Daily Cascade

That Big Turkey Ambition

Prompt:
"If you are buying a larger turkey than usual, make sure it will fit in the oven."
Mary Berry
What do you think is the lesson in this quote? Is Mary Berry talking about baking a turkey, only?

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I can't exactly tell what Mary Berry says and in which context, but at face value, this is a basic and practical advice about baking a turkey. It can be a reminder to avoid the potential trouble of realizing, after the fact, that the turkey is too large for the oven.

In which case, I would suggest that she cut up the turkey and cook it in pieces, possibly using both the top and the bottom racks of the oven.

On the other hand, in a metaphorical sense, that turkey may symbolize\ too large and too ambitious an undertaking, especially when the person attempting it doesn't have the capacity or the resources to handle it. Such problems can overstretch one's patience and will, as it may mean losing money and time. Add to this some lack of expertise, the quality of the project could be compromised in a big way.

These, however, are only the beginning. Then, "What about the other challenges?" if I might ask. To answer my own question, those challenges start with stress and burnout, not only for the people who attempt too big an ideal but also they take a mental toll on colleagues and the people working under them. This means loss of morale, creativity, and even productivity. Then, when the promised result may not happen there looms a risk of losing personal, professional, and business credibility. Still worse yet, most of the too big projects run the risk of abandonment with loss. I'll have to say, here, "Politicians out there, take heed!"

What is the cure, then? It is just like cutting up the too-big turkey for Mary Berry's small oven. Although it would have been better to set achievable goals from the beginning, it is better to break the project into smaller parts when a goal is too huge and complicated, so things can be more manageable. Also, it would help to either scale down the project or to seek expert help.

In short, ambition needs to be balanced with practicality, as many oversized projects can become overwhelming in no time.