Curiosity May Be a Super Power

During a recent lunch, my friend Colleen asked if she might give me a compliment.  Her need to ask permission first caused me to pause and wonder if I don’t accept kudos gracefully (but that is fuel for a later blog).  My answer was in the affirmative, with the voice in my head screaming at me to accept without rejection whatever she had to share.

Colleen said she has always admired my curiosity in business and in everyday life.  She went on to explain that she wished that she had more of it herself and continued with why she saw this as a superpower. After showing gratitude, I considered what she said.  Did she feel I was nosey?  Did she mean that I asked too many questions?  Her compliment gave me pause.

Truly, I have always asked questions about things.  How does something work?  How did it come to be?  Why did something exist?  Who was responsible for the thing happening?  When did it all happen?  I know that in large part,  the reason one of my college majors was history was that I had to know the story behind events, details of what happened, and how we have come to be where we are today.  My fascination with history causes me to read biographies, watch documentaries and love digging into research on almost any topic.

But other than personal reasons, curiosity is a valuable attribute in business as well as life.  Seeking to gain knowledge and information, seeking to fully understand helps us make better decisions, find success on our terms and as the best by-product of all,  to be of value to others.  Curiosity provides context for decision-making and above all provides us with a platform for empathy and care.

On a personal level, curiosity keeps minds active, excited, and on high alert.  Noticing people, and things and looking for causation gives us a rich basis for connection with others.  This connection is our birthright of happiness and fulfillment.  Some answers will never be ours (why is a mannequin with a freaky face lounging behind a dumpster) but the joy and wonder of the question and pursuit of an answer may be just enough to make us smile.  That is reward enough.