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Why the Small Things Matter

Writer's picture: Jeeyoon KimJeeyoon Kim

Recently, a friend of mine undertook a huge, expensive bathroom renovation. I asked her how it turned out, and she said everything went smoothly except that one tile’s color didn’t match the others slightly by mistake. It is not too obvious to be noticeable at first glance. Still, since she sits down at the toilet and stares at the wall daily, it bothers her greatly every time.


Urgh, I know that feeling . . .


She said that maybe, with time, the odd tile would become like a piece of wall art, as if it were meant to be.


I’ve had a custom surfboard with an eggplant purple color in mind. To ensure that the board was close to the ideal color, I repeatedly emphasized it with official color codes and visual paper samples. After months, I got a call that my board was ready to pick up. To my surprise, the board came out as close to a black, not the cheerful purple that I had requested.


Inevitably, human work always has some range of errors; I get it . . .


I tried to be positive and accepted the board as it was. When I got home, I noticed that the fin box position of the board was slightly off. It would not affect the ride of the wave, but then again, once you see it, it is hard to ever unsee it.


Ahhh , , , details, details . . .


I started to think that people don’t see those fine details or choose not to care about them for one reason or another.


I recognize the importance of viewing a project or life from both macro and micro perspectives. Being able to shift gear between the two is critical. If you only pay attention to the details and do not see the big picture, you lose sight of the overall vision. It tends to generate a perfectionist mindset of never getting anything done. However, if you only see the bigger picture but pay attention to the details, you lose sensitivity and refinement of the process.


My observation is that in our current fast-paced culture, we lose sight of details as the cost of getting things done. We are already fatigued from doing it, and no extra energy is left to care more.


I remember being amazed by watching a documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, about the legendary sushi chef Jiro in Japan. He said that he spent a decade only learning how to make rice properly. As he is 97 years old, when he grabs a small pinch of rice in his hand, he knows exactly how much rice makes 20g without pausing to think. Besides the sushi itself, his restaurant experience is thought out from beginning to end: the way the napkin is folded, the weight of the chopsticks, the temperature of the miso soup, the selection of the background music and its decibel level, the placement of the dish . . .


I know that paying attention to these details takes effort, patience, time, and integrity from oneself. Ignoring is much easier than spending painstaking time on minor details that few even appreciate or notice.


So, why should we even bother to care?


To me, it is about principles. It is about the flavor of life.


I find joy and appreciation when someone puts extra care into something. More often than not, I don’t see who made that extra effort in the results, but it makes me smile. Someone cared.


This inspires me to strive to do the same.


The truth is that I believe people do notice it. They may not appreciate it right away, but some will.

This is not only about a product or professional service.


We could always do 1% better about how we care in our daily lives: how we interact with a stranger, how we smile extra, how we hold open a door for the person behind, or how we send a thoughtful email to a friend . . .


An extra pinch of caring and kindness can go a long way, much more than you might think.

It takes practice. More importantly, we have to care in the first place.


Whenever I practice the piano or feel that I care less about a certain tone of the note that I play, I have to remind myself constantly. I am the one who cares about those minor details, not necessarily to show them to others, but to add more joy to my life in the first place.


When a certain phrasing of the music finally comes closer to what I envisioned, I know I have received the most by contributing to the beautiful sonic flavor of life.


How about you? When did you last notice that extra care from someone or something?


I challenge you to care 1% more about whatever you do this week. Then, pay attention to details and appreciate when you notice another’s care.


Please share it with me!


Have a wonderful week!

💕Jeeyoon


It may not be the coolest surfer look, but I prioritize safety. 🏄




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© 2022 by Jeeyoon Kim, piano  

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