Methods and systems to stress-program a first integrated circuit (IC) block to output a pre-determined value upon activation/reset, such as to support time-zero compensation/trimming. To program, the first block is configured with first-block program parameters to cause the first block to output a pre-determined value. The first block is stressed while configured with the first-block program parameters, to cause the first block to output the pre-determined value without the first-block program parameters. The first block may include a latch designed as a fully balance circuit and may be asymmetrically stressed to alter a characteristic of one path relative to another. The pre-determined value may be selected to compensate for process corner variations and/or other random variations.