Everyone dreams of having thrilling, memorable, and adventurous travels. The kind of trips that give you amazing stories to tell, stunning photos to show, and unforgettable memories to cherish. So, how can we make our travels more adventurous? To answer this, I had a chat with Jon Levy, a scientist, influencer, adventurer, and author who’s an expert in the science of adventure.
Jon Levy is a behavioral scientist who’s spent the last ten years traveling the globe to understand what makes people lead fun, exciting, and fulfilling lives. His findings? Every adventure follows a four-stage process that can make anyone’s life more adventurous. He’s documented these findings in his book, "The 2 AM Principle: Discover the Science of Adventure."
You might be wondering, what’s the "2 AM principle?" Well, it’s based on the saying that nothing good happens after 2am — except for the most epic experiences of your life! The book is filled with Jon’s wild stories and his research on the science of adventure.
Jon explains that when people go on adventures, they often push the experience beyond the point of enjoyment, which can lead to less fond memories and a decreased likelihood of participating in future adventures. The 2am principle suggests there’s a clear time when you should call it a night and go to bed — or push onward and make the experience more "EPIC."
Jon discovered that every adventure follows a four-stage process: Establish, Push Boundaries, Increase, and Continue (EPIC). These stages have specific characteristics that, when applied, make life exciting. And the best part? Anyone can use this process.
In his book, Jon explores the science that makes this possible. For instance, he discusses the peak-end rule, a concept discovered by psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Barbara Fredrickson. This rule suggests that humans judge an experience based on the peaks and the end, not its entirety.
So, what inspired Jon to write this book? He was inspired by movies like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and wanted to understand how those characters lived such exciting lives. Growing up as a geek, Jon used his love of science to figure out how to fit in. His book is for those who didn’t quite fit in, who didn’t know how to act at a party, or maybe never even got invited.
Is there really a science to adventure? Jon believes so. He explains that as a species, humans have certain universal characteristics. What excites one person might be different from what excites another, but we all experience excitement. That means we’re all capable of having adventurous lives.
Jon defines an adventure as an experience that’s exciting and remarkable, possesses adversity and/or risk (preferably perceived risk), and brings about growth. If you can do something that fulfills these characteristics, then you’ve had an adventure.
What sets adventurous travelers apart from everyone else? Jon believes it’s our desire for novelty and our willingness to be uncomfortable. Our brains have a novelty center called the substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area (SN/VTA) that reacts differently when exposed to new stimuli. For instance, novelty motivates the brain to explore.
Jon got into travel because of a clichéd reason: a girl. After a bad breakup, he decided to reward himself by traveling to the biggest events around the world every month for a year. Despite not knowing how he was going to pay for it or what some of these events were until right before, he made it work.
Jon used to be a nerd, but a pivotal moment changed his life. At a winter camp when he was 15, he told a story to a group of strangers who enjoyed it and laughed. This gave him a newfound confidence and changed the direction of his life.
After reading his book, Jon wants everyone to take on a one-year travel challenge. He does one almost every year, such as visiting 20 countries, all seven continents, and the biggest events in the world. He encourages readers to set a goal that excites them and pushes them out of their comfort zone.
Jon Levy is a behavioral scientist, consultant, author, and expert on the topics of influence and adventure. His book, "The 2 AM Principle: Discover the Science of Adventure," examines the process of how adventures happen – and how we can recreate them to grow and challenge ourselves.
