Most people tend to be more cautious and less ‘go at it’ as they age, and this often is the right way to go about things in one’s life. We said often, not always. This is because there exists a trend that the older one gets, the less curious one becomes. For example, most elderly people no longer believe in magic after having faced harsh realities in their lives.
But why? Rationally speaking, one should be more curious the older one gets as we become more aware of our limited time remaining. Then again, most of us tend to be more emotional than rational.
The commonly accepted meaning of curiosity is ‘a hunger for information and the need to chase for answers to unanswered questions’. It is a significant mental exercise that requires a high level of motivation in learning and creating things.
Being curious is a critical tool for success, as it is a powerful urge to learn despite whatever the limits may be. Curiosity is also the key behind new inventions and discoveries, things that have led to and will continue to lead to progress for the human race.
The Benefits of a Having Curious Mind
1. It Keeps the Human Race Alive
It would be difficult to think where we would be today had some of our ancestors not been curious about exploring the world. This ranges from creating different tools to help ease our lives to exploring the remote corners of the Earth.
Curiosity is a key element that has ensured our survival until this very day, without which our species would likely have gone extinct long ago. It could also be what secures our future as some have started to set their sights beyond planet Earth.
2. It Is Positively Correlated With Happiness
Studies have demonstrated interest to be related to elevated levels of positive feelings, lower tension levels, a more fulfilling life, and improved mental health.
That feeling of finally understand something is like a refreshing breath of air, and this phenomenon can be easily observed in young children.
Knowledge, after all, is power (please use responsibly!).
3. It Could Give Your Progress a Boost
There are studies indicating that children from less well-to-do neighborhoods perform better when they are more curious. What this implies is that curiosity can somehow offset the effects of being less financially stable.
Imagine what an adult could do with the power of curiosity. Could it also accelerate your progress in certain aspects of your life?
An interesting food for thought indeed.
4. It Makes You More Empathetic
Curious people are more likely to be more open to thinking differently. They tend not to reject ideas outright, preferring instead to dig deep into the fundamental truths behind each belief and working their way from there.
It is this ability to accept different – sometimes even contradictory – views that allows people to better empathize with others’ feelings.
5. It Can Help in Countering Age-related Diseases
Inquisitive individuals consistently thirst for answers, even subconsciously. Their brains are consistently working.
This is good news because the brain is a muscle that gets stronger when exercised and vice versa. It is also one of the most cost-effective methods you can use to counter memory-related issues as you age.
6. You Are More Likely to Come up with Innovative Ideas
Being knowledgeable in different fields will increase your chance of combining seemingly unrelated ideas, potentially creating something new in the process. This is how many inventions and discoveries came about and will no doubt play a role in future innovations.
A great example is the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who combined different disciplines when building Apple’s gadgets.
7. You Will Lead a More Meaningful Life
The lives of inquisitive people are far from boring since they frequently seek to learn a wide variety of subject matter. Best of all, no one can ever fully learn everything there is to learn, which means the possibilities are limitless.
Developing Curiosity
1. Always Ask Questions
A fool-proof method to do a deep dive into a subject matter is by asking questions. The what, why, how, who, when, and where method of digging deep into subject matters.
You don’t have to be a genius to get started.
2. Treat Learning as Something Fun
Naming something as boring automatically reduces the chance of you ever being truly interested in that particular subject matter. It, therefore, makes a lot of sense to first determine if something feels fun to you before you begin.
This doesn’t mean that you should not do or start something simply because it’s not fun. Life doesn’t work that way for most people, and there are times when you just have to do it.
Still, being aware of your own perception at the beginning will better prepare you mentally for what lies ahead.
3. Always Be Open Minded (Be Like Water)
The legendary martial artist/actor Bruce Lee advises us to ‘be water’.
This timeless advice remains relevant to this very day and is how your mind should be at all times. Be available to learn, unlearn, and relearn.
It is how progress is made.Â
Curiosity Kills the Cat…or Maybe Not
We’ll admit that there at times when being overly curious can lead to…undesirable consequences.
Generally speaking, however, being curious about things and how they work is a really useful life-long skill that few people will ever regret having.
You said that you are afraid of failing? Read here to see why you shouldn’t be.
