A Most Valuable Lesson

John Erskine learned the most valuable lesson of his life when he was only fourteen years old. His piano teacher asked him, "How many times a week do you practice and how long do you practice each time?"

He told her that he tried to practice once daily for an hour or more.

"Don't do that," she responded. "When you grow up, up time won't come in long stretches. Practice in minutes, whenever you can find them---five or ten before school, after lunch, between chores. Spread your practice throughout the day, and music will become a part of your life."

Her advise obviously worked. Erskine became a concert pianist who performed with the New York Philharmonic, and he later served as president of the Juilliard School of Music and director of the Metropolitan Opera Association. He also went on  to teach literature at Columbia University and wrote more than forty-five books. His most famous work, The Private Life of Helen of Troy, was written as he commuted to Columbia.

                                                                                        SUCCESS ONE DAY AT A TIME

- John C. Maxwell

Think about your day

Planning your day out before you arrive to the classroom, the practice session or the work site is imperative to your success. We call this "Psychological or Mental Mise en Place." There is no winning without this. What you formulate in your mind before arriving will pre-determine your outcome. Messy station = messy outcome. Cluttered mind = fewer accomplishments. before your attack a project or task physically, be sure to have it completely thought out in your own mind. Identify the target and stay focused. And above all else have a "Plan B, C, D, etc." Life has a way of getting in the way. Be able to jump to another plan in order to achieve a favorable outcome. "Psychological  or Mental Mise en Place" will help you nail your target.

Be Aware and Adapt

Be aware and learn how to adapt to your surroundings. One must first understand that things in our lives will change. Change is the one thing you can depend upon as a constant. You need to understand that there will be some things that you may be able to control, while others will just need to be let go. You learn that there are times when you will need to just move on. Knowing and understanding that you have choices when changes are encountered will help you to adapt. Adapting to new things and to new surroundings are life skills that must be practiced. Learning to become a cook and eventually a culinary competitor requires great flexibility in mind and body. Train yourself well and be up for the challenge. Never, never give up.

A Thought from a Colleague

"I like your blog and would like to contribute this motivational statement. I am not sure who wrote this but it certainly caught my attention." Chef Wagner

"Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence."

-Author Unknown

Practice introspection

Think about your day; the outcomes, the failures, the successes. Learn to handle failure, otherwise you won't reach "success." Learn how to grow from your failures. And if you think you learn without failures, you're mistaken. You will strike out hundreds of times before hitting that home run. In this case, you'll burn allot of vegetables, proteins and starches before arriving at that perfect plating. The goal is to learn from those failures. You will learn the signs, be able to identify them and don't repeat the same mistake. The best case scenario would be that you actually mentor and teach someone else from your mistakes. Get in touch with your thoughts, your feeling, your motives.

Begin a Journal

Hard copy or electronic, it doesn't matter. You need to begin developing a personal and professional history of who you are. You should set up an outline and begin tracking everything; attitude, responsibility, commitment, punctuality, practice and class sessions and your own contributions to the team and to your own learning. Identify your own personal and professional targets here.

Aspiration

"If you choose a career in the culinary or hospitality business, always remember that it is a celebration. If you are not hospitable, and you do not focus on this aspect, the career may not be for you. Culinary and Hospitality offer wonderful careers, but you must aspire to 100% dedication. Aspire to food as a celebration!!!"

Chef Joe Amendola, CEPC, CCE, AAC

Senior Vice President and Principal of FESSEL International

Ambassador to the Culinary Institute of America

                       1920-2008

      *    *    *  

"These were words that Joe Amendola taught and lived by. Joe was my friend, mentor and teacher of 35 years. Joe will continue being an inspiration. He will be missed by everyone he touched. His legacy will live on." Frank Leake