A Little Something Extra

Do you have a story about a time someone gave you "a little something extra"? Share it in the comments below. And if you found value in this article, consider sharing it with one person who needs to hear it—that would be your little something extra for today.

That cookie costs the shop roughly 15 cents. But the emotional value is incalculable. You will drive past the chain to return to that shop. You will post a photo of the cookie on Instagram. You have just moved from a rational economic actor to an emotional evangelist. A Little Something Extra

But relationships wither without surplus. Do you have a story about a time

The most effective "extra" is often the one we didn't see coming. This is frequently referred to in business as That cookie costs the shop roughly 15 cents

On a personal level, the concept suggests that everyone carries a hidden "superpower"—a force driven by passion that often emerges during challenges.

In art criticism, the “little something extra” is often called mannerism or hand . Consider the painter’s visible brushstroke. A photorealistic painting is impressive but often cold. The “extra” of a visible stroke—Van Gogh’s impasto, de Kooning’s smear, Cy Twombly’s scribble—is the artist’s presence. It says, “I was here. My hand moved thus.”

So, what does "a little something extra" look like in practice? Here are a few inspiring examples: