The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact by Chip Heath, Dan Heath
In THE POWER OF MOMENTS, Chip and Dan Heath suggest an intriguing possibility: We can actually create special moments—we don’t just have to wait for them to happen to us. Instead,
“We can be the author of them.”
To create these moments, we have to first understand what makes historical events stand out as special. Chip and Dan cite research that explains which memories really stand out. When we look back at some event, we forget about the duration, and instead recall just 2 main things: The best or worst moment, and the ending.
Knowing what our mind recalls suggests a strategy—we focus on creating a few memorable highlights. Well, just how do we go about making great moments for ourselves? The authors have boiled it down to 4 key things. We can actually synthesize great experiences if we include one or more of these aspects:
ELEVATION: Moments that rise above the commonplaceINSIGHT: Some new understandingPRIDE: Moments of achievementCONNECTION: Social engagements.Chip and Dan spend a lot of time explaining each of the 4 keys, and tell lots of funny stories about how companies did something to create a special moment.
I found the chapter on creating elevating moments especially interesting. The authors provide a recipe on creating such a moment:
Boost the sensory appeal;Raise the stakes; orBreak the script—do something radically difference.
I found THE POWER OF MOMENTS to be a fun read, with lots of practical ideas. I enjoyed the anecdotes that illustrate the principles. Don’t miss the story of how the Ritz Carlton took photos of the forgotten toy “vacationing” around the hotel. Each chapter concludes with a summary called the “Whirlwind review.” I found this summary to be a good recap of the points in each chapter.
