The Power of Curiosity
Curiosity is defined as “a strong desire to know or learn something” per Google. Curiosity, to me, is about evolving and growing as a person, an adventure, an exploration of the unknown. The world is as big or as small as we want it to be, and to me, a life well lived is a life filled with curiosity.
It’s easy to get caught up in our narrow immediate world of work, family, friends, restaurants and so on. Maybe even just a few miles from home every day, and that’s it for experiences. And perhaps that’s the story for your entire life so far. I feel like that experience is too narrow even though I know it’s the norm for many people, especially in America.
I grew up in Europe and it was normal to travel all around, whether it be within your own country or to neighboring countries. Granted, America is much larger than most any individual country in Europe and traveling state to state can be longer than traveling country to country in Europe.
However, more than the distance between places, or even traveling specifically, it’s about the curiosity of learning about our world, different cultures and languages, food and tradition, and so much more. That is the point here. Even if you can’t travel for physical or financial reasons, for example, you can still nurture and support a curious mind.
Curiosity can be a catalyst for meaningful conversations. While small talk may be a necessary part of our days, it might be my least favorite way to communicate. I like going deep and I would much rather debate philosophy with a stranger than hear about their thoughts on the weather.
That’s not how people interact normally though, which I understand, but being curious about the other person, whether a stranger or a friend, can not only create meaningful conversations but also create or deepen a bond.
Deeply exploring an idea together, learning something new about someone, exploring things that contradict your own worldview, are all things that will help you grow as a person and become more empathetic to the world, and those in it. Exploring other people’s experiences with genuine curiosity fosters a bond not just between you and the person but also between you and the idea or experience that they are sharing, even if you haven’t experienced it yourself.
That’s the beauty of curiosity. You get to have somewhat vicarious experiences through other people, building empathy and understanding, strengthening relationships and growing as a person.
Curiosity is valuable in other ways as well beyond socially. It can also influence, direct, and increase your intellectual growth. Part of being curious is seeking out ideas that are different than yours and challenging your worldview. When you challenge your worldview, you can build out your own experiences and evolve or reinforce what you already know.
Only by testing what you believe to be true can you be sure that those beliefs truly represent you. And this will change throughout your life, and it will also change when you are presented with information that replaces a previously held belief. Part of curiosity is being open to different points of views, not just to listen to, but to consider the veracity of for yourself.
The world that we live in is globalized, and will remain so in one way or another, and curiosity is a positive way to approach this fact. Instead of being led by fear of the unknown, or antipathy of those that are different from you, you can instead lead by curiosity and learn.
Not everything you come across you will like. In fact, there will be things that will reinforce that something is not for you, or an idea is fundamentally at odds with who you are. But only by testing that new information, and being open to it in the first place, can you know whether what you believe now still represents who you are.
Remember, curiosity only works with an open mind. Seeking out specific information to reinforce your existing worldview is not the same thing as being curious. Selective exploration of information doesn’t help you grow as a person, nor does it help you learn about the world or increase your empathy toward ideas and people that you don’t understand.
You must be genuinely open to new information and new ideas, ready to acknowledge if your own may be outdated and ready to replace them with something that represents you today. It can be scary, I know. We get so entrenched in who we think we should be, and what ideas we should have as a result, that we don’t always feel ready to challenge them, especially if our social circle still holds those old ideas.
If curiosity scares you, start small. Learn to cultivate curiosity in your daily life and then practice it consistently. Become curious about what type of trees are in your yard or what year the building you work in was designed. Be curious about how your car works or how your favorite actor decides what jobs to take. Be curious with the people in your life, asking them questions and being genuinely ready to listen to their answers. Start small, there’s nothing wrong with that at all. Small steps forward are still momentum.
What’s the first thing you are going to cultivate your curiosity for?
