Challenge yourself to break away from your routine with GetLostBot

Sometimes it’s good to break out of your routine and try something new. GetLostBot, one of the winning hacks at Honda and Rewired State’s “Power of Minds” hack day, can help by challenging you to visit a new place.

You connect GetLostBot to your foursquare account and when it detects you’ve checked in at a place you’ve already been, it suggests a similar new place nearby. It doesn’t tell you where it’s sending you; it’s up to you to figure that out from the Google Maps walking directions it provides (via either email or Twitter).

“It purposefully tries to push you out of your comfort zone and challenges you to go somewhere you have never been,” says creator Ben Kirman.

“This approach is inspired by a talk from Ethan Zuckerman, where he complains that social media tries too hard to surround us with a bubble of content we have been algorithmically calculated to enjoy,” he says. “He argues for the importance of serendipity and exposing yourself to truly different experiences.”

I think GetLostBot is the first service I’ve ever subscribed to that offers a “bravery” setting. It allows you to fine tune how often you want GetLostBot to send you new challenges and how “out there” they should be.

GetLostBot is a fun way to challenge yourself to try new things. I like the approach of not telling you where you’re going. I think if it did, my preconceived notions of a place would likely prevent me from giving it a try.

Give GetLostBot a try and let us know in the comments if it helps you find something new and interesting.