Curiosity may kill a cat, but it’s good for humans (when you use it the right way)…

A Fool-Proof Formula for Stimulating Your Natural Curiosity

Just like furry felines, we humans are naturally curious creatures. When we stop exploring mentally, we stifle our curiosity. And our souls suffer, our minds disintegrate, and we tend to get pretty darn bored. Who wants that?

Spice up your life by stimulating your natural sense of curiosity. Your daily activities can evoke just as much wonder as any story about Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.

Studies show that we learn better when we’re in a state of heightened curiosity. In one experiment, test subjects who were interested in the answer to a trivia question found it easier to remember other information even when it was completely unrelated to the question at hand.

Take a look at the benefits of nurturing your curious side. An inquiring mind can open up new opportunities for you.

Benefits of Stimulating Your Natural Curiosity

1.     Feel more engaged. When you’re being led by curiosity, you tap into sources of intrinsic motivation. You enjoy your tasks for their own sake rather than plowing through them to reach an external reward. That provides more intense and lasting satisfaction.

2.     Develop wisdom. Curiosity encourages learning. You seek out facts and find ways to apply them to your own life.

Being happy feels good.

Ask someone to tell you their favorite joke.

3.     Strengthen your relationships. Taking a sincere interest in the welfare of others promotes empathy. You listen attentively when your child describes how they feel about their best friend moving away. You’re able to put yourself in their position and provide comfort and validation.

4.     Experience happiness. Brain scans show that curiosity activates the reward center in your brain. Cleaning out the attic becomes fun when you search for treasure in old storage boxes. You discover increased fulfillment as you have fun tackling one challenge after another.

Strategies for Stimulating Your Natural Curiosity

1.     Try new things. Make each day an adventure. Sign up for classes in scuba diving or gourmet cooking. Listen to a different radio station or take the scenic route on your drive home from the office.

Get out of your comfort zone with something new

2.     Read daily. Delve into subjects that fascinate you and pick up new interests by reading books. Visit your local library. Take a second look at the classics you read in high school to see if you appreciate them differently now.

3.     Attend cultural events. Look up art venues in your neighborhood or in cities you travel to for business. Check out the latest exhibitions or concerts.
4.     Study science. Maybe you stopped thinking about science once you graduated from college. Refresh your memory by registering for a biology course online. Browse the science section in a local bookstore. Find simple experiments you can share with your kids.

5.     Consult experts. Fuel your curiosity with inspiration from other curious minds. Contact a popular speaker you met at a conference and ask if you can interview them for your company blog. Chat with the employees at a hardware store to plan your next home improvement project.

6.     Ask questions. Let your boss know you care about your work. Ask why the company is opening a new office in Missouri or redesigning the website.

Change your perception

And ask questions

7.     Think analytically. Critical thinking can change the way you look at assignments that used to bore you, and enhance your performance. Figure out ways to clean the shower faster or simplify the steps for ordering supplies for your department.
8.     Play around. Let go of expectations and welcome surprises. Allow your mind to wander and free up your creativity.

What’s on your travel bucket list?

What can you do now to help make it happen?

9.     Travel the world. A change of scenery provides many reasons to be curious. Find out what the locals are eating for breakfast in Nova Scotia or listen to a jaguar roar in Costa Rica. If you run out of vacation days, camp out in your backyard to see what happens after dark.

Awaken your sense of curiosity. Satisfying your desire for knowledge will deepen your understanding of yourself and others and prepare you for greater success - not to mention satisfy a very basic human need.