What are you missing by being in the same bubbles - almost all the time?

Bubble jumping is one of the words on the list of new Swedish words for 2023. The concept involves consciously changing your environment to get out of your own “bubble” and gain new perspectives and knowledge. Bubble jumping was coined by USA engineer Max Hawkins in response to computer programs that, based on previous experiences, could predict where he would be, who he would meet, and what he would do during a day.

Max Hawkins created his own program to make himself less predictable. For a couple of years, he let the program control who he would meet, what he would do, and where he would live. This type of extreme bubble jumping is basically impossible for most of us, but on a small scale, bubble jumping is really easy and very enriching.

Emma Stenström, a professor at the Stockholm School of Economics, has written the book Bubbelhoppa – En metod för att förstå andra (Bubble Jumping – A Method for Understanding Others), in which she describes how bubble jumping works and what effects it can have. Emma uses the method both with her students and in her own everyday life. Bubble jumping can involve anything from talking to a stranger on the bus to attending a political or religious meeting where the opinions expressed are completely at odds with your own. The aim is always to try to understand and see the person.

However, there are obstacles, i.e. it is safest to meet people who are like me... How to overcome these obstacles. Building trust is crucial. 

I've become a bit “obsessed” with bubble jumping, so I've started to wonder – why?

I've come to the conclusion that it's not just bubble jumping, it's bigger than that. For some, jumping is natural, i.e., we do it from birth and out of unchecked habit. Personality greatly influences your attitude toward bubble jumping.

An important aspect is personal development... If someone used to ask me for just one piece of advice for a good life, I would say, “Take charge,” i.e., don't let anyone else decide your life. Nowadays, I say, “Take charge and be curious.” As you know, I've been around for a few years. This makes the difference more noticeable among those in my circle who are not so curious... Also remember to invest in good relationships – and nurture them.

The term bubble jumping is a good stimulus, i.e., if you don't have a word for it, you can't really think about it. Good concepts can be a great help in managing your knowledge and insights. My “psychology mentor,” psychologist Lars-Erik, had this as part of his teaching strategy; for example, lack of information is a good educational concept. The same goes for interest acceleration...

From this perspective, bubble jumping becomes important for personal development—in fact, crucial!

These thoughts have led me to write another “learning paper” (a white paper for laymen). Emma has already written a book about bubble jumping, so I won't repeat that. Instead, it will be a version that is usually the core of my paper. I intend to take into account that people are different, i.e., general advice can be very wrong. Or... a good description of the problem is half the solution.

I brought up this angle with Emma—the importance of the personality. She encouraged me to write about it. I have now done so. I have also received great feedback from Emma!

I don't need encouragement to bubble jump. I would rather have tips on how to reduce the number of projects in the pipeline so that I don't have problems with the volume. 

In my paper, I comment on the influence of all eight factors in personality theory, which are at the core of the HumanGuide concept, on bubble jumping. The theory also has two types of factors – the driving and the reflective. For the former, the most important thing may be to limit yourself, and for the latter, to dare to knock on the door of a new bubble.

Should you bubble jump in a more controlled manner, or should you bubble jump more often? What strategy should you adopt based on your personality?

Here you can download my article "What are you missing if you're in the same bubble – almost all the time?" About bubble hopping

Here you can see what the author of the book Bubbelhoppa thinks about my paper...

"Having someone pick up your idea, develop it further and make it their own - what could be more bubble-jumping?

This writing is a fantastic example of how creativity works in practice: we build on each other's ideas, add our own knowledge, experience and personality - and suddenly something emerges that wouldn't have existed otherwise. A new leap of faith, a new bubble jump.

Rolf also contributes something that I did not deal with at all in my book, namely the importance of personality for how we jump between bubbles. His knowledge of personality theory and HumanGuide adds a dimension that makes bubble jumping both more nuanced and more useful. It's a real contribution that enriches the whole field.

But what is perhaps most impressive is the way Rolf weaves together theory with his own lived experience. His personal stories - from the young man who went to Germany to practice in a coal mine, to all the strange and wonderful encounters that have shaped his life - embody what bubble jumping really means. This is not academic theory, it is bubble-jumping philosophy that is lived, sensual and deeply human.

Rolf's text shows that knowledge grows when it is shared, when it meets other perspectives and experiences. So read, be inspired and jump on - with your own personality as a compass."

Emma Stenström, Author of Bubbelhoppa, Associate Professor, Director, Center for Arts, Business & Culture (ABC), Stockholm School of Economics