Do you recognize yourself as a curious person? And more: how do you exercise your curiosity in moments when everything seems too obvious and monotonous? I am one of those who faithfully believes that curiosity is a fundamental element in human development. As a child, for example, we are conditioned by it, which does not leave us over the years, quite the opposite. It is what drives discoveries, innovation and the ability to solve simple and complex problems.
Research has shown that 50% of our curiosity is instinctive, that is, something innate, and the other 50% can be developed throughout life. But how can we actually condition this “muscle” of curiosity and cultivate it actively? Perhaps what many have not yet understood is that curiosity needs to be exercised. To achieve this, it is essential to explore the unknown, leave our comfort zone and look for intersections between apparently disconnected ideas, the cliché that we already know, but which is important.
Curiosity encourages us to question established patterns, to look at what is around us with new lenses, and to challenge what seems obvious. We often limit ourselves to a comfortable and familiar view of the world, repeating behaviors and ways of thinking that we already know. However, true growth and innovation come when we allow ourselves to explore what is beyond our current understanding. It is in this process of search and exploration that new perspectives emerge, new ways of understanding old problems and, with that, creative solutions.
Trying something new requires courage, because it exposes us to the risk of failure and the possibility of being wrong. But it is precisely this discomfort that helps us expand the limits of our understanding. I also reinforce that curiosity, in its essence, pushes us beyond the superficial. She challenges us to seek answers that are beyond what we can see at first glance, or even that are right before our eyes, it’s just a matter of point of view.
By engaging with new stories, new cultures, new knowledge, we break the veil of the obvious. We begin to see what is behind the numbers and data and think about broader and different perspectives. Many of the greatest innovations came when someone had the audacity to bring together ideas that, at first glance, didn’t make sense. That’s the power of curiosity: connecting dots that initially seemed distant.
When we limit ourselves to a single way of thinking, we run the risk of becoming predictable, almost mechanical in our choices and solutions. Curiosity protects us from this obviousness. It challenges us to question, create and explore new directions.
Today, when changes occur at an overwhelming speed, curiosity becomes even more necessary. In order not to be swallowed by this constant transformation, we need to cultivate the desire to understand what is happening around us. It is curiosity that leads us to ask the “why” behind the changes and engage with the story being written in real time.
If we don’t have this thirst to understand a little more, we become obsolete. We limit ourselves to the role of mere spectators, trapped in a static and limited perspective. Thinking differently, seeking new horizons, questioning ourselves – all of this comes from curiosity, this powerful tool that helps us navigate a world in constant movement.
I even see curiosity as a way to challenge our shame. As children this is simpler. As we grow up, shame begins to prevent us from demonstrating ignorance or asking seemingly obvious questions. In times of crisis, it returns intensely, presenting us with new opportunities. The tip, therefore, is: be curious!
Image credits: Freepik.
* This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the vehicle
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