I recently learned of the Serendipity Razor via the James Altucher Show podcast where he was interviewing Sahil Bloom about a newsletter he recently published about a whole host of razors.
Note, I’ll list the resources and links at the bottom of this post.
Razors are rules of thumb that make decisions easier and create better outcomes.
What is the Serendipity Razor?
The Serendipity Razor
Some of what we call luck is actually the macro result of 1,000s of micro actions.
Your daily habits put you in a position where luck is more likely to strike.
When choosing between two paths, choose the path that has a larger serendipity surface area.
— Sahil Bloom (@SahilBloom) January 29, 2022
While listening to the podcast, I started thinking about the little things I’ve done in the past while travelling solo that has created awesome situations that normally would never have happened.
I won’t go into details, but these are all things where you’ll often go through nothing exciting, but every now and again you’ll experience something amazing. And you get an awesome story to tell in the future because you’ll be a more interesting person.
1. Try hitchhiking.
2. Catch public transport to the other side of a city and walk back
3. Volunteer overseas.
4. Eat a meal at a restaurant alone.
5. Head to a pub for a drink solo.
6. Stay in a hostel.
7. Post on a local Facebook group (such as these Backpacking NZ groups)
8. Ask hotel/hostel receptionist if they’ve got any random local off-the-beaten-path tips. Or ask what their favourite place to visit is.
9. Post on social media asking if there’s anyone you should meet wherever you are.
10. Ask for awkward things like inviting yourself to dinner at someone’s house.
11. Couchsurf.
Some people would claim that these are basic solo travel tips…and I guess they are! It’s a great way to meet people, but that’s usually the way you get to experience epic things.
Of course, do all the activities above at your own risk. Hitchhiking isn’t for everyone etc.
If you implement the serendipity razor on your travels and end up experiencing something people would say is lucky, do let us know in the comments below.
