Albert Einstein: “I have no special talent, I’m only passionately curious.”
What is curiosity? #
As defined by Wikipedia:
“Curiosity is a quality related to inquisitive thinking such as exploration, investigation, and learning, evident by observation in humans and other animals. Curiosity is heavily associated with all aspects of human development, in which derives the process of learning and desire to acquire knowledge and skill.
The term curiosity can also be used to denote the behaviour or emotion of being curious, in regard to the desire to gain knowledge or information. Curiosity as a behaviour and emotion is attributed over millennia as the driving force behind not only human development, but developments in science, language, and industry.
The engine of achievement #
It has also been described by educationalist, Ken Robinson, as the engine of achievement.
As we progress through life’s rich pageant, a curious mindset can help us become:
- Less susceptible to confirmation bias, making it unlikely that we’ll seek out opinions similar to our own and therefore let go of our long-held assumptions and preconceptions
- More creative and innovative in both our thinking and output
- Increasingly adaptable and able to make difficult decisions more easily, especially during times of crisis
- Increasingly adept at remembering new information even if that information isn’t relevant to what we were initially curious about
- Better at developing stronger relationships with others. During social encounters, curious people are seen as more interesting and engaging
- Your mind is a muscle and the mental exercise caused by curiosity makes it stronger and stronger
- Better at dealing with negative situations or rejection
- Curiosity gives us the edge over machines – machines will never ask why.
Childlike wonder #
“There are those rare people who never lose their curiosity, their almost childlike wonder at the world; those people who continue to learn and to grow intellectually until the day they die. And these usually are the people who make contributions, who leave some part of the world a little better off than it was before they entered it.” – William Herbert Sheldon
Thank you for reading. Curiosity might have killed the cat, but it makes Mankind stronger!
