On strategy, marketing, and entrepreneurship

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about memories. Whenever I reminisce about my past, a movie plays in my mind. The winning shot, the first time, the speeding ticket, the all-nighter. I realized that our past is really a bunch of little moments that replay in our mind.

I think it’s important to plan for memorable moments rather than leaving them to chance. Each day is an opportunity to make new memories and share them with friends, family, and soon-to-be friends and family. Because our lives are really just a collection of moments, we should spend time and energy creating more of them.

Think in terms of creating structures in your life that encourage different situations with different people. While you can’t really plan for pleasant (or unpleasant, for that matter) surprises, you can create environments that increase your chances for having them. One example of how many of us do this already is when we travel. Travelling is ripe with opportunities for having memorable moments. Around every dark corner, every luggage line-up, every foreign language barrier, and every broken down air-conditioning system is a moment waiting to arise that you and your fellow traveller will share as a special bond.

But travel isn’t the only way we can encourage memory-making. If you want to make memories with someone, there are three things to remember:

1. Plan for it.You can’t share memories with someone if you don’t spend meaningful time with them. Be proactive and plan. Plan the picnic. Invite the neighbour you don’t really know very well over for drinks. Attend the surprise party, plan the reunion, or just buy the airline ticket.
2. Encourage uncertainty.A safe and healthy level of uncertainty is the magical ingredient for all those special moments. Try things you’ve never done before. Go somewhere where you don’t speak the language. Hang out with people at least 10 years older or younger than you. Be the only girl or guy in the group. Pick up a new hobby. Join an obscure club, or spend time outside your usual social group.
3. Have the right attitude.You won’t be able to experience those moments of serendipity unless you make a habit of having an open, easy-going, “come what may” attitude. You should be open to new food, new surroundings, and interesting people. Don’t pre-judge people or outcomes. Above all, try to have fun and look for those moments.