“If you have extraordinary bread and extraordinary butter, it's hard to beat bread and butter.” – Jacques Pepin, Born Dec. 18, 1935.

Something simple, like bread and butter – can be elevated to a level that is sublime.

All it takes is for the two components of that simple recipe to be extraordinary.

I love that word, “extraordinary” because it’s not “amazing” or “incredible” or “perfect.”

Start with ordinary. And just go a bit farther. Not miles farther. Not above AND beyond. Just a little better. More effort than the average. And the average will always be mediocre.

But when you are dealing with even only two ingredients, doing just enough to be beyond merely ordinary for each – and then combining them together – creates a singular experience.

A special sensation that is simply NOT AVAILABLE anywhere else. Because every other place has ordinary bread, and ordinary butter.

Let’s extend this analogy to everything it applies to… which is nearly everything.

If you can do a simple thing exceedingly well, people will find it almost irresistibly compelling. I can think of at least seven psychological triggers it pulls in people.

And in a world of infinitely dividing attention spans, and exponentially increasing distractions, we envy these subtle masters. For their time and dedication and passion and seeming talent.

And remember, all we are talking about is taking a simple recipe – as few as two ingredients – and going just a tiny bit farther for each piece.

And extra paragraph. Two more ideas on the shared list. 10 minutes longer on the video explanation. One more bonus chapter. Whatever.

A simple thing made EXTRA-ordinary.

Here is the additional benefit for you.

Any person who can simply execute on a basic thing with consistency and frequency will also become skilled at that pursuit over time.

That’s how practice works. Practice at slightly exceeding your average effort each time, and soon your superior offerings come easily to you.

Perform that pursuit in public, and you will cultivate an audience over that same interval of time.

You make it look easy to be successful and excel at what they want to pursue. Additionally, your excellence seems effortless to you. Because of time and practice.

And you may be surprised to find that this simple thing you dedicated yourself to – this thing of few ingredients and sparse effort – may well become your proverbial bread and butter.

YUM.