Novelty is your strongest Travel Motive!
“Never be afraid to try something new because life gets boring when you stay within the limits of what you already know.” ~ Anonymous
Definition:
state or quality of being new, or unique
an unfamiliar occurrence, experience, or proceeding
Novelty shakes up everyday life by disrupting thinking patterns and habits. New experiences provide opportunities to experience the world with a fresh perspective. When this happens outside of our comfort zones, novelty pushes, challenges and stretches our limits.
The Novelty Motive is present for most travel lovers and, according to social anthropologist Erik Cohen in the early ‘70’s, there is usually some sort of quest for novelty in a trip. If this is your top motive, then it is likely a deeply rooted allure for experiences that are unfamiliar, unique and/or unexpected.
A pull to seek new places might also be in your genetic material! It is estimated that 1 in 5 people have what researchers dubbed the wanderlust gene. It is a modified gene that results in a lower sensitivity to the pleasure neurotransmitter called dopamine. Those with it may seek out novelty (or other high risk behaviours) to increase their dopamine “hit”. In evolutionary history, the wanderlust gene was likely selected as humans began to seek new territories in the great migrations out of Africa 50,000 years ago. Novelty can be your top travel motive whether you have this gene or not. The genetic influence is thought to be small in what we know is complex behaviour.
Even if you don’t consider yourself an extreme adventure seeker, novelty may be the primary fuel for your passion for travel because new experiences are often enjoyed within close proximity of your comfort zone. I am no Shackleton, but I do like a good adventure. To be clear, however, I wouldn't consider myself an extremist or serious risk-taker. Upon reflection, it's more about an aversion to routine than a penchant for risk. My mother often teases that as a child I got bored if we had the same placemats on the table for several days. When I plan my routes (across Europe or just to the grocery store), I go out of my way to avoid backtracking. I like to change things up often and I am happiest going somewhere new.
At this point, if Novelty doesn’t seem a perfect fit for you, there are probably other motives that are also quite strong.
If learning or self-discovery is your “NEW” focus - your companion motive may be GROWTH.
If it is feeling a sense of belonging or authentic relationships - you may equally be driven by CONNECTION
If you like new experiences in order to fully disconnect from your everyday reality - ESCAPE is what you’re after!
Novelty and Well-Being
Novelty is great for your brain! It rattles routine and introduces your brain to new stimuli which activates amazing neurological reward circuits. You are boosting your cognitive health when your brain is exposed to an environment that is unfamiliar and complex because it reacts by forming new connections as it tries to categorize the new and unusual stimuli.
A few ideas to apply your Novelty Motive
(at home & away)
Dive into a new, specialized hobby that has a learning curve. Combine it with a travel element such as photo editing, growing dahlias inspired from a garden tour, using essential oils for the best jet lag cure or, like me, fly fishing because there are trout all around the world!
Roll the dice on the Google Earth menu for a random spot to explore - research and design an itinerary that includes this location.
Host a taste test of wine, whisky, chocolate, honey, or balsamic vinegar with family or friends for a combination of novelty and social connection.
Shake up your reading list with travel related books not in your typical genre such as Forty Autumns, The Snow Child, A House in the Sky, or Death at La Fenice.
Add a sense of achievement or personal challenge. Do what you already love but go farther, higher, longer or on your own.
Percolate!
Let these ideas sit for a while and seep into your thinking.
