The Extra Detail

This morning, I had the good fortune of working out in a very nice gym here in Phoenix. I’m traveling for work, and the hotel we’re staying in is gorgeous. Undoubtedly, these accommodations are incredibly expensive, judging by the impeccable grounds and facilities I’ve seen.

For some reason, though, the most impressive part of the morning was the smallest detail. I’d just completed my run and felt a little shelled out. I made my way to the water cooler in the corner, and noticed a welcoming plate of freshly washed apples - green and red varieties.

That plate of apples cost seemingly nothing compared to the money each of the people in that gym was spending to stay here, but it got me thinking.

What’s the extra detail I’m putting into the things I do?

If I’m building something, have I put special attention that somebody will notice, and probably tell somebody else about? What about relationships? Have I put an extra amount of effort into something my wife wouldn’t expect me to think about or ask?

Sometimes the extra detail is trivially easy to execute, but just needs to be considered. It will be noticed, and somebody’s day may be different because of it.