Paula Lochte/Edge columnist
Everybody has moments to remember for a lifetime. These are not everyday moments. The important, mostly unplanned moments break up life daily. Unexpected moments can last for seconds, but have the power to change views and attitudes forever. The Power of Moments by the brothers Chip Heath and Dan Heath, published in 2017, teaches how to create these defining moments.
“Defining moments are the small, meaningful moments that make our lives richer and give us fond memories to look back on.” How to target the special moments in life is explained by short stories from many different people that are retold by the author’s, to show how a little moment impacted the live of a person.
The short stories are about events, adventures or unordinary days of the protagonist who changed the attitude towards life. This could be a story about a perfect holyday moment at the pool, or about somebody who created a peak in someone’s life by making a unforgettable graduation ceremony. Some stories are about people who had to gave up their dreams and faced the uncomfortable truth. The positive experiences overweigh in this book.
The brothers explain how to create a memory in someone’s life, that last for years and takes only a little amount of time for the creator. The book is divided in four elements that create defining moments: Moments of Elevation are about sense perception. This can be an ice cream on a summer day. Moments of Insight happen when people recognize something new about themselves. For example by receiving good grades. The moments of Pride are about actions we, or other people, do. For example dare to do something one was afraid to do. Moments of Connection are made in interaction with people in live. This can be a moment at the family dinner table. These four elements are necessary to create peaks in life.
The power of moments inspires to create special moments. It shows how little acts can have big impact.