Explorers in the further regions of experience
Last weekend, I attended a farmers’ market and in one of the last booths when cinnamon bun filled kids in tow started to lose their patience with the exploration, I found a pepper purveyor. Not just the typical habaneros or the creatively rebranded late season variety called “no heat” habaneros, the peppers on display were scorpions and ghosts — chocolate, mustard… hot.
I bought four and planned out the dishes where I’d deploy them.
The first attempt was a vegan broccoli and cheddar dish but I over did it. Adding a chopped up scorpion pepper, I only made it half way through the plate before I was overcome by tears and an overloaded palate that could only experience pain. While in the past I’d rely on casein laden sour cream to extinguish the flame, I don’t eat sour cream and oat milk provided no relief. I sat looking at the half eaten dish, tears rolling down my red swollen face.
The second and third attemps, so far, have gone well with me straddling the line of too much and too little heat. It’s at this equilibrium that one can taste the fruity nature of the super hots, the warm glow in the chest, and the filling nature of eating dishes that need to subdue to the heat. Everything is enhanced.
Super hots remind me of the importance of planning an experience. The peak end rule applies to the super hot experience. You get the little too big bite that you need to overcome and then again the warm glow feeling after that makes the experience memorable.
The cognitive bias of peak end rule applies to all experiences so, if it makes sense, why not apply it to make a better impression or to be remarkable? Have that internal debrief after that customer call. Say something awkwardly intense (but not out of place or inappropriate). Bring a visual for a discussion that usually has no visuals, and save it for the end. If it’s a point that needs to be memorable, this may help.
