The Mundanity of Excellence: How Small, Consistent Habits Create Success

Learning to Master the Basics

Last month, Peeq’s Managing Partner Mark Barnicoat booked a video swimming analysis session with a well renowned swim coach. Swimming is one of his hobbies, and as someone with a growth mindset, he’s always looking for ways to get better.

What quickly became apparent was just how crucial it was to master the basics and layer them progressively to achieve success. Mark drew a number of parallels between this experience and Professor Daniel Chambliss’ research on elite swimmers and his concept of the “mundanity of excellence.”

Chambliss’ Research on the Path to Excellence

Chambliss’ study, which examined the habits of high-performing swimmers, revealed that excellence doesn’t stem from a single moment of brilliance or innate talent. Instead, it is the result of performing dozens of small, specific skills over and over again—skills that are learned, practiced, and perfected until they become second nature. The truth is, it’s the consistent mastery of these seemingly mundane tasks that enables extraordinary results.

Small Adjustments, Big Outcomes

Take, for example, a swimmer’s proper flip turn, a streamlined push-off from the wall, or the perfect hand entry into the water. Any one of these skills might seem minor on its own, but when executed consistently and correctly, they can shave off precious seconds in a race. Over time, these small improvements can make the difference between competing in a local meet and winning an Olympic medal.

The Parallels Between Sports and Business

The parallels between swimming and business success are striking. Achieving excellence in any field, whether in sports or in business, isn’t about grand, sweeping gestures. It’s about the steady, consistent execution of small, often overlooked tasks that, when combined, create something truly remarkable.

In business, these tasks might not seem glamorous, but they are the foundation for success. Whether it’s the diligent follow-up on client communications, ensuring accuracy in the smallest of details, or continuously refining systems and processes, these actions build the framework for long-term excellence. Just like in swimming, where the layering of techniques over time creates an elite athlete, in business, the accumulation of small, consistent habits is what distinguishes an organisation from its competitors.

Building Excellence Through Consistency

When we reflect on our swim training, it’s not just the strokes we improved or the turns we mastered. It’s the understanding that every small adjustment mattered and contributed to a larger, more significant outcome. And in business, the same principle holds true. The path to excellence is not paved by extraordinary moments, but by the persistence and perfection of the everyday tasks that, when combined, create extraordinary results.

Conclusion: Excellence is a Habit

Excellence, then, isn’t an act but a habit—one built by the consistent performance of the small things, day in and day out. And while the impact of these habits may not always be immediately visible, their cumulative effect over time can be transformative, both in the pool and in business.