Growth Through Curiosity
The old adage goes that curiosity killed the cat, but lucky for us humans, intellectual curiosity poses no such dangers. In fact, cultivating and maintaining a sense of intellectual curiosity is one of the most beneficial traits a person can have. Curiosity serves as a catalyst for both the success you have in the workplace or the fulfillment you find outside of it. As the great Dorothy Parker once wrote, “Curiosity is the cure for boredom.”
If you’ve ever felt demotivated at work, you know what it’s like when curiosity suffers. When we’re just going through motions to quote “get the job done,” we put the bare minimum of engagement into our days. To put it another way, we’re operating with zero curiosity. Compare that to times when you’ve been eager to learn, excited about your work, and rewarded by the fruits of your labor. One is clearly more desirable than the other, right? And while you may think about how you’re feeling about your work and life is the result of circumstance, so much of it has to do with your approach. Once you can spark the flame of intellectual curiosity, you can benefit from even the most seemingly mundane tasks.
Activate your curiosity
Curiosity, like a muscle or a habit, needs to be exercised in order to function fully. We all have an innate sense of intellectual curiosity, but it’s easy for it to become muted amid the hustle and bustle of everyday life. When life gets overwhelming and stress piles up, we can sacrifice our curiosity in favor of expediency. “I don’t have time to think about this, I just have to do it,” you say to yourself. It’s an understandable tactic, but if you go too long without being curious, your desire for exploration and growth can become muted. That’s when dissatisfaction kicks in.
When you find yourself in this state, it’s helpful to do some exercises to kickstart your intellectual curiosity. The quickest and easiest one is to do some research on a topic you enjoy just for fun. If you enjoy cooking, try out a new recipe, something you’ve never thought to make before. If you’re a music fan, go to a concert or record store to learn about new artists. No matter what you’re into, have active, engaging conversations with people who share your interests. Even going to a movie with your spouse or significant other and discussing it afterward can help you rediscover your sense of zeal for life and learning. Remember, when it comes to intellectual curiosity, if you don’t use it, you lose it.
Curiosity in the workplace
This may sound hyperbolic, but the ways that intellectual curiosity will increase your performance and satisfaction at work are truly endless—because curiosity impacts everything you do. On the barest level, becoming more curious about how to excel at your role will improve your skill level. Curiosity works against complacency, urging you to learn more and do better. For a curious person, there’s no such thing as “good enough.”
That’s just the beginning, though. Curiosity can help your interpersonal relationships, making you a better listener and a more generous collaborator. As a leader, possessing intellectual curiosity and humility make you more open to new experiences and information. No matter where you’re at in your career, you can always stand to get a little better and learn a little more. Those who are curious do so as a matter of course, rather than relying on past knowledge to carry them through. You already know that in a tech-obsessed world, being able to adapt quickly is essential. People with high levels of intellectual curiosity are less likely to be scared by automation, blockchain, and other tech applications that are poised to alter the way we work.
If you’re in the position of hiring new talent, you’d do well to seek out curious applicants. As the barrier to entry in terms of hard-and-fast skills grows lower—you can thank technology for that too—finding candidates who love to learn and possess a service mindset can set your firm apart. The people who are going to grow and provide increased value to your business over time are those who will remain curious throughout their tenure.
At this point, I think it’s safe to say that even if curiosity has been responsible for the demise of a feline or two, you should be much more worried about what a lack of curiosity will close off to you. Life and work are full of wonder, you just have to be curious enough to go looking for it.