Curiosity sometimes gets a bad wrap. You know that adage about it killing the cat.
It turns out, however, that curiosity boosts survival, happiness, learning, empathy, and more. It’s also considered a vital 21st century skill. Recent neuroscience studies have also shown that curiosity acts as both a primer to learning as well as making the learning more satisfying.
And let’s face it, a key way we’re going to get through this pandemic is, to quote Steve Jobs, “think different.” And that requires curiosity.
So if you’re ready to up-level your curiosity quotient, here are 4 Steps to Follow:
1. Be okay not knowing
If you think you know the answers, then you aren’t looking, right?
Perhaps you’ve been taught or conditioned that you need to know everything or at least appear like you know everything. But what if instead, you were willing to acknowledge that you don’t? What would happen then? Where might life take you?
2. Give yourself time to inquire
In our hectic, busy lives, we never have enough time to get all of our work and TO-Do lists completed, let alone have time to spare for WONDER.
A positive of the pandemic is that many of us have more time than ever. How are you using that time? Can you build in contemplation, dreaming and wonder into your schedule?
3. Ask & Listen
What is it that you really want to know? I have a friend who at 60, decided she wanted to learn the ukulele. Another is taking Spanish lessons. What about you? What are you curious to know? What is your inner voice asking of you?
4. Seek knowledge
Once you fixate on something that has piqued your curiosity, explore, research, discover what’s out there. One of the coolest parts of this step, is not only do you get your curiosity satisfied, but you invariably discover and learn other cool things, too!
As Albert Einstein reminds us, "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."
So be curious, allow yourself to cultivate this and see where it takes you.