Jim Rohn once said,
"Success is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well."
The Power of Small Victories
A few years ago, I realized that small victories really do add up over time. When you start treating every little task as a chance to excel or be present, you're setting the stage for something bigger. It's pretty simple when you think about it: that extra page you read before bed, those ten minutes you squeeze in to practice a skill, or that small step you take toward a goal—they're all building blocks for your success story.
Elevating the Ordinary
Picture this: you're going through your workday when something that happens a little too often—a client emails to backtrack on something they approved early int he week on Friday at 4:55, or a colleague says something that instantly shifts your mood. These ordinary workplace moments are exactly where excellence can shine through. Here's what works for me: I keep a small bottle of hinoki oil nearby. When faced with these situations, I pause, pick up that bottle, and take a deep breath of its amazingly beautiful woody scent for five minutes before tackling the challenge (or responding in a way I know I shouldn't). It sounds simple, but this little ritual turns a potential setback into an opportunity to excel.
The 5-Minute Hinoki Reset
Here's my go-to breathing routine when things get hectic—nothing fancy, just what works for me:
Grab your hinoki bottle and find a comfortable spot to sit. No need to get all zen about it—your office chair works just fine.
Start with a few regular breaths to settle in. Then, pop open your hinoki bottle and take a nice deep breath in through your nose while giving the bottle a sniff. Hold it for a second, then let it all out slowly through your mouth.
For the next couple of minutes, just breathe normally but keep taking those occasional deep hinoki breaths whenever you feel like it. I usually aim for about one deep hinoki breath every 30 seconds or so, but there's no need to watch the clock—just go with what feels right.
When your mind starts wandering back to that frustrating email or conversation, that's your cue to take another good whiff of the hinoki. It's like telling your brain, "Hey, we're taking a break from that right now."
As you get toward the end of your five minutes, take one last deep hinoki breath and visualize a happy moment or experience. For me, my mind always drifts to racing on a simulator or driving in Iceland.
The whole thing takes about five minutes, but honestly, even a quick 60-second version works in a pinch. The hinoki scent basically becomes a mental trigger that helps you shift from reacting to responding—turning an everyday annoyance into a chance to handle things with a bit more grace than usual.
Hinoki: More Than Just a Scent
Hinoki isn't just another nice smell—it's actually backed by science as something that can reduce stress and clear your mind. I've found that when I connect taking a deep breath with handling everyday challenges, it's like I'm training my brain to do ordinary things extraordinarily well. Over time, these sensory cues have helped me build momentum, making even routine obstacles feel like opportunities for small victories. It reminds me that success isn't always about avoiding difficulties—it's really about approaching them with extraordinary care and intention.
Building Momentum with Mindfulness
Each time I bring that hint of hinoki into my day, I'm basically telling myself, "I care enough about this moment to make it count." I've stopped seeing interruptions and challenges as mere annoyances. Instead, I've learned that excellence happens in these ordinary moments—when I choose to respond thoughtfully rather than react hastily. With each mindful breath, I reinforce that habit of excellence, gradually turning my daily routine into a series of incremental triumphs that keep propelling me forward.
Your Path to Lasting Success
In the end, I've discovered that success isn't built on grand gestures alone—it comes from handling countless ordinary situations with extraordinary care, each one made more meaningful with a deliberate, sensory reminder. By pairing the philosophy of doing ordinary things extraordinarily well with the grounding effect of hinoki oil, you create a powerful tool for long-term growth. So next time a challenging email arrives or a conversation doesn't go as planned, take a moment to breathe in that calming hinoki scent from your small bottle, and remember that turning these ordinary moments into extraordinary responses is actually the path to lasting success.
