%% This a "[[Map of Content|map]]" for the broad concept I call **Return on Adventure** (ROA). This note acts as a table of contents of sorts, linking together other short notes that work to build out this concept. Perhaps the first place to start is reading about [[Compounding value of memories]] and [[PICRR]], which forms the basis of ROA. But you can also peruse the side menu if you'd prefer. %% One of the concepts I’ve been thinking quite a bit about recently is what I call one's “Return on Adventure,” or ROA. Think of the financial concept of Return on *Investment* (aka "ROI"), but for the investments you make in travel and the subsequent personal enjoyment you get from those adventures. Your ROA for any one trip is probably much higher than you even realize. That’s because—like interest in an investment account—the value of positive memories [[Compounding value of memories| compounds over time]]. Many people look at a trip and primarily value it based on the fun they had _during_ the trip[^1]. But that misses the value they got _every single time_ they remembered or relived something from the trip. And that’s the key—that’s the lifetime value of the trip. That is the trip's "ROA.'' The overall value you get from taking a trip isn’t derived solely from how you feel during it—it’s the cumulative value of that trip for the remainder of your life. The small moments of joy you get when you think about that trip are like small [[Memory dividends]]. They get added to the value you’ve already earned. Like an investment appreciates, the more you think back on the trip, the more dividends you accrue and the more total value you get from the time and energy you originally invested in having the experience. That’s why investing in experiences can be such a powerful concept. Over the remainder of your life, a trip’s value continues to increase and increase. It’s not uncommon for the _majority_ of the personal value of a trip to be generated _after the trip itself_. 🤯 With a concerted effort, you can ensure that you gain several times the value of the joy you had during the trip itself. <!--==insert a bar graph that shows that more value is derived after the actual trip==--> This is a powerful concept that’s worth repeating: you can get more value from a trip _after you’re home_ than while you’re enjoying yourself on the trip itself. But you’ll need to invest a bit of effort to maximize the lifetime value. That’s where this system of [[BetterROA]] comes into play. ## Maximizing the value of your trips There are a variety of ways to increase the personal enjoyment you get from your trips. Some of these strategies happen before, during, and after your trip—even *well* after your trip. Generally speaking, ROA leans heavily into these main concepts: - Prioritizing travel experiences in your life - Being [[§ 1.2 - Immerse|intentional and present]] during travel creates better experiences, which in turn creates more meaningful memories - Taking proactive measures to [[§ 1.3 - Capture|Capture]] the details of your trip, and then [[§ 1.4 - Reflect|Reflect]] on those experiences - Because of the [[Compounding value of memories]], much of the enjoyment of your trip can happen after the trip itself - Creating systems and habits that inspire you to regularly [[§ 1.5 - Remember|Remember]] your travel memories helps you maximize this compounding effect There are five main components of ROA, which forms the acronym [[§ 1.0 - PICRR|PICRR]]. It stands for: 1. [[§ 1.1 - Prepare|Prepare]] 2. [[§ 1.2 - Immerse|Immerse]] 3. [[§ 1.3 - Capture|Capture]] 4. [[§ 1.4 - Reflect|Reflect]] 5. [[§ 1.5 - Remember|Remember]] The point of this isn’t to make travel feel like work. [[ROA is an a la carte menu]] designed to allow you to pick and choose the practices that work best for you. The more items you can incorporate, the more value you can gain from your trips. But there's no pressure to "do it all,” or to follow a rigid system. This is simply [[§ 1.0 - PICRR|a framework]] for making your trips more personally rewarding. [^1]: Although that's not the case with [[Type 2 Fun]], which is only [[Fun in retrospect]]. I suppose that demonstrates quite clearly how you can derive more enjoyment from your memories of a trip than what you got during the trip itself.