Curiosity as a Mantra: Why Staying Curious is a Recipe for Success
Let’s start with a hypothetical. Imagine that every person on earth has two traits, those being curiosity and imagination. What would the world look like? Keep that in mind.
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Interestingly, one of those two is a choice. One can choose to be curious and with that comes imagination, over time. Without being curious, imagination simply cannot happen. Imagination is somewhat inherited, but it’s also something that can be cultivated.
But for now let’s stick to curiosity. And yes, there are many types. Many would equate what I’m saying right now to finding success in academics, science, or the arts. But these are not the only fields in which we can apply curiosity.
For example, let’s say we choose to remain curious and ask actual questions about people, questions to which we would like to hear the answer. The person sitting across from us in our metaphorical room suddenly becomes engaged, as well. Human connection becomes far more concrete. Asking questions about a person, and remaining curious, is a great way to create positive regard. A lot of people, as is common knowledge, ask questions then wait to talk. Simply don’t do it. Ask questions and really try to understand the person you’re talking to.
Asking questions and actually listening is far and away the greatest way to cultivate solid relationships, but this is so often a blind spot for those who want these types of connections.
So let’s think a little more outside this “curiosity box” and see the full effects of remaining curious. What does this look like in other parts of life?
How about anything that we need a skill to be successful at, for starters? I’ll use my own life as an example… I play tennis quite a bit and the best players are those who remain inquisitive about who they’re playing against. They will study their opponent. If you’re not remaining curious about how to win, you will most certainly lose. By being curious, in this scenario, I am actually saying having a desire to learn about your opponent. Sun Tzu said it best:
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”
All of this to say that the principle of remaining curious can be applied to both ally (as in relationships) and adversary (sport etc.) equally well.
But there are situations where simply being curious becomes a bit more difficult, and where discipline and drive have to set in. And even with that, success is sometimes a struggle for even the most capable of individuals.
This is a large part why I disagree with the current system of standardized tests in the United States and a lot of the schooling process in general. Some people I know, who are highly intelligent, simply don’t do well on tests. Tests such as the ACT in large part are knowing a lot of little things that most people simply don’t want to be forced to learn, and no amount of forced curiosity will change that. That is a tougher nut to crack and relates more to discipline than curiosity, but I believe my point remains valid.
What else? I’ll leave you with a final thought: Curiosity and conscientiousness go hand in hand. By making a habit of being curious, repeating it as your life mantra, your performance will go up in nearly every area of your life.
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