December 30, 2013  

An Algorithm for Adventures

As a 30-something with work and family responsibilities, life has a way of settling into a routine that’s at odds with fun and adventure.  Yet looking back, some of my fondest memories are around getting into one antic or another with a bunch of friends.  Well, I believe things can only be brought about in life with true commitment.  So, I hereby commit myself to a year of adventures.

Now to implementation.  For some, “the year of adventures” might conjure up grand images of tracking lions in Tanzania.  I want to clarify that by and large, I love my life here in Boston and want the adventures to be compatible with this life, perhaps just crank it up a notch. The idea of doing lots of little adventures with variety rather than planning one big one appeals to me.   So I sent a mass email soliciting ideas from friends. Rather than putting the request in terms of adventures, I asked for dares. Adventure means different things to different people but the idea of a dare seems instantly recognizable and  requires no explanation.

After seeing all the responses, it got me thinking about the common themes, and how would someone come up with adventures for oneself systematically.

I boiled it down to a set of nine algorithms* to generate adventures:

  1. Be someone else.  e.g. Live like a milk farmer or a buddhist for a day.
  2. Quest – A journey to find something or get somewhere
  3. Do it in public – Take whatever you do and do it in public (e.g. shaving)
  4. DIY – Make something
  5. Do without – e.g. do without a house, food, electricity, heat, electronics, or your native language
  6. Overdo – e.g. eat McDonalds every day for a month, run Ironman
  7. Influence – Convince someone to do something
  8. Do unexpected / out-of-context – e.g. read Fox news on your iPad for 10 minutes while standing in the middle of a dance floor, lie down on a subway train, planking, coning
  9. Challenge a fear – e.g. public speaking, rejection, confrontation, heights, spiders

For example, a dare that my mother-in-law suggested: stand on one foot for an afternoon in Copley Square, that would be Do without (a foot) + Do a lot (stand for a few hours) + Do in public (Copley Square).  Go from Amherst to Boston without money = Quest + Do without.

What distinguishes a good adventure vs a mediocre one?  Well, that’s largely personal.  I imagine you would want to take on something that excites you but scares you at the same time.  It should stretch you in some way.  A good adventure, in addition to something that intrigues and energizes you, should have good side effects, and as many of them as possible.  Here are some sample side effects:

  • Learning (new knowledge or skills) – e.g. standup comedy, oil change
  • Personal growth
  • $$$ – Makes money
  • Makes something beautiful, cool or useful
  • Helps people
  • Develops bonds or friendships

In addition to doing some silly things, ideally I would like the dares to achieve something meaningful.  It’s not always easy to achieve this in the context of a dare.  So for dares that are not obviously useful, I will try to raise money for charity.

So, in final analysis, here is the list of dares I will take on if I reach my $1,000 pledge target.

  • January – Crash a Bar Mitzvah
  • February – Talk in Shakespearean English for a week (except during work)
  • March – Set up shop as a career coach at a bar
  • April – Jiffy Lube – Work there for a day and do at least one oil change from beginning to end
  • May – Walk from Boston to Northampton (~100 miles) with no money and no food (can forage or panhandle)
  • June – Cacophony – Ask people to pay me to stop singing (yes I’m that bad) at a street corner.  The money goes to charity
  • July – DIY Boat – Make a boat and float on the Charles River
  • August – TBD
  • September – TBD
  • October – Enter a freestyle rap competition (I’m terrified as I’m typing this)
  • November – The Moth – Enter “The Moth” and tell a true story on stage
  • December – Standup Comedy (again, terrified)

Notice, there are two slots that are still open.  Friends, keep them rolling in.  If you want to join me on any of these (do you sing badly?  Want to go for a 100 mile walk?), let me know.  I’d love some company!  If you have an adventure idea that’s been rattling around in your head and you need a push to get going, let me know.  I’d be more than happy to be the one that pushes you over the edge.

* Footnote: These algorithms are not completely orthogonal and may have some overlaps, the do-in-public can perhaps be explained as a combination of challenge fear of public embarrassment + Do unexpected / out of context.  I went in favor of ease of use rather than pedagogy. 

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