If there is one characteristic in great people it is this: the ability to make the ordinary extraordinary. For many, the daily details of living are fairly predictable. They get up at more or less the same time each day, follow out routines that rarely vary, do their job, go home, more routines and then sleep. Dunkin Donuts poked fun at this mode of existence with their “It’s time to make the donuts” campaign (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwfrBbNo5Jg).

Hollywood likewise captured the essence of the monotony of life in the movie “Groundhog Day.” TV meteorologist Phil Connors (played by Bill Murray) realized that February 2 was repeating itself over-and-over again, though no one else was aware of the repetition. Have you ever felt like things were repeating on an endless round? Do the same things, see the same people, talk about the same things…same, same, same. It can drive you crazy if you let it!

The ability to turn ordinary events and situations into extraordinary ones seems to come naturally to children. I watch my youngest son, for instance, turn 30 minutes of coloring into the most exciting half-an-hour of his life – every day(!) – without fail. An active imagination and the permission or freedom to imagine are perhaps two keys to unlocking the ability to make ordinary events extraordinary, but I don’t think that imagination is solely responsible.

In fact, another way to make ordinary things extraordinary is by using dramatic flair. If you’ve ever eaten a formal white-glove dinner, you know what I mean. I recall a multi-course meal I had at one of the most famous gastronomy schools in Paris in the late 80s that involved an amuse-bouche, entremets, palate cleansers (sorbets and the like), and proper complementing wines for each course. The most delightful part of the experience to me, even now in hindsight, was the incredible choreography of the servers as the synchronously removed plates, opened platter covers and so on. Our hosts, adding a touch of the dramatic, turned plain-old dinner into an unforgettable experience.

Comedic timing is also useful in this regard. I cannot tell you how many times I have been released from the doldrums of a mundane experience by a well-timed and appropriate joke told by a friend or a stranger. Good speakers, talented teachers and top-notch coaches understand the value of well-timed levity, as it can provide the lift necessary to elevate an ordinary experience into the realm of extraordinary.

If there is one pitfall that prevents the transformation of the ordinary into the extraordinary it is this: not giving it your all. Mindless, passionless, emotionless accomplishment ensures mediocrity. Yes you might be able to say “well, at least I got there,” but is that really the best you could do? Why not seek to do everything that you do a little better each and every time you do it? Nothing need be exempt!

Extraordinary people rise above the ordinary because they embrace life with gusto. They imbue their world with a sense of meaning, of purpose and they embrace their world with enthusiasm, encouragement and respect. No task is mundane to a truly extraordinary person. Every circumstance faced by one who has chosen to be extraordinary – no matter how big or small, how apparently meaningful or insignificant – is potentially a womb for greatness.

What will you make of the opportunities that come your way today, along the assembly line of life?