In the last few weeks, I have listened to a podcast on daily rituals, been involved in designing a virtual learning experience, watched a corporate training, and been coached. In all these unrelated activities I’ve found a common theme.
Curiosity
It is curiosity, or the desire to know, that can fuel or accelerate my own positive behaviors and be a catalyst to what I want to become. I’ve been at my best when I lean into my curiosity.
As I’ve pondered the role of curiosity as it related to these several unrelated activities, I’ve come up with a list of behaviors and practices that have curiosity at the center. This is a starting point and I welcome more additions to this list. I will update this post with your additions.
- Learning
- Empathy
- Inclusion
- Allyship
- Respect
None of these can authentically exist without a genuine curiosity. When we are curious about someone else and their experiences, we honor that individual, we listen, and we can gain a greater perspective and understanding that can augment our own lived experiences and create deeper connection with another person.
Developing curiosity is now something I’m, ironically, curious about.
This week, to practice my curiosity, I’m setting a goal to reach out to someone who is typically outside of my working circle to see if they’d be willing to share with me their professional and academic journey.
How do you work on developing your curiosity? I would love to hear about your practices to develop and encourage curiosity.
