Is it possible Excellence Lives in the Mundane?

Over the years, I have learned to find inspiration in the simple and practical steps taken by individuals who have been acknowledged for excellence in their crafts. For example, I study the practice habits of saxophonist John Coltrane, the writing routines of accomplished authors, and the training regimens of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. It was their day-to-day activities and personal quirks that motivated them to continue in their own pursuit of excellence. Similarly, I start each morning at 5:30 AM with spiritual disciplines—prayer, meditation, and walking my dog—creating the foundation for everything else I do that day.

Seth Godin explores this concept in his book The Practice, where he emphasizes that professionals show up consistently, doing the work whether they feel inspired or not, trusting that the practice itself creates the path forward.

The point is that as a leader, it is important for me to build my own rituals and habits that suit my style. What I’m imitating is not the specific tools or quirks—like Hemingway’s preference for writing with blue pens—but rather the commitment itself. I’m not going to rush out and buy blue pens because there isn’t magic in that. The magic is in committing to your craft daily. For example, after seeing Rocky as a kid, I got up and drank raw eggs in the morning. Drinking eggs wasn’t the point—the point was that getting in shape to fight a championship bout requires working out daily. It’s rising early and jogging through empty streets that gets you ready.

Yes, there is room for the inspirational songs, the TED Talks, the vision and mission statements—but to bring all of this to life, you must do the work. Consider something as simple as clicking a green button that says “approve,” which allows people’s timecards to be sent to our payroll office so individuals can be paid. It’s a simple task, yet it’s needed and it helps others. Connecting with those small but meaningful tasks in a given day and realizing each one helps someone keeps you healthy and grounded in purpose.

What daily practice in your own work—no matter how small—has become a ritual that keeps you connected to your larger purpose?