Our trip to Spain was full of unforgettable moments, but one experience stands out, and it almost didn’t happen.
My girlfriend had one big wish for the trip: to see the inside of La Sagrada Familia. It was our second-to-last day, and we walked up to the cathedral early in the morning, ready to buy tickets—only to find out they were completely sold out.
As we walked back to our Airbnb, I racked my brain for a solution. Then it hit me: tour companies. They often buy tickets in advance for their groups. We ducked into a café, jumped on the Wi-Fi, and started searching. Every single tour was sold out—except for one. The catch? It was in German.
Neither of us speaks a word of German, but we booked it anyway. I figured we’d at least get inside, even if we didn’t understand a thing. When we arrived for the tour, I mentioned to the receptionist that we didn’t speak German, and asked—half-jokingly—if there was anything they could do for us.
Fifteen minutes later, she called us over and told us they had decided to give the tour in English because enough people in the group spoke it. Just like that, we were in. The tour was amazing, and the whole experience became one of the best stories of our trip.
This story piqued my curiosity. What makes something memorable? Why is this experience, one of the more stressful points of the trip, also one of the fondest memories we took home with us?
It’s not just because of the cathedral itself, though it’s stunning. It’s because of the emotional rollercoaster we went through—from the initial disappointment to the creative problem-solving to the unexpected win of getting exactly what we wanted, just in a way we never imagined.
Typically, the memories we can easily recall involve a strong emotional reaction. An engagement or wedding. A heartbreak or family loss. An adrenaline-filled activity that heightens our sense of fear. These strong emotional reactions solidify these memories in our minds, staying with us while countless others come and go.
According to Pascal Boyer, a cognitive psychologist, we more easily remember ideas and concepts that fulfill a certain set of criteria.
The first requirement is that the concept fits into a general category.
“Animals” is one such category. Even if we can’t distinctly express how animals differ from say, insects, we still have a general sense that they’re different. This is why most abstract ideas can be fit into one of these categories.
Take aliens, for example. In most depictions of aliens, they have distinctly human qualities. They walk upright on two limbs and they have the skeletal structure of a human or other animal-like creature.
If a concept or idea completely violates all of the general categories we use to place these concepts, it’ll be too hard to comprehend, and thus, won’t be remembered. (According to Boyer.)
This is true for experiences, too. If I asked you to imagine what it would be like to attend a wedding, a funeral, or a family reunion, most people would likely imagine a similar series of events–even if they had never actually experienced these events in real life. Just like ideas and objects, we categorize events and experiences into general categories as well.
The second requirement is that the concept or experience needs to violate its category in a distinct way.
Aliens might have distinct human characteristics, but we can still tell they are different. They have large eyes, long tentacle-like fingers, or have green skin.
Imagine witnessing a groom being left at the altar by an unsure bride. That would subsequently be a wedding story you could more easily recall in the future because it violates the experience we expect to have during a typical wedding ceremony.
The categorization of an idea or experience is what we use to help understand and fully comprehend what we’re seeing, but it’s the violation of a key tenet of the category that helps it become memorable.
In this Spain example, the “tour of a famous landmark” fits into a familiar category, but the scramble to find tickets and joining a tour in a language we didn’t speak was the twist that made it unforgettable.
It’s a powerful reminder that the most memorable moments in life often come from the unexpected—the times when things don’t go according to plan, but you roll with it anyway.
So, how can you create more memorable experiences in your own life?
Start by embracing the unexpected. Look for opportunities to break the mold, challenge the norm, or flip the script. Whether it’s taking a different approach to something routine or daring to step out of your comfort zone, these are the moments that stick with you.
Remember, it’s not just about the experience itself, but the emotions it stirs and the unexpected turns that make it memorable. Next time you’re faced with a curveball, lean into it—you might just walk away with a story worth telling.
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to our newsletter below for exclusive access to new content weekly.
Discover more from A-Team Fitness
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
