When I think of curiosity, the little monkey and the man in the yellow hat come to mind. Because the monkey was curious, I have often linked curiosity with being mischievous, asking too many questions or trying things that shouldn’t be tried. Curiosity is defined as a strong desire to know or learn something, and that definition has a lot more to do with creativity than with being mischievous. Curiosity is a key to creativity and each skill feeds off the other to form the world of art, music, ideas, and inventions. Curiosity is like a superpower handed down by generations of ancestors. Our ancestors needed curiosity to survive by finding creative ways to hunt and make shelters. Now that we live in a modern world, we may not need to create a shelter from mud or leaves, but we still have that spark of curiosity inside us to learn and transform the world around us.
To be curious is to ask question like “how, why, or what”. By asking questions and forcing yourself to do things differently, you are pushing aside those preconceived answers, which allows for creative solutions to appear. Curiosity is the generation of possibilities. When we look at the world from other perspectives, we open our minds to explore the unknown. Curiosity moves us to look for new opportunities and options. Curiosity is the fuel for creativity to prosper and succeed and without questioning, knowledge becomes stagnant.
To enhance your curiosity try asking “What if…”. We often think there is one answer or solution to a problem. Next time, consider there might be multiple answers or solutions. Also, try using a question like “What are some possibilities here” or “How many different ways can we look at this?” the next time you are needing an answer in a group setting. This allows for others to think there are multiple possibilities instead of just one correct answer.
If you are ready to learn more about curiosity and how to overcome fear with curiosity, be a guest at our next Creative Community Meeting on March 7th at 1pm MST over zoom. Speaker Diana Whye will lead us in a discussion about creativity and fear and an exercise to overcome fear with curiosity. Sign up here .