Why Every Friendship Needs This Simple Secret (2. Capture)

In this week’s newsletter: (4 min read)

Some people might call me spicy.

You know why?

Cause I like curry. (bad joke of the week)

Shortcuts:

• The Worst News.

• Capturing is magic.

• It’s Not Romantic.

• Here’s how to start:

Sidenote: This is part two of a three part framework. (How to Read your friend’s mind with the Listen Capture Act framework.)

Learn how to make AI work for you

AI won’t take your job, but a person using AI might. That’s why 800,000+ professionals read The Rundown AI – the free newsletter that keeps you updated on the latest AI news and teaches you how to use it in just 5 minutes a day.

Sign up to start learning.

The Worst News.

Suddenly your memory is gone.

The only thing you remember about the people you love most dearly is what you've already captured.

Or. Imagine this.

You only have 5 mins left.

5 minutes left to brain dump everything you can think of. And then like men in black your memory will be erased. All that's left is what you’ve written down.

What would you write down? who would you write about?

Capturing is magic.

With a twinkle in his eye and a grin, he said, “You know what you should get me for Christmas?”

“What?” I said.

“A composing stick.”

And right then, I had a few options.

Narrator: He could (cue Who Wants to Be a Millionaire music):

- Capture this idea in his Google Doc for future use

- Just buy the composing stick now

- Do absolutely nothing

This was one of those rare times where the listen-capture-act framework cycled fast.

I listened. Opened Amazon (captured). Hit Buy Now (acted). And three days later, he had it in his hands.

And you know what? It was a hit. He was genuinely surprised I got him exactly what he’d asked for—like, literally, told me.

(Future Daniel here, he told all his friends at his monday morning bible study)

So, what’s my point?

Here’s the problem: (and why most people don’t do this)

It’s Not Romantic.

Most people want this dreamy version of life where everyone reads each other’s minds and everything’s effortless. But that’s not reality.

The things that make relationships extraordinary take effort and intention. The same goes for friendships.

Someone has to invest first. Someone has to be vulnerable first. Someone has to schedule that coffee first. And yes, someone has to remember the gift idea and follow through.

Capturing isn’t about being “unromantic.” It’s saying something simple: You matter.

Capturing is magic. And it’s taking the time to listen well enough to remember the details that make people feel seen.

Let me try something with you.

Don’t think about a white Mercedes as you drive today. (Watch—you’ll see them everywhere.) You know how this works: once something’s on your radar, you start spotting it everywhere. And here’s the thing: you can train your brain to spot moments to show people they matter the same way.

Now, don’t get me wrong—it’s hard enough to listen well, let alone remember every little detail. But if you put in the effort to write things down, you’ll find that you actually remember more.

So why don’t we do this? Why do so many people, who claim to love the people around them, skip capturing these details? Especially if it’s magic?

It's not normal.

It's not impressive.

It's not a magic trick.

But you know what it is?

It's showing someone:

Thoughtfulness.

Attention.

Love.

Do you remember the last time someone remembered some small detail about your life? It makes your day, doesn’t it? You want to be a better person when you’re on the receiving end of that kind of kindness.

Look, I get it—this might seem a little intense.

“Daniel, why would you write all this down? Isn’t that, like…weird?”

(Maybe, but hear me out.) The reason is simple: I want the people around me to feel seen. I’m practicing being present. I know them well enough to create unique moments for them.

It’s about creating these little moments of sunshine, beauty, and love.

And these little moments? They’re the momentum of your life. Moments and momentum—might have to write a newsletter on that! (oh wait. I already did)

The goal isn’t capturing for information’s sake; it’s capturing to bring joy to the people around you.

So, you’ve decided you want to do this too—you want the people in your life to feel like they truly matter.

Here’s how to start:

1. Start a Google Doc. 

2. In that Doc, write down the name of one person you want to practice intentional listening, capturing, and acting with this week.

3. When you talk with them, ask a few questions. (Don’t worry about writing it down right away; just jot it down later. And hey, most people would never even know I do this, but I’m sharing because I think the world will be a better, kinder place if more people did it. (Weird? Maybe. But worth it? Definitely.)

Here are a few questions to get started:

- What are your top two love languages? (If you haven’t read The 5 Love Languages, add that to your list)

- Favorite drink (coffee, tea, etc.)

- Favorite type of food or restaurant

- Favorite movie

And if they ever send you a wish list for their birthday or Christmas, Save it somewhere. That way, you’ve got a go-to idea list for the rest of the year.

Once you have these four answers, there’s only one thing left to do.

Well, that wraps up capturing. Next week? I’ll tell you about that one thing. Or will I? (dun dun dun)

Capturing is magic.

Thanks for reading. I really love the conversations these newsletter’s spark with friends.

Anyway, I wrote it. You read it. Did I capture you? (Maybe not, but here’s to hoping.) Either way, let me know what you think!

P.S. All this is based on one idea: genuine interest in someone. This interest, combined with Listening, capturing, and acting, makes all the difference.

Distribute your content to top magazines, social media, and email lists with a single click

"We looked at the PR world and thought: WHY does it have to be so complicated?"

So we rolled up our sleeves and built something your grandma could use (if she was into killer press releases).

At the heart of Pressmaster.ai is its AI-powered writing assistant.

This digital wordsmith will help you come up with compelling articles faster than you can say "public relations."

But it's not just about speed - the AI adapts to each user's style,

so that each piece hits the right notes with its target audience.

But wait, there's more:

From a single digital hub, you can organize, showcase, and distribute your news to top magazines, social media, and email lists with a single click.

It's like having a team of PR ninjas at your fingertips:

Try Pressmaster for free today