioned how he had participated to check if he loved his life. Being among people who exhibited a passion for cooking far more than his, he felt that by staying in the competition, he was taking away the chance from someone who deserved it more. His words sounded honest, spoken like a man who had just had an epiphany. He realized that the life he had, running his scuba-diving school was his first passion while cooking for friends was second. He left sooner than he had to but he returned home with the knowledge that he was lucky to have a wonderful business that fueled his passion.
What does that mean then? Should we stick to what we know best? Do what we have been trained and educated to do? Do what makes a decent living even after the passion for your work has ebbed into complacency? I think Adam's choice meant the opposite. It emphasized to me that we must explore all of our talents and interests. Even if we don't make it to the top, we would still have wonderful experiences like all the Masterchef contestants have, regardless of when they get eliminated. They learn from the best, they make new friends, they learn how to work in a team with relative strangers, they get competitive. They are richer for having been part of the Masterchef experience. That is the way to look at all opportunities. How does the experience of participating change you? Are you a better person for having tried? Is your life richer, more complete for exploring new territories? Absolutely yes.As Les BRown said, "Shoot for the moon, Even if you miss, you land among stars."
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