Julia Child has become a household name among cooks in the United States and even throughout the world. Even beyond her death, her story and her impact on the culinary world continue to live on. While Ms.Child did not initially set out to become a world famous chef and household name, her career savvy and perseverance paid off by creating a career to which others can aspire to achieve.

Lesson #1 – Do Your Background Homework

Ms. Child is famous for her French cooking, but she did not know how to even speak French when she arrived in France with her husband in the 1940s. Determined to make her situation work, she invested the time and effort into learning the language of the culture that eventually became her passion. In order to advance your career, take classes, learn something new about your industry or technology.

Lesson #2 – Find Your Passion and Follow It

Ms. Child loved living in France. She also discovered that she loved French food. This passion and enthusiasm followed her throughout her entire career. Find out what you are passionate about and make it your life’s work. If it is sport fishing, find a way to integrate that into your work. Work should be something you enjoy and want to do, not something that is a dredge and to be avoided.

Lesson #3 – Keep Learning

Ms. Child did not start her career as a chef until she was well into her 30s. She was not only passionate about food, but she wanted to excel in being a chef. She took every class she could find and worked at it diligently until she had mastered whatever cooking technique or skill needed to succeed. Take the attitude that you never “arrive,” but instead are on an interesting and exciting journey.

Lesson #4 – Be Joyous

One of the things that set Ms. Child apart from chefs of her time was her enthusiasm and excitement about what she was doing. To watch her was to see her absolute joy and excitement about food, especially French food. Follow your joy and your passions and demonstrate and express your enthusiasm for your work.

Lesson #5 – Know that it Takes Hard Work

Being successful takes work. Ms. Child continued to be creative and find innovative solutions, even into her later years. She was willing to make the extra effort to not just pass her classes in culinary school, but wanted to be the top in her class. Do whatever it takes to reach your goals and achieve excellence in your field.

Lesson #6 – Acknowledge that You Make Mistakes and Keep Going

One of the things that Ms. Child did not waste time on was wallowing if she messed up and made a mistake. If something flopped, then it did not work and she moved on. She used failures as an opportunity to learn and moved forward. Know that you are human and will make mistakes. Use the lessons learned about what not to do and go forward, knowing you will do better next time.

Lesson #7 – Ask for Feedback

Ms. Child recognized that in her passion for French food, she was introducing something new to the American public at large. She frequently asked family and friends for feedback about what they liked and what they found easiest to make from her recipes and cookbooks. Be willing to hear what others have to say about your work and ideas.

Lesson #8 – Build on Your Foundation

Ms. Child was not satisfied to just be a cook. She wanted to be a chef, then she wanted to be a teacher. With each new skills, she developed a new set of goals and reached for them. Be willing to continue to develop your skills and build upon your foundation.

Lesson #9 – Be Willing to Test the Theory

Ms. Child quickly learned that food is a passion in France and an entire art unto itself. She became quite willing and wanted to test ideas and concept out, until she had absolute knowledge that they worked. Be willing to take a risk and challenge the status quo. You might be surprised and learn that just because something has always been done a certain way, does not mean it has to be done that way forever.

Lesson #10 – Value Yourself

Ms. Child’s first efforts at introducing French cooking to the American public were not easy. In fact, they took many, many years. She understood intuitively that what she wanted to accomplish was of value and could be successful. Even if you are faced with challenges in achieving your goals or introducing new innovations, stay determined and keep trying. Eventually, you will get there.

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