Self-Sufficiency Toolkit

Food
Preparation

Cooking is simultaneously a “lost skill” and one that is being rediscovered by this generation.  Fast food, TV dinners, and delivery apps make it easier and easier to get by with zero culinary knowledge.  Yet the Internet is helping many new home cooks fall in love with the art.

Learn More

Tier

What Is Cooking?

Cooking is said to be the art, science, and craft of preparing food for consumption.  At its most basic, it simply requires applying heat to food.  At the advanced level, it becomes a dance of ingredients, techniques, and inspiration.  But ultimately it’s always about flavor.

Learn How

Why Cooking?

Cooking is a fundamental skill for human life.  Though our modern world has relieved us of the duty, I still want to take on the responsibility.

I don’t claim to be an expert on anything I write about.

Hell, I hardly claim to be an expert on myself.  😂😂😂

These breakdowns are largely for me.  I use them to record and reference.  Unlike most others on this site though, this goal setting page might actually be useful to the outside observer.

No promises.  You can tell me.

Chef BoyarBradshaw

Those too impatient to “find” their life’s purpose can create it.  Goal setting helps the courageous become winners.

Organic AF

Your brain is wired to set objective and reach them.  Completing even small-scale goals provides a natural “high.”

Tasty Healthy Eats

The right goals are hard not to chase.  Done right, goal setting has the power to unlock human potential.

Mark of the Maker

Doers need goals.  History’s greatest men and women weren’t spectators.  They were known by their deeds.

There’s a lot that goes into becoming a “master” home chef.  Here’s a quick look at what the journey in the kitchen has been like for me.

Learn with Me

I’m pretty good at this one.

I’ve been setting epic goals for nearly a decade now.

I don’t achieve all of them.  But I certainly accomplish more in life because I have them.  Without consistent goal setting, there’s no way I’d be the man I am now.

I’ve done goal setting exercises of all types.  They are one of the most important tools I use to improve my life.

Over the years, my process has evolved.

Nowadays, I have a solid list of life goals that I revisit periodically.  I break those down into yearly, quarterly, monthly, and weekly goals.  I use a variety of different frameworks and love to try new goal setting methods.

My goals are how I make my life, as seen on This Site.

My Experience

I’m climbing my way toward mastery.

More than anything, I just need a few more years.

I already have a fairly sophisticated system.  But for me, figuring out what I really want takes reps.

I use my goals to carve out a life purpose.

Points of emphasis respond to change in both me and in the world.  But all the while, they pull me forward.

I create goals then mold my character to the traits that those objectives require.  My goals help me discover the man I need to be so that I can do the things I want to do.

So far, they’ve served me well.  Long may it continue.

  • Importance – 55%
  • Passion – 80%
  • Mastery – 75%

Journey Started: ≈2000

Good Life Foundation

Goals are fundamental.  They are an essential pillar of a good life.  Without them, it’s easy to get blown to and fro by the winds of the world.

Where cooking Fits in the Game of Life

Cooking is one of the biggest pieces of the Self Sufficiency puzzle.

For me, it’s a “Tier 2” concept, on the same level as Homesteading, Survival, and Self Defense.

Under it you’ll find  _____, _____, and _____.

1. Achievement
‣ 2. Goal Setting
3. Frameworks
3. Scheduling
4. Yearly
4. Monthly
4. Daily Planning
3. Business Plans

Success Habit Rank

Videos Watched

Mentions on My Site

Books Read

Pulling Threads: A Lion Chasing Rabbits

Pulling Threads: A Lion Chasing Rabbits

What the hell is This Site, exactly? A pointless stream of consciousness? A fanboy's ode to his Heroes? A psycho's Favorite topics? All three? Or maybe, it's just the result of a lion chasing rabbits. You might LOL... but this is how it works: I am destined to be the...

Creating Food That You Love to Eat

For goal setting newbies:

Let’s start with the best advice up front.

Just get started.

You can’t set effective goals until you’ve done it before.  Like most things, you’ll suck the first few times.  Eventually though, you might discover things about yourself you never knew.

The first step is to write your goals down.

If you don’t have a Journaling habit, it’s time you started one.

To borrow a personal growth cliché:

“Goals not written down are just dreams.” (Les Brown?)

They say there is a magic in putting pen to paper.  Many shy away.  But for success, it’s a small price to pay.  When you take your future seriously, you no longer see things like goal setting as a chores.

Instead, you’ll find that your goals help you chart a path.  As you grow into the person capable of achieving your goals, you’ll then map out higher ones.

So begins the climb toward Achievement.

Once you commit, there are a variety of ways to get started.

I pull my inspiration from Brendon Burchard, Vishen Lakhiani, Tony Robbins, and my other Favorite Coaches.  Each has their own spin and plenty to teach.

Again, it’s easier once you’ve done it before.  Eventually, you’ll find what works for you.

How to Become a Good Cook Step-By-Step

01

Discover Your Why

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Motivation

02

Multiple Iterations

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Frameworks

03

Goal-Based Habits

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Habits

04

Schedules & Tracking

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Tracking

05

Be a Dream Chaser

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Self Identity

Remember: just start.  The first time you put your goals on paper, you’re closer to achieving your dreams than 90% of the population.

My Favorite Cooking Videos

Everything you need to know about cooking is online.

I’m no high performance titan.  I stand on the shoulders of giants.  I simply listen to what my Heroes say and apply it.  Not everything sticks.  But enough does to make a lasting impact.

Data
Dump

 

One of the main purposes of This Site is to catalog my learnings.  I’m not that learned.  But I’m working on becoming moreso.  If you see a “data dump” on this site, you’re looking at unsorted information.  It may be related or completely  unrelated, depending on the topic.

 

How Cooking Can Change Your Life

Why Every Home Cook Should Braised Master Short Ribs

Tuscan Chicken

ThatDudeCanCook: Duck Confit with Crispy Potatoes

Ash Kickin' BBQ: Competition Chicken Thighs

Jamie & Julia: Chicken Supremes with Mushroom Sauce

Tasty: The Original Orange Chicken by Panda Express

RecipeTin: Chicken Fricassee

Hanging Roast Chicken with "Nugget" Potatoes

How To Make Chicken Tikka Masala

Perfect Jollof Rice

Quick and Easy Garlic Butter Shrimp

Sam the Cooking Guy: Foolproof Valentine's Day Dinner

Natasha's Kitchen: Easy Beef Stroganoff Recipe

The BEST Beef Stew Recipe

Sam the Cooking Guy: Osso Buco & Palenta

Mashed Potato Pork Pie

Louisiana Style Red Beans and Rice with AB

Jack Owens: Creamy Garlic Mushroom Sauce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=parxjvYexCM

The Best Stuff Garlic Bread Pizza

No Recipes: Japanese Curry From Scratch

Sano-San's Legendary Shio Ramen Soup

Adam Ragusea: Stop Trying to Make Turkey Taste Good

Ethan Chlebowski: Why Are Deli Subs Better?

Chef Jean-Pierre: All bout Kitchen Knives

Adam Ragusea: Why People Love Cast Iron Pans

Adam Ragusea: Food Plastics = Estrogen in Your Body

Kitchen Organization Mistakes

Kitchen
Basics

 

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Ingredients &
Techniques

 

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Does Marinating Do Anything?

Do Bay Leaves Actually Do Anything?

Adam Ragusea: Chicken Thighs 101

False Facts About Steaks Everyone Believes

Adam Ragusea: Why I Season My Cutting Board Instead

Ethan Chlebowski: Why I Stopped Boiling My Pasta Water

Adam Ragusea: What Is Dry Aged Beef

Guga Foods: Can Dry Age Save a $1 Steak?

Guga Foods: Using Koji Rice to Dry Age Steaks

10 Cooking Skills I Wish I Had Known

Chef Jean-Pierre: From Boxed to Delicious Beef Stock

Chef Jean-Pierre: How To Make Au Jus

Chef Jean-Pierre: Making Clarified Butter

Sam the Cooking Guy: Saucy Pasty

Pro Home Cooks: Chicken Parmesan

Island Vibe Cooking: Creamy Shrimp Pasta

Not Another Cooking Show: Scrumptious Shrimp Scampi

Not Another Cooking Show: The Greatest Penne Vodka

Pasta &
Italian

 

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Latin
Cooking

 

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Sam the Cooking Guy: Chicken Chimichangas

Island Vibe Cooking: Chicken Birria

Sam the Cooking Guy: Cheesy Juicy Birria Tacos

Sam the Cooking Guy: Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

caribbeanpot: The Ultimate Pepper Wings

Terri-Ann's Kitchen: Sweet Chili Jerk Chicken Wings

Caribbean
Cooking

 

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Cooking
Breakfast

 

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Sam the Cooking Guy: Perfect Eggs for Breakfast

Sam the Cooking Guy: Pepperoni Omelet

Chef Jean-Pierre: Steak & Eggs Breakfast

Pro Home Cooks: Life-Changing 15-Minute Breakfasts

Smokin' Joe's Pit BBQ: Chile Relleno Sausage

Smokin' Joe's Pit BBQ: Summer Sausage

Making
Sausage

 

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Cooking
Steak

 

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Olive Wagyu in Japan - The Rarest Steak in the World

Mashed: The Secret to Ruth's Chris Delicious Steaks

Ryan Maya Cooks: How to Cook the Best NY Strip

Guga Foods: Salt Bae's Hot Fat Searing Experiment

Sam the Cooking Guy: Picanha on an Argentinian Grill

Sam the Cooking Guy: Wagyu Steak au Poivre

Sam the Cooking Guy: Pineapple Marinated Steak Sandwich

Binging with Babish: Steak au Poivre from Archer

Chef Jean-Pierre: Steak & Eggs Breakfast

Sam the Cooking Guy: The Best Tater Tots & Sauces

Adam Ragusea: Oven Fries - Crispier Than Deep-Fried

Ethan Chlebowski: Adam Ragusea's Oven Fries Remastered

Sam the Cooking Guy: Life-Changing Scalloped Potatoes

Jamie & Julia: Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

acooknamedMatt: Perfect Potato Gratin Stack

Ulimate Mashed Potatoes

Better Than Chips and Fries

Better Than French Fries

Taters &
Such

 

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Cooking
Gumbo

 

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Isaac Toups: Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Smokin' & Grillin' wit AB: Seafood Gumbo

Cajun Ninja: Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

CashNasty: Louisiana Style Gumbo with Big Baby Davis

worst gumbo; best gumbo video 😂😂😂

Smoking Beef Jerky & Cooking with Beans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGYXpRj3-Es

(best video but doesn’t allow playback)

7 Hours of Roasting a Huge Thigh of Beef in a Tandoor

(doesn’t allow playback)

Beef Cooked in Glass Jar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTc0qpLtdCY

(best video but doesn’t allow playback)

Wilderness
Cooking

 

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Old-Timey
Cooking

 

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Townsends: Barbecue with Michael Twitty

Townsends: Beef Stew from 1775

Townsends: Fried Chicken in the 18th Century

Townsends: Simple Roasted Onions from 1808

Chef Jean-Pierre: Classic Coq Au Vin

French Cooking Academy: Coq Au Vin

Tasty: Coq Au Vin

Chef Billy Parisi: Coq Au Vin

Bruno Albouze: Coq Au Vin

Barefoot Contessa: Coq Au Vin

Food Wishes: Coq Au Vin

Jamie & Julia: Coq Au Vin

Adam Ragusea: Coq Au Vin Simplified

TheOfficialHungry: Coq Au Vin

The Endless Meal: Coq Au Vin

RecipeTin Eats: Coq Au Vin

Cafe Delights: Coq Au Vin

Palate By B's Gastronomy: Coq Au Vin Blanc

Binging with Babish: Coq Au Vin from Donnie Brasco

Coq Au
Vin

 

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Chicken
Tetrazzini

 

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The Cooking Show with Farideh: Chick Tetrazzini

Laura in the Kitchen: Chicken Tetrazzini

Preppy Kitchen: Chick Tetrazzini

Giada from Food Network: Chick Tetrazzini

Everyday Food with Sarah Carey: Chicken Tetrazzini

How I Use Goals to Create the Life I want

If you haven’t noticed, I take this stuff seriously.

You don’t have to do it like me.  But maybe you wanna know.  So I guess I’ll tell you.  You might have picked some of it up by reading through this page or clicking on some of the links.

I’ll spell it all out here.

Knowledge of Self and Divination

When you set goals like this, it becomes a spiritual thang.  Self Awareness is my fave. 🤩 It might be the best tool for sorting out things like your “heart’s desire” or “life purpose.”  And when you get it right, your goals become your destiny.  Predict your own success, then take responsibility.  You’ll be able to look back and say “Called it, b!tch.” 😏

Bullet Journal, Save Us

I pretty much put my entire life in my Bullet Journal.  It’s a straight up lifesaver.  More than that though: for me, it’s a life maker.  Bullet journals let you create your own dynamic layouts that are perfect for goal setting.  I create new layouts every year as I learn and my needs develop.  Without it, I don’t know how I would be able to plan as I do.

Turning Big Rocks Into Little Rocks

Each year, I revisit and revise my life goals.  I add and subtract as needed then build out a yearly plan based on that.  I break those down into monthly targets, to be reviewed and updated each quarter throughout the year.  Finally, I use weekly and daily journal layouts to plan and track the individual tasks that need to get done day to day.

Day Dreaming with Homework

I approach goal setting with a “shoot for the moon” mentality.  I’m all about bringing imagination into it.  But that has to be anchored with tracking and review.  I basically create worksheets for myself.  They range from daily To Do Lists to monthly project planning to financial dashboards.  Together, they help me identify what gets results for me.

Sharing is Caring

If you haven’t noticed, I like to share my goals. 😁 It’s good for you.  I even try to set up group goal setting activities when I can.  (See: First Mastermind)  Support and accountability are underrated.  Masterminds provide both.  Beyond that, I like to announce my goals to the world because I’m a sh!t talker and it motivates me to do live up to my words.

Favorite Coaches

Favorite Teachers

Favorite Entrepreneurs

My Cooking Posts

Becoming Legendary: My 2022 Goals

Becoming Legendary: My 2022 Goals

I'm fairly confident 2022 is going to be the most successful year of my life so far. I'm writing this post to help guarantee that. Obviously, I can't control the future.  But I can set intentions and create a plan of action. That's what Goal Setting is all about. So...

Setting the New 20s Off Right: My 2020 Goals

Setting the New 20s Off Right: My 2020 Goals

New Year's Resolutions get a bad wrap. It's not their fault though. It's yours. The truth is: The beginning of the year is a perfect time for a reset. You have to execute though. Do it right and this year could be the best year you've ever had. No guarantees. Because,...

How to Become a Morning Person [Life-Changing Habit #1]

How to Become a Morning Person [Life-Changing Habit #1]

Becoming a "morning person" has changed my life. Only time will tell, but it could go down as a top five factor to my future success. Learning how to wake up early wasn't easy. Until the second half of 2018, I've been a notoriously late sleeper. It started as a kid: I...

Becoming Legendary: My 2022 Goals

Becoming Legendary: My 2022 Goals

I'm fairly confident 2022 is going to be the most successful year of my life so far. I'm writing this post to help guarantee that. Obviously, I can't control the future.  But I can set intentions and create a plan of action. That's what Goal Setting is all about. So...

Setting the New 20s Off Right: My 2020 Goals

Setting the New 20s Off Right: My 2020 Goals

New Year's Resolutions get a bad wrap. It's not their fault though. It's yours. The truth is: The beginning of the year is a perfect time for a reset. You have to execute though. Do it right and this year could be the best year you've ever had. No guarantees. Because,...

How to Become a Morning Person [Life-Changing Habit #1]

How to Become a Morning Person [Life-Changing Habit #1]

Becoming a "morning person" has changed my life. Only time will tell, but it could go down as a top five factor to my future success. Learning how to wake up early wasn't easy. Until the second half of 2018, I've been a notoriously late sleeper. It started as a kid: I...

Setting Goals for 2019

Setting Goals for 2019

I have mixed feelings about New Year's Resolutions. I don't believe in waiting to make changes. I think it makes more sense to try to grow everyday. Create good new habits.  Erase the negative old ones.  Do it all the time. However, I find that measurement is...

My Top 3 High Performance Coaches

"YouTube University" has brought many a life-optimizer across my path.  These three are my favorite high performance coaches.

Brendon Burchard

operation Director, Elegant Themes

Robin Sharma

Tech Support, Elegant Themes

Tim Ferris

operation Director, Elegant Themes

So, You Think You Want to Become Self Sufficient?

Nice little subtitle for the win.  Nice little subtitle for the win.  Nice little subtitle for the win.  Nice little subtitle for the win. or the win.

Achievement
Get Started

Self Sufficiency Toolkit

Top Self Sufficiency Links