Kneading Success: What My Sourdough Starter Taught Me About Career Growth

Kneading Success: What My Sourdough Starter Taught Me About Career Growth

Finally, here it is: the article I’ve been promising – or maybe threatening – to write for what feels like years. If you’ve listened to any of the multiple podcasts where I swore I’d turn this idea into an article, well, your patience has finally paid off! A fun, quirky comparison between my sourdough starter and my career; and if you are reading this, you are here for it, and I thank you for indulging me.

When I first started a sourdough starter, I thought, “How hard could it be?” It’s just flour and water, right? Anyone who’s attempted this knows that a sourdough starter is less a recipe and more a living, breathing metaphor for... well, life. Or in this case a career. The care, the growth, the occasional setback – it all feels familiar.

So, let’s get messy and explore why maintaining a sourdough starter might just be a fair analogy for a professional journey.

Lesson 1: Things Are Messy (and That’s Okay)

When you first start a sourdough, it feels a bit chaotic. There are so many questions: Which flour should I use? Is this the right culture? Should I use filtered water? The uncertainty can feel overwhelming at first. What time should I feed it? Am I using cups or grams to measure? What even is a gram? Why not ounces? Your career? Same thing. You can't control every variable of the business or the market. Things shift and when they do you have to be ready to shift with them. Just like you’ll eventually figure out the right flour and feeding schedule for your starter, you’ll also figure out how to navigate the chaos in your career. The key is to embrace it, learn from it, and keep going.

Lesson 2: You Get Out What You Put In

Sourdough starters can be surprisingly high-maintenance. Forget to feed it or feed it the wrong type of flour, and it’ll sulk in the corner of your counter, flat and lifeless. Feed it too much or a flour with too much or added yeast, and it’ll bubble over in a frothy rebellion. Similarly, your career thrives when you give it the right kind of attention. Neglect your growth, and you’ll stagnate. Overwork yourself, and you’ll burn out.

The trick? Consistency. Whether it’s taking a course, networking, or mastering a new skill, small, regular investments in your career will keep it alive and thriving.

Lesson 3: Adapt and Adjust

Every sourdough maker has been there: one day your starter is thriving, and the next day it’s… not. Maybe the kitchen got too cold, or you fed it at the wrong time. Careers share this unpredictability. Industries change, companies shift, and new challenges arise, demanding that you adapt to keep things thriving.

Just like in baking, where you sometimes have to make do with what you have, careers require flexibility. Maybe the store ran out of your preferred flour, and you had to improvise. Maybe an unexpected project or leadership change forced you to pivot. The perfect strategy that worked last year might not work this year. Industries evolve, companies shift, and success depends on how well you adjust. AI, Work from Anywhere, Cloud Computing all come to mind.

The key is to adapt. Maybe you need to learn a new skill. Maybe it’s time to change the recipe altogether. Be open to experimenting and adjusting your approach – you might be surprised by the results.

Lesson 4: Growth Takes Time (and Patience)

You can’t rush a sourdough starter, and you can’t rush a fulfilling career. Both require patience, consistency, and an appreciation for the slow rise. Sure, you might occasionally look around and think everyone else is “proofing” faster than you, but trust the process.

Remember, it’s not about how quickly you get there – it’s about building something strong, resilient, and satisfying, just like building gluten strains in bread. So give yourself grace, enjoy the journey, and don’t compare your starter (or career) to someone else’s perfectly Instagrammable loaf.

Lesson 5: Failure Is Part of the Process

If you’ve ever opened a jar to find your sourdough starter flat and lifeless, you know the sting of failure. But here’s the good news: it will rise again. Honestly! That’s true for your career too.

Missed opportunities, failed projects, or career setbacks might feel like the end of the world, but they’re not. Learn from them, start fresh, and keep going. Failure isn’t the opposite of success; it’s just part of the recipe.

Five Takeaways for Your Career (and Your Sourdough)

1. Embrace the Mess: Chaos is where growth begins. Don’t fear it.

2. Feed It Regularly: Small, consistent efforts matter more than occasional grand gestures.

3. Adapt to the Environment: Things change – adjust your strategy accordingly.

4. Be Patient: Good things take time. Enjoy the journey as much as the destination.

5. Start Again When Needed: Failure is just a step on the path to success.

Conclusion: Keep It Rising!

There you have it! Building a career or nurturing a sourdough starter might seem worlds apart, but their principles are strikingly similar – both require care, consistency, and the courage to embrace the occasional disaster. Almost as much courage to write a weird article about it on a dare. It’s about care, consistency, and a willingness to embrace the occasional disaster.

Now go out there and feed your starter – and your career – with the love and attention they deserve. You’ve got this!

Title: Kneading Success: What My Sourdough Starter Taught Me About Career Growth
Authors: Aaron Wurthmann
Date: 1/29/2025
Link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/kneading-success-what-my-sourdough-starter-taught-me-career-aaron-urhmc/