The two of us had lost the others. Somewhere along the way to the beach bar, we’d taken a wrong turn, and now it was just Björn and me. The fact that we were on a bachelor party and everyone was already pretty drunk didn’t make things easier.
I didn’t know Björn before the trip, but I remembered his name from the many times the groom had told me about him. Björn found a different way to remember mine. As we were crossing a street, he suddenly turned to me and said: “Nik, can you do something unique for me?” “Something unique? Like what?” “I don’t know, something special or quirky—like a somersault! Look! I’ll go first.”
Before I knew it, he did a somersault right on the sidewalk. I helped him up after, and he said: “Okay, your turn!” It was just weird enough to be fun, so I played along. I hadn’t done a somersault in 20 years, but there I went. I put my head on the pavement and pushed off. The landing was soft enough.
As he helped me up, Björn said: “Great! See, now I will always remember your name. You’re Nik, the guy I did a somersault with!” I was stunned. What a simple yet brilliant way to add a new moniker to your memory. Granted, the alcohol probably helped, but even without it you can do this with anyone you meet.
If you want to remember people’s names, spend time with them in a unique way. It needn’t be much, just memorable—and if you want a stranger to get strange with you, the most convincing argument is being a living example.
The next time you meet someone, invite them to follow you. Do a somersault. Ask for a custom-mixed cocktail. Show them this one weird thing you can do with your joints. Create a memory that’s unique to the two of you, and chances are, you’ll never struggle to remember their name.