Surprise: Embrace the Unpredictable and Engineer the Unexpected

by Tania Luna, Lee Ann Renninger

Embrace the Unpredictable and Engineer the Unexpected is a fascinating look at how we can handle and harness surprise in our work, relationships, and everyday lives.  Pop Quiz! Do you prefer Things go according to plan?B) When the unexpected happens? Most of us pick control and predictability. Yet research reveals a counterintuitive surprise is the key that unlocks growth, innovation, and connection. It is also the secret ingredient in our best memories. Through colorful narratives and compelling scientific findings, authors Tania Luna and Dr. LeeAnn Renninger shine a light on the world's least understood and most intriguing emotion. They reveal how shifting our perception of surprise lets us thrive in the face of uncertainty. And they show us how surprise acts as a shortcut that turns a typical product into a meaningful experience, a good idea into a viral one, awkward small talk into engaging conversation, and daily life into an adventure.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Psychology, Self Help, Audiobook

268 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 7, 2015

Reviews

[Jon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted this to be good. I did. But it's not. There isn't enough neurology in it to be science book. There aren't enough solid examples in it to be a how-to manual. It's sort of a wishy washy mess that can be summed up in the words, "Maybe you could somehow add a little more surprise to your life because it makes things, well, better." It's an overly long blog post and a total waste of what little time it takes to read.

p. 7: blank page with the words "The End" in the middle. Page 8 then seriously asked if the reader is surprised.

What the hell? The book is over? NO WAY! How could I possibly know that this book was 8 pages long? I can't possibly feel that this book is more than 8 pages thick. Oh, wait, yes I can. #crappysurprise

p. 123 "Dog dog dog dog dog dog dog cat dog dog dog dog dog dog dog. Even if you are a dog lover, we bet the cat in the previous sentence got your attention."

What? There was a cat in that pattern? Huh. I guess I might've noticed, if I didn't skip the entire line after the second "dog." #crappyexample

p 198." One of our first clients...wanted a surprise for her Husband, Hamel, to help him face his fear of heights...Of course we can't reveal the surprise we arranged for the couple, but we can tell you that it took Kavita and Hamel several stories off the ground."

Great fucking story, Uncle Remus. Here's another. I worked in chronic hospital in the middle of Boston Harbor that had been built as a homeless shelter in the 1800s. I'd love to tell you some of the things I witnessed in the depths of those brick basements, but of course I can't. #crappyexample

It is no surprise that this book is a fairly transparent advertisement for a company the authors run to bring surprise into people's lives for pay. If you're related to them or maybe want to hire them, read this book. You'll enjoy it.The rest of us can safely pass.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The most basic of pop psychology books, mostly regurgitating others work, like Brene Brown, John Gottman and Gary Chapman. Just repackaging it a little.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

To be honest, i only half read it. I skimmed it and then stopped halfway through. It wasn't engaging enough. Last week I read "The Power of Moments," which I found very engaging and relevant, and I got the name of this book from a list of recommended reading at the end of that book, thinking this would expand on the great ideas I was getting from the moments book. Skip this book and read "The Power of Moments."

[Robotconan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easiest time iin the space between covers I've spent in a while. This is a delightful read, with beautiful life changing perspectives and science to refocus the world around you. Highly recommend

[Tanner Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could surprise—a powerful emotional enhancement—be one of the major contributing factors to the rise of anxiety? I’ve long wondered what causes anxiety and why some are more susceptible to it than others. How did I avoid crippling anxiety while many of my family and friends have not? Surprise may hold the answer.

Surprise is unlike most books I have ever read. It combines scientific discovery, personal anecdotes, and professional conjecture to arrive at its central thesis: we are actively removing surprise from our lives and its removal is harming us.

We have made our lives more predictable with each subsequent innovation. A prime example used in the book is meteorology. Whereas humans used to just accept that the weather was more or less fickle, now we get upset if predictions are wrong. When rain falls on a day that was supposed to be sunny, we are surprised. Anxiety is the anticipation of the possibility of that surprise and the negative emotions that might accompany it.

Basically, the more predictable our lives become, the less resilient we are to surprises and the more anxious we become. I was sufficiently convinced by the authors’ argument that I have adopted this pattern of thinking into my life. Surprises—both good and bad ones—are essential. They condition us and make us more resilient. Emotional resiliency is, in my opinion, one of the most important things a human can have in today’s world.

[David Henkhaus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

A practical guide to why surprise matters in your life, and how to do about cultivating surprise--in others and yourself.

I checked this out from the local library, but plan to get my own copy so I can write all over it, and use it to help create more surprises.

[C.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The topic undoubtedly is a 5/5; and the execution, though it varies, has the strength of a personal narrative interwoven science-ese and less-ease. In sum, it touches on all the somewhat intangible treasure of surprise -- which is wonder and smallness in a wide world, after all. But it never quite reaches the fact that the deepest surprise, and the root of the world and our hearts, is joy. And joy is only joy when it comes from *outside*--

Surprise.

Worth a fun few hours.

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read, if you can get yourself to focus on it. I however, had to come back and forth to it. I enjoyed it, but it never quite drew me in to make it the book I wanted to be reading more than other books. It's half narrative non-fiction, half self-help book. I liked a lot of the ideas put forth in this book. There are lots of things that I want to try for myself and ideas that I want to implement in groups I work with in the future.

My complaints were that there seemed to be stories that weren't "finished". The circumstances were brought up to illustrate a point, but the story that got the interest of the reader wasn't completed. Also, sometimes it felt like the end of the chapter came out of nowhere.

[Dawn Trlak-Donahue · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book for free as a giveaway on Goodreads.

This book was a bit all over the place. It attempted to weave together a bunch of loosely connected themes and it just didn't work. Ironically, there is a reference to a red thread tying together their surprises (which by the way, they never gave an example of a real surprise experience- just generic info) and yet there was no red thread tying the themes of this book together.

It was not scientific enough to be a serious work and not relevant or interesting enough to be in the realm of the Malcolm Gladwell type books, though I do think that is what the intention was.

[Steve Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprise was a personal development book I stumbled upon in a “recommended if you like” section of related books to Chip & Dan Heath’s The Power of Moments. I think there is something all of us can do to enrich our lives and interactions with others, so why not read up to learn more about how? I found this book to be an excellent guide to embracing and creating surprise. It covers surprise in all aspects of life from relationships to business. It includes memorable cheat sheets at the end of each chapter to help reinforce what you’ll learn. If this sounds interesting, I highly recommend this one.

[Caroline Ervin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick, sweet little read with cheerful, common-sense suggestions and insights. Never hurts to have reminders about being thoughtful and intentional while also being open to surprise and adventure.

[Kimball · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Who's the guy on the cover? The author has a company where they go around and do surprises for people. Strange huh? I wish she talked about how this surprise company actually makes money and what they do for surprises.


Notes:


The more experiences we have with others the closer our relationships becomes. Because so many of us have met our basic needs we begin to search for meaning and transcendence both of which are accessible through experiences. The share phase allows us to feel more in tune with others.

The happiest couples have a habit of reminiscing about their shared past experiences and laughing about them together.

Under-promise and over-deliver to create surprise and delight.

We feel most comfortable when things are certain but we feel most alive when they aren't.

We only keep about 10% of our experiences to ourselves. The more surprising something is the sooner and more frequently we share it.

As kids, surprise is positive but when we get older to turns negative.. partially because those losers are afraid of being vulnerable and embarrassed.

Talking about [the] shame is the way to move past it.

Acceptance breeds trust and trust builds loyalty, creativity, and productivity.

Taking action too quickly like predicting the future of a negative situation causes rumination and triggers anxiety. And predicting positive events invites disappointment.

Too much predictability makes us bored. And too much surprise is bad because it makes us uncomfortable and we lose attention, as well.

The ability to get and keep attention is a source of power. Like social media and YouTube.

When kids ask you a question you shouldn't tell them the answer, you have to respond with a question. As long as they don't know the answer they'll keep trying to figure it out.

Just because we have something to say it doesn't mean people owe us their attention.

Commodities are replaceable, goods tangible, services intangible, and experiences memorable.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luna and Renninger suggest many helpful ways to create surprise in your daily life and make life more fun and exciting. While some readers have rightfully pointed out that some of the advice were obvious and commonly-known, I felt that a lot of the advice given were new and innovative, and it inspired me to look out for opportunities to incorporate surprise in my life too!

Luna and Renninger's writing is clear and easy to read, and incorporates lots of mini surprises waiting for readers to discover. It was very refreshing to read academic writing that has been written in such a fun and exciting voice, and I love the little case studies that help contextualise the concepts so well.

What I found especially helpful was the little page of summary at the end of every chapter as I could revise what I had just read and try to apply it to a hypothetical situation. While I haven't started applying them in my life yet, I found myself looking for surprises whenever I'm out shopping and then filing them away in my 'Surprise File' for future use.

I look forward to using these principles to surprise my friends, family, and customers soon!

[Nicholas O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Topic: Change, Surprise, Joy, Mental Health, Introspection, Communication
Amazon Rating: 4.5/5
goodreads Rating: 3.7/5
Nick’s Rating: 5/5

Who should (or when to) read this: If you are looking for ways to step out of your comfort zone and be more willing to embrace change or want to inject joy into your routine

Nick’s Major takeaway(s): Anticipated surprise (I know sounds weird) is good and can help us grow resilience and be happier in all facets of life

Notable Quote: “Unlike other emotions, surprise has no valence: it is inherently neither good nor bad. In this sense, surprise isn't an emotion so much as it is an emotional intensifier.” – Tania Luna & LeeAnn Renninger
When we are surprised we feel deeply connected and thoroughly alive. Surprising ourselves every day is a vital part of living a happy life."

If you are interested in more suggestions about personal development, growth and leadership; follow me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthshe... to see content on “level up literature” #lul

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

The science of surprise was very interesting. For example, the eyes wide open face we all think of is not actually the real face of surprise. That's the signal we send to others. The actual surprise face is a blank face--a frozen, deer in the headlights look. And it turns out that surprise is not a true emotion. It's the story that follows the surprise than determines how to interpret all that excitement and adrenaline. It's an emotion heightener.

The psychology and philosophy parts on surprise were sadly vague and fluffy. They were deliberately secretive about the surprise activities they do for clients. I get the thinking (it's a surprise so they can't tell) but it meant that they stayed at the generic level when talking about how surprise can enhance your life.

Good for making you think with some fun science.

[H · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, who knew you could make a career out of the study and execution of surprise! The authors start off explaining surprise and then move to cultivating surprise. Part two's focus on resilience and reframing were most inspiring for me. I also found Part four's Surprise Yourself motivating. I really enjoyed the strategies, information, and anecdotes shared in this book. A great self-study for any adult looking to add inspiration to their lives.

[Melanee · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the industry I'm in and the company I run, this book has proven to be invaluable. I have now added it to my "must read once a year" category. So many gems that I need to activate and even some I was already practicing that I didn't realize. There was just enough science to prove the significance but not so much that it became a boring textbook. And it's so full of practical applications. I can't wait to see where my company goes after implementing these techniques!!

[Mahfud Achyar · Rating 3 out of 5]

SURPRISE: Embrace the Unpredictable and Engineer the Unexpected (2015) by Tania Luna and Leeann Renninger, Ph.D. What is surprise? Where do you feel surprise in your body? How do you look when are surprised? How often do you feel surprise? Scientists still debate over what surprise is, where it happens in the body, and even how the facial expression of surprise really looks. The truth is, we humans are surprised all the time. #BookOfTheMonth

[Cristina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Audio version. I feel like this was an advertisement for their company. There were not enough solid examples of how to incorporate surprise into your life. It was never clear how to create a surprise for yourself...I mean you will know what you plan to do. An example was given, but it was only a passing mention of helping a man overcome his fear of heights. They said that they could not give away what the surprise entailed.

[Casey Kidwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt like it took a little bit for me to get in to this one but toward the end I found myself really connecting with the overall message and the authors love and support of surprise in our every day lives. I think because it is a book backed by science and research, stats and such, my creative mind takes a bit to sink into and comprehend the information but truthfully the authors do such a great job of using examples to help people like myself really understand the concepts.

[Kimberly Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH my GOODNESS! I LOVED this book! I smiled my way through it! The book is filled with gems and insights that are applicable to ANYONE - but especially to creatives, teachers, faith sojourners, team leaders, & life partners! I wish I could just download the book into my BRAIN! Thank you, Tania & Leeann, for writing this.

[Nita · Rating 3 out of 5]

The content was fairly interesting but somehow I has to push myself to get through this one. I guess because even though it was looking at things through the lens of surprise, it covered a lot of the same ground as other pop psychology books. I liked the illustrations, the little surprises throughout and the handy summaries at the end of each chapter. 3.5 stars.

[Chris Gregg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am going to become a Surisologist!

I loved this book. I was looking for a way to be creative, generate interest and also be relevant as a presenter. This book is the answer. I am going to read it again, as soon as I finish this review!

[Joseph Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

I surprisingly enjoyed this more than I thought I would. The narrator was very upbeat and entertaining. I wish that it had spent more time on how to deal with negative surprises, but being thorough was not the scope of this book.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book covers several topics through a "surprise" lens (e.g., resilience, adapting to change, relationships, gratitude, and 5 Love Languages). This could be an article that highlights the benefits of going outside of your comfort zone or doing novel things to keep a relationship interesting.

[Nicole Colter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It has a lot of connections to creativity.

[Tracy Brower · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information and a cute format.

[Russell Chamberlain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting insights

[Arunc · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of book that i would like to keep on the bookshelf next to my bed

[Cindy Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting look at how adding more surprises can enhance our lives in positive ways.