Going for the Mints, Not the Gum (or—Taking it Up a Notch)

I was at a professional association meeting recently. Dinner had just finished, the speaker stood up and began his presentation, and from behind me—Snap. Chomp. Crack. A woman was chewing gum. Loudly. At some point before the meeting, she was at a store, faced with the choice of buying the gum or the mints, and she chose the gum.

Every day, we are presented with an array of choices. And at many intervals throughout each day, we must make decisions, large and small. Because of their size, and because we know they have consequences, we tend to take the large ones seriously. What we mostly overlook are the small ones. And as a result, we make those decisions without much thought, generally going for what’s comfortable, settling for what’s typical—for ourselves and/or for the general population.

If you want to be like everyone else, that setup works fine. If you’re interested in setting yourself apart, and distinguishing yourself for growth and recognition, however, read on.

I’ve seen that a lot of success comes from the small things. We are presented with opportunities each day to either do what everyone else does and what our own habits dictate, or to take it up a notch.

For example—gum or mints? Now, in certain industries, and in certain situations, chewing gum isn’t an issue.

It is an issue, however, in many settings:

• In close proximity to other people, regardless of what industry you work in (it’s distracting—I couldn’t concentrate on the speaker, just the chomping)
  
• In meetings with customers or vendors, regardless of the industry
  
• In any corporate or office setting (I’ve seen this violated at very high levels and in very expensive suits)
  
• In hospitality and retail settings
  
• In any position of leadership
  

Let's look beyond gum or mints. To take it up a notch for yourself, look at one of the small decisions you make on a regular basis, and try this:

1. Identify your goal
   
2. Consider your situation
   
3. Look at your options
   
4. Choose the option that enables you to take it up a notch, and take action on it
   

Here’s a no-brainer for the chewing gum situation: If your goal is to grow in your career, and you work in an office, when deciding whether to buy the gum or the mints—go for the mints!

This week, look at the decisions you make each day. Take a deep breath, choose one area for your next small place of growth and change, and walk through the four steps listed above. 

And take it up a notch.