The
Daily
Fix
Rest
Pumpkin Coconut Curry
The Mundanity of Excellence
Rest day
A creamy, fragrant curry made with pumpkin, coconut milk, aromatics, and warm spices.
How greatness comes from ordinary habits, not extraordinary talent
Enjoy the recovery time, or make-up anything you missed from last week.
Ingredients
For the Curry:
3 cups cooked chicken
2 Tbsp butter, tallow, or coconut oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 Tbsp red curry paste (or yellow/green if preferred)
2 cups pumpkin, peeled and cubed
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (unsalted)
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp cinnamon
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Optional Add-ins:
2 cups spinach or kale
1 fresh chili, sliced (for extra spice)
Garnish:
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Lime wedges
Toasted pumpkin seeds
Macronutrients
(per serving, serves 4)
Protein: 27g
Fat: 29g
Carbs: 17g
Preparation
Heat butter or oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Stir in curry paste, turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon. Cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
Stir in pumpkin cubes and red bell pepper. Toss well to coat with spices.
Pour in coconut milk and broth. Stir, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 15–20 minutes, until the pumpkin is fork-tender.
Add cooked chicken and leafy greens. Simmer for another 2–3 minutes until heated through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Garnish with cilantro, lime wedges, and pumpkin seeds. Serve hot.
This 1989 ethnographic paper by sociologist Daniel Chambliss examines Olympic swimmers to understand where excellence really comes from. Drawing on years of fieldwork across all competitive levels—from novice swimmers to Olympians—Chambliss argues that excellence is not the result of rare talent or dramatic breakthroughs, but of the consistent accumulation of small, mundane improvements. What separates elite performers is not qualitatively different ability, but sustained commitment to ordinary behaviors: refining technique, showing up daily, embracing repetitive practice, tolerating discomfort, and structuring life around long-term goals. He challenges the idea of “natural talent,” showing instead that excellence emerges gradually through disciplined habits and social environments that normalize high standards. In swimming—and by extension in other fields—greatness is built through incremental gains that appear unimpressive in isolation but compound over time into extraordinary performance.
SUNDAY 260215