The first pancake of the batch is always the tester. Or in my house, the one that the dogs end up getting to enjoy. 

That first pancake lets you know if the batter is mixed properly, if are you missing something, or if the heat on the griddle is wrong. 

If you take your pancake outcomes seriously, this first one is quite a critical pancake. 

The same goes for your first drafts of your work, presentations, or change. Getting it out there, putting yourself on the hook, and adjusting based on your, and others’, assessments. 

This idea comes from a nugget of gold during the Bit of Optimism podcast by Simon Sinek featuring Adam Grant and Brené Brown which you can find here. 

At the end of the day, you want a dozen perfect pancakes. You cannot get there without the first one. You don’t need to approve of it or deliver it, but you can be proud of the start and take it where it needs to go.