Why It Pays To Be Curious…

Call it the writer/journalist in me, but I’ve always been naturally inquisitive.

Really, whether it’s with someone I already know or someone I’m just meeting, I almost immediately go into interviewing mode.

Not because I’m trying to interrogate someone.

But because I love to learn people’s stories.

I’m curious.

And I’m not the only one.

I’m currently reading movie producer Brian Grazer’s new book, A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life.

In it, Grazer talks about how, more than intelligence or persistence or connections, curiosity has allowed him to live what he describes as a “big life”.

And Grazer has lived a “big life”. He’s produced movies like Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind and Splash as well as popular TV shows like Empire.

And aside from partnering with Ron Howard to run Imagine Entertainment, he’s talked to all kinds of luminaries and celebrities whose gate keepers would keep most of us out.

All because he’s curious.

Are YOU inquisitive enough? Here’s why it pays to be curious…

The good news is, you don’t have to be a big movie producer to be curious!

Anyone can do it.

And here’s why you should want to…

[Warning: As we proceed, no selfies allowed.]

1 | Curiosity widens your world…in a good way.

One of the things Grazer says in his book that I completely agree with, is that we can all get trapped in our own way of thinking, that we get so used to seeing the world our way, that we think, as Grazer says, “the world is the way we see it.”

(Guess what? It usually isn’t…)

For the last 20+ years, Grazer has had what he calls “curiosity conversations” with people from all walks of life to “disrupt his own point of view.”

Isn’t that amazing?

Proactively talking to different types of people to force himself to consider a viewpoint different from his own?

Trust me, this guy’s busy. But not too busy to be curious…

And, at the end of the day, neither are you and me.

It pays to be curious because there’s a lot more to life than the life we’ve created just for ourselves.

Tweet this 〉〉 Widen your world. Be curious!

2 | Curiosity drives human connection.

Grazer cites the most valuable – and surprisingly overlooked – use of curiosity is creating human connection.

Grazer perhaps states the obvious when he says that, to be a good friend, a good spouse, a good boss, or a good ‘something’, you should be curious about others.

For it’s the curiosity we show about others that makes others feel they matter, that makes others feel special – and that usually inspires others to be curious about us in return.

Curiosity becomes reciprocal. And human connection becomes stronger.

(Most of the time, anyway…I’m sure we all know people who only talk about themselves!)

It pays to be curious because curiosity is what drives real and sustainable relationships.

3 | Curiosity overcomes a lack of commonalities.

So often, we let a (perceived) lack of commonalities with someone interfere with our ability to communicate and connect with that person.

We fear we’ll have nothing to talk about…

Ultimately, many of us fear silence.

Here’s where curiosity comes to the rescue.

Curiosity helps you get excited by differences rather than scared of them. 

Curiosity tears down that “lack of commonalities” barrier and transforms you in to an enthusiastic student eager to learn about interests and passions different from your own.

It pays to be curious because curiosity creates and opens up new classrooms that enrich and expand your life more than you know.

Tweet this 〉〉 Discover what excites someone else – and be curious about that!

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So, hopefully, by now, you’re convinced…curiosity matters.

For more reasons than I’ve highlighted here…

But it’s a start that hopefully inspires you to be, well, curious about being curious!

As Brian Grazer says, “Life isn’t about finding the answers, it’s about asking the questions.” {Tweet this!}

What questions will you ask today?

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To curiosity,

Rachel

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