It is unfortunate that one of our American idioms- curiosity killed the cat- is fear-based and encourages us to stay put. There is so much power and enjoyment in shifting to an inquisitive attitude that encourages new discoveries and an open mind.
It is possible to grow your inquisitive skills through practice and shifting of your thoughts to become more curious. Use of these skills will make your path to success more interesting and enjoyable and may even shift your journey in a new (and better) direction.
Connecting
On a date a guy talks nonstop for 90 minutes and then finally asks, “Enough of me talking, what do you think about me?”
Genuine interest and questions about the other person will build strong connections and relationships. Especially with people that are nothing like you, a curious approach will open up your world to different perspectives and diverse cultures.
Process Improvements
Appreciative Inquiry is a great process of identifying what is going well with a business or individual and then expand on those areas for more success. Of course, a curious focus on what is broken is also productive but like focusing on weaknesses rather than strengths this has less of an impact on success.
Experiment and try different ways of doing things. I did some hiring (interview) consulting for one of my business coaching clients recently and instead of my usual quote I asked, “What do you think my services for this consulting are worth?”
Managing Negative Emotions
Consider when something happens that upsets you. Instead of automatically reacting based on past experiences or assumptions take a moment and consider, “This is interesting; I wonder what this is about? Or what are the facts of this issue versus the story I am adding?” Cultivating a habit to shift into gentle inquiry will have a profound impact on your ability to effectively navigate through conflicts (either in your head with your critical voice or with someone else).
How do you cultivate your curiosity? Share your insights in a comment.
photo credit: Patricia Glogowski