Find 50 easy way to mix up mashed spuds, from Food Network Magazine.

I do enjoy making and consuming garlic mash. But what I just stumbled on may drastically change up my routine:

1. Classic
Cover 2 pounds whole russet or Yukon gold potatoes with cold salted water; simmer 45 minutes. Drain, peel and mash with 1/2 to 1 stick butter. Add 1 cup hot milk, and salt and pepper; mash until smooth and fluffy.

2. Chunky Red
Cover 2 pounds whole red potatoes with cold salted water; simmer 40 minutes. Drain; do not peel. Smash with 1/2 to 1 stick butter, 3/4 cup hot milk, and salt and pepper.

3. Tangy
Make Classic Mash (No. 1) or Chunky Red Mash (No. 2). Use 1 cup sour cream instead of milk; top with fresh dill.
Get the recipe

4. Pepper-Swirl
Saute 2 chopped red bell peppers and 1 teaspoon thyme leaves in olive oil, covered, until tender. Puree; swirl into Classic Mash (No. 1).

5. Low-Fat
Make Chunky Red Mash (No. 2); replace the butter with 1/4 cup cooking water and use nonfat plain Greek yogurt instead of milk.

6. Spicy Chipotle
Make Classic Mash (No. 1); add 1 tablespoon chopped chipotles in adobo sauce. Garnish with chopped scallions and cilantro.

7. Olive Butter
Pulse 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, 1/2 stick soft butter and 2 tablespoons each parsley and cilantro in a food processor. Dollop the olive butter on Classic Mash (No. 1).


8. Orange-Fennel
Heat 1/2 cup olive oil with the grated zest of 1/2 orange, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds and 1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes. Drizzle over Classic Mash (No. 1) or Pepper-Swirl Mash (No. 4).
Get the recipe


9. Tex-Mex
Make Chunky Red Mash (No. 2); add 1/2 pound grated Monterey Jack, 1/4 cup sliced scallions and 2 minced seeded jalapenos. Top with sour cream and more scallions and jalapenos.
Get the recipe

10. Applesauce
Make Classic Mash (No. 1); top with applesauce and sprinkle with grated nutmeg.

11. Bacon
Cook 1/2 pound chopped bacon until crisp. Make Classic Mash (No. 1); replace half of the butter with 2 to 4 tablespoons bacon drippings. Fold in some bacon; sprinkle the rest on top.


12. Bacon-Cheddar
Make Bacon Mash (No. 11). Add 1/2 pound grated sharp cheddar and 1/4 cup each minced parsley and scallions.
Get the recipe

13. Pancetta-Rosemary
Cook 1/4 pound diced pancetta in olive oil with 1/4 teaspoon chopped rosemary and 2 smashed garlic cloves; drain and spoon over Classic Mash (No. 1) or Chunky Red Mash (No. 2).

14. Horseradish-Chive
Make Classic Mash (No. 1); use 1 cup sour cream instead of milk. Mix in 1/4 cup horseradish and 1/3 cup minced chives.

15. Smoky
Make Classic Mash (No. 1); mix in 1/2 pound grated smoked gouda and 1/4 cup sliced scallions.

16. Mediterranean
Cover 2 pounds whole russet potatoes with cold salted water. Simmer 45 minutes; drain and peel. Mash with 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Finish with 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 teaspoons each chopped basil, tarragon and parsley.

17. Crispy Garlic
Fry 8 thinly sliced garlic cloves in 3 tablespoons olive oil until crisp; drain. Drizzle the oil into Classic Mash (No. 1) or Mediterranean Mash (No. 16); top with the fried garlic.

18. Golden Saffron
Make Classic Mash (No. 1); add a pinch of saffron to the milk as it heats and steep 10 minutes. Garnish with smoked paprika.

19. Pesto
Make Chunky Red Mash (No. 2); stir in 1/2 cup pesto. Garnish with pine nuts.

20. Hummus
Make Classic Mash (No. 1); stir in 1/2 cup hummus. Top with parsley and toasted sesame seeds.

21. Fennel
Heat 1/2 cup olive oil with 1 tablespoon fennel seeds and 3 small dried chiles. Saute 1 diced fennel bulb in the oil until tender. Make Classic Mash (No. 1); top with the fennel and fennel oil.

22. Italian Cheese
Make Classic Mash (No. 1); salt lightly. Add 1/2 cup each grated parmesan and romano cheese.


23. Greek
Make Chunky Red Mash (No. 2); add 1/2 pound crumbled feta cheese, 1/4 cup each minced dill, parsley and scallions, and 2 teaspoons minced oregano.
Get the recipe

24. Chorizo
Fry 1/2 pound crumbled chorizo until crisp; stir in 2 tablespoons paprika. Spoon, with drippings, over Classic Mash (No. 1); top with scallions.

25. Rutabaga-Brown Butter
Make Classic Mash (No. 1); replace half of the potatoes with 1 pound rutabaga.
Brown 4 tablespoons butter with 3 tablespoons chopped parsley and a pinch of nutmeg; drizzle over mash.

26. Squash-Swirl
Peel and cube 1 pound butternut squash; boil 8 minutes. Drain, puree and swirl into Classic Mash (No. 1).

27. Butternut-Sage
Make Squash-Swirl Mash (No. 26). Brown 4 tablespoons butter with 1/4 cup chopped sage and 1 teaspoon salt; pour over mash.

28. Stewed Leek
Make Classic Mash (No. 1). Thinly slice 1 bunch leeks; stew in melted butter until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir the leeks into the mash.

29. Broccoli-Cheddar
Boil 1 bunch broccoli florets until tender; drain. Add to Classic Mash (No. 1) with 1/2 pound grated cheddar.

30. Rosemary-Lemon
Make Italian Cheese Mash (No. 22); top with 2 teaspoons minced rosemary mixed with the grated zest of 1 lemon.

31. Roasted Tomato
Toss 1 pint grape tomatoes with olive oil and salt on a baking sheet; roast 20 to 30 minutes at 450 degrees, turning. Add to Classic Mash (No. 1).

32. Italian Sausage
Saute 1/2 pound crumbled sweet Italian sausage until crisp. Make Classic Mash (No. 1). Stir in 1 cup parmesan; top with the sausage.

33. Indian Spice
Toast 2 teaspoons each mustard, cumin and coriander seeds in a skillet. Add 1 stick butter and 1/2 teaspoon each ground turmeric and salt. Make Classic Mash (No. 1) with the spiced butter.


34. Shiitake-Squash
Saute 12 ounces sliced shiitake mushroom caps in butter until golden. Serve over Squash-Swirl Mash (No. 26). Garnish with chopped parsley.
Get the recipe

35. Indian Green Pea
Make Indian Spice Mash (No. 33). Warm 1/2 cup frozen peas in the butter; remove with a slotted spoon. Top the mash with the peas.

36. Crispy Shallot
Slowly cook 8 thinly sliced shallots in 3 tablespoons olive oil until crisp and golden; drain. Sprinkle over Classic Mash (No. 1) or Italian Cheese Mash (No. 22).

37. Celery Root
Cook 2 cubed peeled celery roots in 2 cups milk until tender; puree. Make Classic Mash (No. 1) but replace the milk with the celery root puree. Garnish with parsley.

38. Swiss Chard
Remove stems from 1 bunch Swiss chard; boil 5 minutes, then add the leaves and cook 3 more minutes. Drain, chop and add to Classic Mash (No. 1).


39. Blue Cheese-Walnut
Make Classic Mash (No. 1). Brown 4 tablespoons butter with 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 2 tablespoons each chopped rosemary and parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; add a pinch of sugar. Crumble blue cheese over the mash; drizzle with the browned butter.
Get the recipe

40. Poblano Pepper
Broil 3 poblano peppers until blackened. Peel, seed and cut into strips. Saute 1 cup chopped onion, the poblanos and 1 sliced garlic clove in olive oil until golden. Serve over Classic Mash (No. 1); garnish with sour cream.

41. Wasabi
Mix 1 to 3 tablespoons wasabi powder with equal parts water to make a paste; cover. Make Classic Mash (No. 1); stir in the wasabi paste.

42. Sweet Potato
Roast 2 pounds sweet potatoes at 400 degrees until tender, 1 hour. Halve, then scoop out flesh. Puree with 4 tablespoons butter; add salt.

43. Sweet Potato Pie
Make Sweet Potato Mash (No. 42); stir in 1/4 cup maple syrup. Top with toasted pecans.


44. Cheesy Chard
Add 1/2 pound grated gruyère to Classic Mash (No. 1); top with roasted tomatoes (No. 31) and cooked Swiss chard (No. 38).
Get the recipe

45. Prosciutto
Cook 1/2 cup diced prosciutto in olive oil until crisp, 6 minutes. Spoon over Sweet Potato Mash (No. 42).

46. Pumpkin Seed
Make Sweet Potato Mash (No. 42) with just 2 tablespoons butter. Saute 1/2 cup diced roasted poblanos, 1/4 cup green pumpkin seeds and 1 teaspoon cumin in
2 tablespoons butter; season with salt and spoon over the mash.

47. Sweet Potato-Apple
Make Sweet Potato Mash (No. 42); while the potatoes roast, simmer 2 chopped peeled apples in 1/4 cup apple cider with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon until soft. Puree with the potatoes.

48. Sweet Spice
Make Sweet Potato Mash (No. 42); stir in 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice and the grated zest and juice of 1 orange.


49. Curried Sweet Potato
Make Sweet Potato Mash (No. 42); puree with 1 tablespoon curry powder and 3 tablespoons each plain Greek yogurt and mango chutney. Top with toasted coconut.

50. Root Vegetable
Make Sweet Potato Mash (No. 42); while the potatoes roast, boil 2 each peeled and diced parsnips and turnips until tender. Puree with the potatoes and butter; garnish with chives.



From Food Network.

SCORE

I got a temporary lab position as a technician, starting OCT 10th. Yay, finally a "real" job after college. Pays well, but i am only going to work there for 1000 hours (about 6 months) and after that, they're required to fire me, so they don't have to pay benefits. Though If I am proactive enough, ask enough questions, and show initiative, I may be able to to get a permanent position there. But one step at a time.
The position, from what i understood, is really tedious, boring, and unappreciated. I will have to test stability of chemicals, which is same routine over and over and over again. Gah. I hope it doesn't suck as much. But hey, the company is really awesome and I hope to make new connections and enjoy my environment as much as I can. As usual, there will be much more to learn and find out than I anticipate.
On the bright>(?) side, I am most likely is going to get a car. This will be the most expensive things I own. Right now my graphing calculator holds #1 place. There is also a good chance that Michelle will move with me to Central Connecticut, which would make commute to work better. But I'm not going to count my horses until they crossed the road. One step at a time.

I also finished painting this really good piece, but am yet not sure how much I want for it.

Yom Kippur Fasting

I used to be Jewish (since it is a religion that you can enter and exit at onces will, and not a nationality or ethnicity as others may think) when I was younger. I went to Jewish school and all the stuff with it. Some traditions were good, others not so much. As I became a non-believer, as I am today, I still continued to do one thing - fast during Yom Kippur. My motivation is different, however: I am testing my body to see if I am able to abstain from food or drink for 24 hours. (That includes water as well) This is a type of self check. If I am not sick and circumstantially able, I will do my best to fast.

This task is as much mental as it is physical. Throughout this week I will be thinking and reminding myself that on Friday, OCT 7th I will not eat anything after 6.30pm and abstain from ingesting anything in my body until about 6.50pm on Saturday. Times indicate the sunsets, which I feel is a good way of doing it. In previous times I would indulge myself into 8+ hours of World of Warcraft. Time flies when I played that game, so the task was relatively simple. Because I don't play that game anymore I will have to occupy myself with other things: I will try to sleep as much as i can, abstain from physical exercises and other energy related depletions. I will most likely read, meditate and reflect, and try to keep my mind off the food as much as possible. Perhaps I'll stumbleupon for hours :)

Why do I do this? It's is a kind of self check: am I able to go without food for 24 hours? Am I able to go without water for 24 hours? Am I mentally strong enough to abstain from such simple and important pleasure? This surely will make me appreciate foods and how simple we have it today with fridges and supermarkets. Or so I think :)

Strength Finder Part 2

Here are my results:

Learner

You love to learn. The subject matter that interests you most will be determined by your other themes and experiences, but whatever the subject, you will always be drawn to the process of learning. The process, more than the content or the result, is especially exciting for you. You are energized by the steady and deliberate journey from ignorance to competence. The thrill of the first few facts, the early efforts to recite or practice what you have learned, the growing confidence of a skill mastered—this is the process that entices you. Your excitement leads you to engage in adult learning experiences—yoga or piano lessons or graduate classes. It enables you to thrive in dynamic work environments where you are asked to take on short project assignments and are expected to learn a lot about the new subject matter in a short period of time and then move on to the next one. This Learner theme does not necessarily mean that you seek to become the subject matter expert, or that you are striving for the respect that accompanies a professional or academic credential. The outcome of the learning is less significant than the “getting there.”

Communication

You like to explain, to describe, to host, to speak in public, and to write. This is your Communication theme at work. Ideas are a dry beginning. Events are static. You feel a need to bring them to life, to energize them, to make them exciting and vivid. And so you turn events into stories and practice telling them. You take the dry idea and enliven it with images and examples and metaphors. You believe that most people have a very short attention span. They are bombarded by information, but very little of it survives. You want your information—whether an idea, an event, a product’s features and benefits, a discovery, or a lesson—to survive. You want to divert their attention toward you and then capture it, lock it in. This is what drives your hunt for the perfect phrase. This is what draws you toward dramatic words and powerful word combinations. This is why people like to listen to you. Your word pictures pique their interest, sharpen their world, and inspire them to act.

Strategic

The Strategic theme enables you to sort through the clutter and find the best route. It is not a skill that can be taught. It is a distinct way of thinking, a special perspective on the world at large. This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity. Mindful of these patterns, you play out alternative scenarios, always asking, “What if this happened? Okay, well what if this happened?” This recurring question helps you see around the next corner. There you can evaluate accurately the potential obstacles. Guided by where you see each path leading, you start to make selections. You discard the paths that lead nowhere. You discard the paths that lead straight into resistance. You discard the paths that lead into a fog of confusion. You cull and make selections until you arrive at the chosen path—your strategy. Armed with your strategy, you strike forward. This is your Strategic theme at work: “What if?” Select. Strike.

Input

You are inquisitive. You collect things. You might collect information—words, facts, books, and quotations—or you might collect tangible objects such as butterflies, baseball cards, porcelain dolls, or sepia photographs. Whatever you collect, you collect it because it interests you. And yours is the kind of mind that finds so many things interesting. The world is exciting precisely because of its infinite variety and complexity. If you read a great deal, it is not necessarily to refine your theories but, rather, to add more information to your archives. If you like to travel, it is because each new location offers novel artifacts and facts. These can be acquired and then stored away. Why are they worth storing? At the time of storing it is often hard to say exactly when or why you might need them, but who knows when they might become useful? With all those possible uses in mind, you really don’t feel comfortable throwing anything away. So you keep acquiring and compiling and filing stuff away. It’s interesting. It keeps your mind fresh. And perhaps one day some of it will prove valuable.

Relator

Relator describes your attitude toward your relationships. In simple terms, the Relator theme pulls you toward people you already know. You do not necessarily shy away from meeting new people—in fact, you may have other themes that cause you to enjoy the thrill of turning strangers into friends—but you do derive a great deal of pleasure and strength from being around your close friends. You are comfortable with intimacy. Once the initial connection has been made, you deliberately encourage a deepening of the relationship. You want to understand their feelings, their goals, their fears, and their dreams; and you want them to understand yours. You know that this kind of closeness implies a certain amount of risk—you might be taken advantage of—but you are willing to accept that risk. For you a relationship has value only if it is genuine. And the only way to know that is to entrust yourself to the other person. The more you share with each other, the more you risk together. The more you risk together, the more each of you proves your caring is genuine. These are your steps toward real friendship, and you take them willingly.

Now I am going to continue reading the book and see what other stuff I can extract and learn from it. I do quite enjoy these types of exercises. I believe it is important to know who we are before trying to improve or shape us.

Strength Finder

So, I am in the process of reading yet another book "Now, Discover Your Strengths" and there is a unique code at the end of the book that allows me access to strengthsfinder.com. There is a questionarie that helps you discover my signature themes. Here is the info about it:

Your Signature Themes
Many years of research conducted by The Gallup Organization suggest that the most effective people are those who understand their strengths and behaviors. These people are best able to develop strategies to meet and exceed the demands of their daily lives, their careers, and their families.

A review of the knowledge and skills you have acquired can provide a basic sense of your abilities, but an awareness and understanding of your natural talents will provide true insight into the core reasons behind your consistent successes.

Your Signature Themes report presents your five most dominant themes of talent, in the rank order revealed by your responses to StrengthsFinder. Of the 34 themes measured, these are your "top five."

Your Signature Themes are very important in maximizing the talents that lead to your successes. By focusing on your Signature Themes, separately and in combination, you can identify your talents, build them into strengths, and enjoy personal and career success through consistent, near-perfect performance.

My top five were Learner,Communication, Strategic, Input, Relator. (other 29 were: achiever, activator, adaptability, analytical, arranger, belief, command, competition, connectedness, context, deliberative, developer, discipline, empathy, fairness, focus, futuristic, harmony, ideation, inclusiveness, individualization, intellection, maximizer, positivity, responsibility, restorative, self-asurance, significance, woo (winning others over))
I totally thought that I posses talents of positivity and analytical, but maybe they were my 6th and 7th talent, and since I am aware of these traits, I will incorporate and expand on those as well.

This post is a bit long, so I am going to post the results of what my themes mean in the next entry.

Renaissance Faire in MA

The weekend turned out to be a great time spending in Boston with a lovely girl-love. I arrived on Friday, went to BC to check out Stokes Hall construction. It already has walls and it's a pretty large building. It was refreshing to know that the deadline hasn't moved and things are on their way.
Also stopped by Grecliff to see a fellow OTE student and sell one of my paintings. It was only $15 but it's breaking the ice. I already have several other people inquiring about my work. So that's fun! Yay! Once I become famous someone-someone, these pieces of art will be more expensive, hopefully. Who knows.
The evening continued with a little party of Michelle's friend in Voute. My first official party as a grad student. It was weird. But not totally bad. Just knowing that I'm not in school yet on the school grounds was an interesting concept. I don't really miss BC. Some things yeah, but it was more the interactions, not schooling.

Saturday Natalie joined us at King Richard's Faire. We saw "Torture Show" and Joust 'til Death. I threw some axes at the target. All in all, it was a great time, I was smiling throughout. People in costumes and souvenirs and giant turkey legs. Saw some white tigers too. Really good time, too bad i didn't dress up.

Sunday we stayed in, watched "The Green Hornet" and "127 hours". Interesting movies. It was a lazy day, we cooked some food, and since i had a sore throat, Michelle kept applying nursing spells on me.

Today I had an interview with a company, and I may be able to score a job in a near future as a lab technician for next six months. What does that say about Nashville? I don't know, the future will tell, but I still think it will be cool to move there, even for couple of years.
One day at a time.

An interesting Quote i read from "Now, Discover Your Strengths":
"We don't change. We simply accept our talents and refocus our lives around them. We become more self-aware."

Sore Throat

Very interesting way of Art. Ursus Wehrli is a Swiss artist, that takes art of others and tranforms it in a way. Check it out.

Going to Boston tomorrow to visit a friendly face of a girl i enjoy spending time with. We shall be going to visit BC on Friday and adventure to King Richards Fair on Saturday. Or so the plans are. Future is so predictable.

Also, bringing one of my art pieces for sale. It's pretty awesome that the ice is broken and I can tell for sure that not only people like my art, but they are willing to pay some cash to have it.

Went by Boys and Girls club earlier today to fill up an application to see if there are any positions I may be able to score. It's only 15min walking away, so if there is a chance, I am probably going to take it. Also, have an interview with Unilever on Tuesday. Who knows where any of this will go.
Still quite interested in going to Nashville as a place of destination. To live there for couple of years and experience a new place is something yet again exciting.

Success is a Choice, Step 10 - Survive Success

Ten Steps: The Plan of Attack to be More Successful.
Catalyst for Over-Achieving
Notes from “Success is a Choice by Rick Pitino"

ATTITUDE
ACTION
PERSISTENCE

10. Survive Success

What:
There is no end point to my dreams, there is never an end to opportunities to get better, to learn more, to push further. Every day.

Tricks/How:
Don't fall into tendency to get lazy or complacent
Сontinue working hard, don't get comfortable (remind myself of basics)
Get ready, continue adapting for a change
Make a one-year contract with myself (no luxury of postponing)
Don't lose focus, always be competitive against myself.
Commit myself on constant improvement
Eliminate mediocrity

Encouragement:
Remember the work it took to get to the success, not the achievement itself. Success doesn't make me immune from failure. Contentment can be dangerous. Don't take success for granted. It only matters what I am doing today.

Maintain excellence with better methods and more creative ways to accomplish the tasks.

Work Ethic:
Rise earlier
Stay up later
Read more books/improvements
Eliminate more distractions
Make sure the goals are still demanding
Stay true to methods as in the beginning

Write down what made me successful: Why's and How's (things that worked and didn't work)
Study them, (clues to what to do in future) + find ways to improve (build on existing formulas).
What did I do right? (take inventory: How did I do it? What steps taken?)
Break it, break it again, and keep breaking it, to make it better.

Create new goals, set higher standards (separates good from great = refusal of satisfaction) Do more accomplish more, get more creative and better at what I do (new ideas and stimulating situations).

Creativity
Motivation
Responsiveness


Do I tend to go back to complacency after achieving? Yes or No

Do I have an adequate work ethic? Yes or No

Have I studied my previous successes? Yes or No


You're reading Step 10 out of 10, check out the rest here:
Step 1 Build Self-Esteem
Step 2 Set Demanding Goals
Step 3 Always Be Positive
Step 4 Establish Good Habits
Step 5 Master the Art of Communication
Step 6 Learn from Role Models
Step 7 Thrive on Pressure
Step 8 Be Ferociously Persistent
Step 9 Learn from Adversity
Step 10 Survive Success


End Note for over-achieving:

These are blue-prints for a lifetime of over-achieving, the steps to be followed over and over in an ongoing process. There is no limit to what I can achieve.
Hard work pays off.
Organize my plan of attack, and have great motives written down.

Can I transform my life and achieve heights I only fantasized about? Yes or No

Can I reach my dreams? Yes or No

Do I choose success and make it happen? Yes or No

My real journey begins now.

Success is a Choice, Step 9 - Learn from Adversity

Ten Steps: The Plan of Attack to be More Successful.
Catalyst for Over-Achieving
Notes from “Success is a Choice by Rick Pitino"

ATTITUDE
ACTION
PERSISTENCE

9. Learn from Adversity

What:
a part of life, overcome circumstances, own or others' misfortunes,
Must have: will, hard work, belief in myself, strength of character, and stay Positive

Tricks/How:
Don't run from adversity, meet it head on
Accept responsibility for my actions (avoid blaming)
Never give up on goals / plan of attack
Examine failures and ask questions
Start again & Keep moving forward
Stick to the organized plan of action
Repetition of right technique is key
Have courage & faith in my path & vision

Encouragement:
Major setbacks leave me wondering if things can be back the way they were again, but I should not let it stomp my dreams. I create my luck, my future, my success by actions and non-actions, and by doing the work. Ignore the critics.

Conduct myself with utmost respect, leave a positive & honorable image.

How am I going to deal with it?
Every time I fail, I must ask questions:
Why did I fail?
Did I work hard enough?
Was it the goals or the means?
Did I stray too far from my goals?
Did my attitude get in the way?
Did I adequately plan for changes?
Could I have foreseen it coming and started doing something about it sooner?
Did I not follow through because I wasn't disciplined or organized enough?
Did I miss the one key point that may have made a difference?
This enables to keep self-confidence, and start moving forward again.

Today's failure can be turned into tomorrow's success.

I must focus on what I have, instead of what I lost. Attitude change. Mental toughness – awareness that everything doesn't always have a solution.


Do I meet adversity head on? Yes or No

Do I often analyze/examine my failures? Yes or No

Do I blame my circumstances more than my own actions? Yes or No


You're reading Step 9 out of 10, check out the rest here:
Step 1 Build Self-Esteem
Step 2 Set Demanding Goals
Step 3 Always Be Positive
Step 4 Establish Good Habits
Step 5 Master the Art of Communication
Step 6 Learn from Role Models
Step 7 Thrive on Pressure
Step 8 Be Ferociously Persistent
Step 9 Learn from Adversity
Step 10 Survive Success

Success is a Choice, Step 8 - Be Ferociously Persistent

Ten Steps: The Plan of Attack to be More Successful.
Catalyst for Over-Achieving
Notes from “Success is a Choice by Rick Pitino"

ATTITUDE
ACTION
PERSISTENCE


8. Be Ferociously Persistent

What:
allows me to accomplish and outperform, refuse to quit, never stop learning,

Tricks/How:
Success doesn't happen overnight
Take the extra step (beyond expectancy)
Get PHD (poor hungry driven) attitude
Pay the dues first, then taste results
Don't get sidetracked / distracted
Don't lose sight of goals
Be flexible, adaptive, always re-adjust
Eliminate “Quit” from vocabulary

Poor – curious of knowledge, constantly searching for more to find more wisdom
Hungry – tremendous desire to succeed, who won't be satisfied with ordinary level of accomplishment
Driven – ambitious goals and pursue with great ferocity

Encouragement:
Keep raising the bar, don't settle for a plateau. Take an extra step, beyond expectancy. (Meet with my boss on weekly basis) Personal excellence is a lifelong commitment. The harder I work – the tougher it is to surrender.

Failure is fertilizer for future success. Learn why I failed.

Organization
Dedication
Confidence
Commitment

Am I performing outside my comfort zone? Yes or No

Am I satisfied with ordinary level of accomplishment? Yes or No

Do I need someone else to keep pushing me? Yes or No


You're reading Step 8 out of 10, check out the rest here:
Step 1 Build Self-Esteem
Step 2 Set Demanding Goals
Step 3 Always Be Positive
Step 4 Establish Good Habits
Step 5 Master the Art of Communication
Step 6 Learn from Role Models
Step 7 Thrive on Pressure
Step 8 Be Ferociously Persistent
Step 9 Learn from Adversity
Step 10 Survive Success

Success is a Choice, Step 7 - Thrive on Pressure

Ten Steps: The Plan of Attack to be More Successful.
Catalyst for Over-Achieving
Notes from “Success is a Choice by Rick Pitino"

ATTITUDE
ACTION
PERSISTENCE

7. Thrive on Pressure

What:
continuous pressure → doubt (if not prepared, low confidence) → stress

Tricks/How:
Don't doubt myself (think of all accomplished)
Pressure = ally (rejuvenates). Stress = enemy
Be prepared to handle pressure
Time management is critical (priorities)
Don't exaggerate the repercussions of failure
Create a measuring stick that keeps me to higher standard
Believe in my discipline
Don't let people tell me what I can't do

Encouragement:
Stress lessens with time, and everyone around experiences it too. Spend more time doing, and less time complaining. The better I'm prepared for any situation – the more I believe I can succeed - the more I will succeed. It's very difficult to maintain excellence as an abstraction, there is a need for specific, short-term, goals to work on and focus on every day.

Having something at stake makes me focus and care. When nothing's at stake, extraordinary efforts rarely occur.

Apply the pressure to self (competition)
Set higher standards
I get more if I demand more.

Stress occurs when I'm asked to do something I'm not sure I can do.
How will I react to the situation filled with pressure and uncertainty?
What is actually causing me pressure?
What are my pressure points?


Do I perform better than expected under pressure? Yes or No

Do I often think of failure as negative? Yes or No

Will I set higher (harder to reach) standards for myself? Yes or No


You're reading Step 7 out of 10, check out the rest here:
Step 1 Build Self-Esteem
Step 2 Set Demanding Goals
Step 3 Always Be Positive
Step 4 Establish Good Habits
Step 5 Master the Art of Communication
Step 6 Learn from Role Models
Step 7 Thrive on Pressure
Step 8 Be Ferociously Persistent
Step 9 Learn from Adversity
Step 10 Survive Success

Success is a Choice, Step 6 - Learn from Role Models

Ten Steps: The Plan of Attack to be More Successful.
Catalyst for Over-Achieving
Notes from “Success is a Choice by Rick Pitino"

ATTITUDE
ACTION
PERSISTENCE

6. Learn from Role Models

What:
Study successful people I admire, not necessary celebrities or entertainers

Tricks/How:
Learn and understand what got people there (achievement and hard work)
Don't be afraid to ask/interview people
Don't be afraid to adapt/adjust ideas or traits
NO shortcuts, NO gimmicks
NO easy way, NO luck
Reaffirm own traits with others' experiences
Learn on mistakes from past
Surround myself with wise/older people

Encouragement:
Modeling is how we learn in life. Take essence of what makes them successful and incorporate/apply to my philosophy. Deserving victory takes hard work. My way is not the only way. Put my own methods under a microscope. Adapt, make better, change. It's important to like to work had.

Learn from others. Learn from people who have made the journey before me. Learn from their wisdom.

Where do their qualities come from?
Who inspires me to seek new heights?
Who are my role models?


Can I learn from failures and achievements of others? Yes or No

Am I afraid to adjust my own ideas and traits? Yes or No

Will working hard give me results? Yes or No


You're reading Step 6 out of 10, check out the rest here:
Step 1 Build Self-Esteem
Step 2 Set Demanding Goals
Step 3 Always Be Positive
Step 4 Establish Good Habits
Step 5 Master the Art of Communication
Step 6 Learn from Role Models
Step 7 Thrive on Pressure
Step 8 Be Ferociously Persistent
Step 9 Learn from Adversity
Step 10 Survive Success

Success is a Choice, Step 5 - Master the Art of Communication

Ten Steps: The Plan of Attack to be More Successful.
Catalyst for Over-Achieving
Notes from “Success is a Choice by Rick Pitino"

ATTITUDE
ACTION
PERSISTENCE

5. Master the Art of Communication

What:
learned/mastered, interaction with others, right thing at right time, effective & clear


Tricks/How:
Listen and don't take eyes off the person
Address the situation myself
Don't let problems fester, confront immediately
Admit and own up to mistakes
Explain my goals and needs with reasons
Reinforce good always

Encouragement:
Misunderstanding has a potential of magnifying problems. Never underestimate just how important that personal connection is. “Because I told you so” is the biggest turn off.

Life is about dealing with people.
Winning approach – arrive to a common ground

Is confrontation of myself and others necessary? Yes or No

Do I deal with people on daily basis? Yes or No

Will effective communication bring me results? Yes or No




You're reading Step 5 out of 10, check out the rest here:
Step 1 Build Self-Esteem
Step 2 Set Demanding Goals
Step 3 Always Be Positive
Step 4 Establish Good Habits
Step 5 Master the Art of Communication
Step 6 Learn from Role Models
Step 7 Thrive on Pressure
Step 8 Be Ferociously Persistent
Step 9 Learn from Adversity
Step 10 Survive Success

Success is a Choice, Step 4 - Establish Good Habits

Ten Steps: The Plan of Attack to be More Successful.
Catalyst for Over-Achieving
Notes from “Success is a Choice by Rick Pitino"

ATTITUDE
ACTION
PERSISTENCE

4. Establish Good Habits

What:
act in certain way, repeated enough, reinforced behavior

Tricks/How:
Organize my day and actions, make a systematic plan (day, week, month)
Write everything down
Have a purpose
Discover and break bad habits
No excuses
No distractions in the morning
Don't put things off (unpleasant things first!)
Get myself in shape

Encouragement:
I can never be over-prepared. I must do the necessary research. Make a great first impression. People make opinions based on looks. Knowing why I fail is important. Habits develop consistency and prevent laziness. Arrive half hour early to be ready. Gossip – waste of time.

There are no days off in life.

Excellence is the unlimited ability to improve the quality of what I have to offer.

What am I trying to be?
What's my purpose?
Self education. How can I do it better?



Am I a creature of conscious & unconscious habits? Yes or No

Does writing things down really help me in achieving? Yes or No

Should I have a backup plan in case things don't work out? Yes or No




You're reading Step 4 out of 10, check out the rest here:
Step 1 Build Self-Esteem
Step 2 Set Demanding Goals
Step 3 Always Be Positive
Step 4 Establish Good Habits
Step 5 Master the Art of Communication
Step 6 Learn from Role Models
Step 7 Thrive on Pressure
Step 8 Be Ferociously Persistent
Step 9 Learn from Adversity
Step 10 Survive Success

Success is a Choice, Step 3 - Always Be Positive

Ten Steps: The Plan of Attack to be More Successful.
Catalyst for Over-Achieving
Notes from “Success is a Choice by Rick Pitino"

ATTITUDE
ACTION
PERSISTENCE

3. Always Be Positive

What:
positive approach, block negativity, the precious present

Tricks/How:
Being positive – discipline
I can control my mood (reflection of attitude)
See the positive in situation – each day is an opportunity
Confront or cut loose disruptive/negative people
No cynicism
Surround self with positive people & influences
Recognize why I am down.
Live in present without past/future problems

Encouragement:
Bring the aura of excitement to the job. People will want to be around me. Never allow obstacles dominate my life. Only I have the power to make myself happy. Create vision of the self and work toward. Get into the positive zone. Live in a present tense. Don't let negativity cloud my thinking.

Ability to handle change determines the quality of our lives. Change is opportunity.



Do I have the power to make myself happy? Yes or No

Is positive attitude one of the most important factors? Yes or No

Do positive people rub off of one another? Yes or No




You're reading Step 3 out of 10, check out the rest here:
Step 1 Build Self-Esteem
Step 2 Set Demanding Goals
Step 3 Always Be Positive
Step 4 Establish Good Habits
Step 5 Master the Art of Communication
Step 6 Learn from Role Models
Step 7 Thrive on Pressure
Step 8 Be Ferociously Persistent
Step 9 Learn from Adversity
Step 10 Survive Success

Success is a Choice, Step 2 - Set Difficult & Demanding Goals

Ten Steps: The Plan of Attack to be More Successful.
Catalyst for Over-Achieving
Notes from “Success is a Choice by Rick Pitino"

ATTITUDE
ACTION
PERSISTENCE


2. Set Difficult & Demanding Goals

What:
Concrete objectives, specific goals, clearly define them (realistic, easy-attainable daily steps)

Tricks/How:
Change behaviors: understand and frame goals around fixing weaknesses
Admit & conquer weaknesses
Believe in my potential
Organization (write down step-by-step)
Short term + long term goals
Beware of incremental progress made (+ reward)
Push myself. Don't set the bar too low
Vision of better future

Encouragement:
Don't lose sight of how I got to this place. Wishing isn't going to make it happen. Create an aura of excitement. Where to start, what actions to take? Postpone action = postpone achievement. So don't settle for mediocrity. All the pain is worth it, the pay off will be great.

Dreams – where I want to end up (vision after struggle)
Goals – how to get there (individual steps taken)
Priorities shift – dreams change with time
Hard work is not always fun. Keep an eye on the prize.
Demand sticking to discipline.
Compete against self. Better myself every time.


Everything has a purpose.



Is it important to have a vision for future? Yes or No

Does hard work pay off? Yes or No

Will I achieve without taking actions? Yes or No


You're reading Step 2 out of 10, check out the rest here:
Step 1 Build Self-Esteem
Step 2 Set Demanding Goals
Step 3 Always Be Positive
Step 4 Establish Good Habits
Step 5 Master the Art of Communication
Step 6 Learn from Role Models
Step 7 Thrive on Pressure
Step 8 Be Ferociously Persistent
Step 9 Learn from Adversity
Step 10 Survive Success

Success is a Choice, Step 1 - Build Self Esteem

Ten Steps: The Plan of Attack to be More Successful.
Catalyst for Over-Achieving
Notes from “Success is a Choice by Rick Pitino"

ATTITUDE
ACTION
PERSISTENCE


1. Build Self Esteem

What:
value of self, risk takers, achievers, better handle criticism, can be fragile

Tricks/How:
Feel better – better performance (cycle of success)
Be honest with self (do I deserve victory?)
Shrink weaknesses, but accept them
Grow/maximize the strengths – gear toward that role
Don't think I will fail, or I will
No generic excuses.
Don't doubt
Be a risk-taker, play a game of what-if

Encouragement:
Believe that I can accomplish great things. If I worked for it, I deserve it. Nobody has their act together, as it seems at first glance. We control our life! Be ready to seize the moment when it arrives. Change is essential.

We all are the production of attitude and values that shape us.
Don't transfer blame to someone else.
Be patient, nothing happens instantly.
Don't stay in comfort level. I have too much talent, too much wisdom, too much value not to change.
Raising everyone else's performance around me is greatness.

Leadership
Motivators enable people to dream.
5 Rules of morale creation
1. Help each person see self as having a significant role
2. Create a significance for a group
3. Maintain positive reinforcement for effort people are giving
4. Recognize people with less attention (secretaries) and thank them publicly
5. Never forget that it's imperative to keep people positive


Is taking a risk worth the effort? Yes or No

Am I leadership material? Yes or No

Am I in charge of my life? Yes or No



You're reading Step 1 out of 10, check out the rest here:
Step 1 Build Self-Esteem
Step 2 Set Demanding Goals
Step 3 Always Be Positive
Step 4 Establish Good Habits
Step 5 Master the Art of Communication
Step 6 Learn from Role Models
Step 7 Thrive on Pressure
Step 8 Be Ferociously Persistent
Step 9 Learn from Adversity
Step 10 Survive Success

The One Must-See Documentary?

Now, I'm not big on documentaries, but there might be something to learn in all of these, I bet :)

50. Spellbound (2002)
49. Truth or Dare (1991)
48. The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002)
47. One Day in September (1999)
46. Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1998)
45. The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988)
44. Burma VJ (2008)
43. When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (2006)
42. Catfish (2010)
41. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)
40. When We Were Kings (1996)
39. Biggie & Tupac (2002)
38. March of the Penguins (2005)
37. Inside Job (2010)
36. Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)
35. Paragraph 175 (2000)
34. Brother’s Keeper (1992)
33. Tongues Untied (1989)
32. Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001)
31. Jesus Camp (2006)
30. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
29. Man on Wire (2008)
28. Gasland (2010)
27. Tarnation (2003)
26. Murderball (2005)
25. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
24. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)
23. The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2000)
22. Shut Up & Sing (2006)
21. Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)
20. Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
19. Touching the Void (2003)
18. Food, Inc. (2008)
17. Street Fight (2005)
16. Bus 174 (2002)
15. Crumb (1994)
14. Dark Days (2000)
13. The Fog of War (2003)
12. Bowling for Columbine (2002)
11. Paris Is Burning (1991)
10. Grizzly Man (2005)
9. Trouble the Water (2008)
8. An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
7. The Celluloid Closet (1995)
6. The War Room (1993)
5. Supersize Me (2004)
4. Waltz With Bashir (2008)
3. Roger & Me (1989)
2. The Thin Blue Line (1988)
1. Hoop Dreams (1994)


From this NY times article.

Form "details"

Forms in general. For application and such are pretty consistent I see in life after college :)

From Life Insurance paperwork:
"...DETAILS
• Death from any cause is covered unless due to suicide, drug abuse, committing a felony or assault, or participating in an illegal occupation or activity. (Missouri residents, suicide is not excluded unless intended at time of application.)..."

Weird, I wonder if the state of Missouri has different laws regarding suicide.


These chips I tried yesterday for the first time and I quite enjoyed them. Much more than pop corn, or corn chips I must say :)

Also, something I was listening to while painting ze current painting.


Finally finished listening to "Success is a Choice". I took notes and made a 12pg packet. Even made several yes/no questions to further solidify ideas. I'll post those notes in here soon.
Started Listening to "Dune" which is 22 hours of audio book. I enjoy the story, played the game and saw the movies. I hope the book surpasses all of that :)

Rejection is sweet.

I prepared several questions regarding my pay, housing, and accomodations, yet the position was denied to me. I did not get Leadership Apprentice Program through the camp I was working at for several summers. I am not going to Phili, at least not for that job. That's totally okay, I am a little upset that i wasn't chosen but at the same time I have done the best I could on the interviews and otherwise. They were just looking for someone with more experience. I didn't have it. The only disappointment I felt was the waiting for a phone call that was suppose to be made 8 days ago, then 5 days ago. And the call came one day pass the deadline. That was annoying. I didn't like to be left hanging without any information. That was the only unpleasantry from this experience.
One door closing means another door opens up. I already submitted my resume to Fairfield Teachers Agency that may be able to hook me up with some teaching positions in the area. Who knows. One day at a time.

I wrote on my hand on Thursday evening "RNTSTT", which means Remember Not To Succumb To Temptations. Art made me couple of great drinks, first one with wedges of orange and lime, then a Real Daiquiri. He's holding a bar-tending job and needs experience :) I also had a shot of some great tequila i forgot the name of. We played some videogames afterwords.

I am hopefully going to Boston next weekend to visit Michelle and check out King Richards Fair. I'm pretty sure it's the last weekend we can go. Of course.
My sister started school and there is actually a boy who's taller than her in her class. Andrew is in Afghanistan, but he's going to receive several packages from our group of friends.

It's important to know what's important.

Past couple of days have been great. I have been cooking random stuff and was even able to paint for some time.

This piece is surely going to be on sale once i finish painting it. I enjoy making this one and see how it will compose itself, even a little.

I baked pork with broccolli, califlower, carrot, and yellow carrot. Some horseradish with salt and pepper.

And covered all of that with cabbage.
Only wish was for me to add some dressing or sauce because the vegetables, while great, were a little bland. Seasoning to be included at some point

I have been doing quite the number of cooking. That means whenever i eventually be i may be able to cook for myself. That's cool. I'm looking forward to learn some cooking stuff, because I find this to be really useful and fun!

Went to see Apollo 18 in theaters with some friends. Not a bad movie. Some were disappointed others scared shitless. The ticked stub will just go into my ever so great collection of movies I have see in the United States for the past seven years. I can't believe I was able to collect so many. I wonder what random things other people collect.
I used to (and would like to sometime in the future again) have a collection of cacti. Over fifty different species. That was some fun time. That's a good childhood memory.