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Having been a cat parent for the last 8 years, I have had the chance to observe how cats are curious by nature. A new object, a new sound, or even a new smell is all it takes for them to raise their ears and start to wonder what it is.
Curiosity is what keeps humans alive.
We may have lost connection to our inherent curiosity due to childhood conditioning, the nature of our education system, or even our environment, but it is within our reach.
Yes, curiosity is a skill that can be developed over time.
Elizabeth Gilbert in her book "Big Magic" states that one needs to invest in curiosity rather than passion.
"Curiosity is the truth and the way of creative living......Curiosity is accessible to everyone".
She urges her readers to go on a scavenger hunt of curiosity. I couldn't agree more on this.
A simple question - "Is there anything you're interested in now?" can break the spell of boredom and lack of inspiration.
When I look back on the past 10 years, the areas I have explored are all answers to this question.
Curiosity is a seed inherent in all of us. All we need to do is to nurture it every day by listening to its cues and feeding what it needs.
The manure could be new information, knowledge, experience, conversations, actionable behavior, learning, fine-tuning, following the dots, breaking the familiar patterns, synthesizing, unlearning, and most importantly, constant questioning.
Curiosity may or may not lead to discovering your passion.
It may or may not lead to building a career.
It may or may not lead to a monetizable opportunity.
It may or may not lead to rewards and recognition.
But it can certainly make you feel alive and engaged.
Our life's journey gets more interesting when we follow where curiosity takes us.