The other night something happened to me while I was brushing my teeth. About halfway through, I realized just how haphazard my approach to this daily task has become. I noticed that I was brushing a little here, a little there, paying little mind to how I was holding my toothbrush or to whether I was actually brushing all of my teeth or not. I was simply letting the brush wander aimlessly while my mind wondered about other, unrelated things.
Now this is not unique and it’s certainly not breaking news. People do things carelessly all the time, and people write about people doing things carelessly all the time. But I still find this particular moment in my life – my careless toothbrushing epiphany – full of some lessons worth learning.
First, there’s the obvious: when you don’t pay attention to what you’re doing, you don’t do a very good job. I don't think further elaboration is needed here.
Second, opportunities for fulfillment get left on the table when we don’t wholly engage in what we’re doing. We have so many moments throughout the day, big and small, that offer us a chance to achieve something, but often we’re too distracted to notice them. Of course, you could argue that mindfully brushing your teeth is hardly a champion’s moment, but if you think of yourself as somehow beyond these tiny triumphs then chances are you think of yourself as too good to do the dirty work. And guess what? The dirty work – the small and unglorious effort – is the foundation upon which all great achievements are built.
Don’t gloss over the minutiae, embrace them, bring them into sharper focus. The way that you approach small, repeated tasks matters and shapes your approach to the rest of your life. Brush your teeth.