My favorite coffee shop is also an expensive coffee shop. They easily charge 1.5x to 2x what a similar beverage would cost elsewhere in this area. People happily pay this, and the shop is always busy.

Why?

The beverages are good and the service friendly. But so are other local shops.

What I believe sets them apart is the feeling you receive as a patron. Similar to Apple products, it is not about the capabilities of the computers (more can be had for less money), it is about the feeling you get when you are part of the cool, smart, sophisticated group. In the case of the coffee shop, I believe 90% of this feeling comes down to the design of the establishment. Here is what I’ve noticed about the space.

1. It is in a walkable neighborhood, which facilitates community and a feeling of belonging.

2. It is human scale. It has 10ft or less ceiling with large chandeliers that bring the scale down further around the tables. It has 7-8 tables inside and 4-5 outside. Further, tables are situated at the perimeter of the room, allowing a feeling of security. This well-studied concept of “ninja-proof-seats” is missed by so many establishments. A ninja proof seat is one where your back is to the wall and you have a good view of your surroundings, preventing others from sneaking up on you. It is why, when you sit in the center of the room, you have that uncomfortable, almost imperceptible feeling of being insecure and on display. The coffee shop does a good job of creating seating spaces that feel safe.

3. Ambient noise. Music is always playing, loud enough that conversations around you aren’t distracting but quiet enough for you to hear the people at your table. This gives a feeling of privacy, despite others being nearby.

4. In the rare times when it is not busy, it still feels occupied; the decor fills out the space and makes the space feel dynamic. It does not have the sterile feeling typically found in a franchises where the ceiling is acoustical ceiling tiles and the wall decor is large pieces selected for their efficiency in filling up the wall spaces.

These design choices don’t reflect a huge capital investment, so it’s baffling to me why more shops don’t adopt similar design thinking. Perhaps design upgrades are perceived as nonessential costs? Maybe it’s time to reconsider.

Businesses and organizations have mission statements to help guide them and ensure that they stay on track and accomplish what they were created to accomplish.

Why don’t you?

I was talking to a friend recently who noted that her mom has a personal mission statement hanging on her wall. After she said this, I was astonished. How is this not the rule of human existence? Rather it seems to be the exception – I have yet to find another person that does this.

One of my favorite books is A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller. The big idea behind the book is that human stories easily become boring unless one adopts a sort of intentionality of living a good life; similar to how a good book has intentional conflict, rising action, climax, and resolution. What better way to introduce a healthy conflict in your life than a personal mission statement, calling you to action?

There is always a rhythm in life. I’ve noticed that even when my life or others’ lives seem chaotic or unplanned there is still a pattern. When I am managing my time poorly and not in a good routine of exercising after work, cooking a nice dinner, writing in the evening, and getting to bed early, there are still background habits that emerge as a routine.

These background habits may be: working until I can’t think straight, eating out or warming a frozen dinner, bingeing reddit and procrastinating going to bed. I find that whether I am in a good routine or a work-obsessed routine, I am taking the same amount of time away from my work. The difference is that one routine is intentional and far more rewarding.

There is a temptation, when trying to get a big project over the finish line to think that you will get back into a pattern after this milestone or after that event. However it is helpful to realize that you are already in a routine, it just may not feel like it, and it may not be serving you well.