5. Embrace curiosity for growth
- Alexis Booth
- May 21
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 24
Corporate learning expert Linda Moss (who also happens to be my former boss!) joins me to discuss the expansive topic of Curiosity. 🤔
In our conversation, we do a deep-dive into the incredible power of curiosity in our lives and careers. We explore what it is, what holds us back from being curious, and how we can cultivate more of it in our day to day - both for ourselves, as well as a team if you’re a manager. We also discuss some of the shifts and transitions we’ve each made over the course of our careers, and how curiosity has played an integral part in both of our career journeys.
In this post, I highlight 3 topics from the episode - but there’s plenty more to hear. I hope you’ll check it out. Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Inline player below ⬇️
👉 What exactly is curiosity?
Curiosity is a human trait we are hard-wired to enjoy. The act of pursuing curiosity stimulates the production of dopamine in your body, which is why doing things like reading whodunit stories, finding a new hobby, and exploring the depths of your favorite subjects can feel so GOOD.
The episode begins by exploring three types of curiosity:
Epistemic Curiosity: This is the kind of curiosity that drives the acquisition of new knowledge. You might think of it as that “itch” to go deep into a particular subject; it can also help you make connections between seemingly unrelated topics. It’s what most people probably think about as to what it means to “be curious.”
Empathic Curiosity: This is the powerful desire we have as humans to understand what other people are thinking and feeling. This type of curiosity lies at the heart of how we develop meaningful relationships with others, and there are standard milestones measured in early childhood development that track acquisition of skills in this domain.
Self-Directed Curiosity: This is more a tool or strategy you can use to get “unstuck” when you feel low or dissatisfied. It’s essentially an inward application of both types of curiosity. Empathic curiosity helps you compassionately explore your thoughts and feelings; epistemic curiosity helps you consider why and what else might be possible.
Throughout the episode, Linda and I explore a range of stories and experiences where we’ve used curiosity in our own lives.
👉 What prevents us from pursuing curiosity?
If curiosity is so delightful, then why don’t we embrace it all the time? What is holding us back?
Linda and I explore three traps many of us fall into that can stifle curiosity.
We’re taught to turn it off. Linda talks about how kids are urged, “Don’t touch that!” to stay safe, prevent messes and avoid getting hurt. We’re also taught to follow the rules, or suffer the consequences. There are plenty of examples where children and adults alike are encouraged to “stay in line” - which can inherently stifle the pursuit of curiosity.
We’re too busy. In order to embrace and explore curiosity, you have to pay attention to what’s going on and invest time in new and different experiences. Linda talks about how many of us are stuck on the “hamster wheel of life,” bouncing from one activity to the next. You have to clear time and space to embrace curiosity.
It can be scary. Exploring or trying something new can be hard. You may face many fears along the way - fear of the unknown, fear of failure, or fear of realizing you’re not the expert you thought you were. Embracing curiosity involves putting those fears aside and exploring new ideas, new beliefs, and new opportunities.
Both Linda and I discuss throughout the episode that in order to avoid these traps, we have to make a conscious effort to invest in exploring our curiosity. And we both think it's worth it.
👉 How to cultivate more curiosity in your life
If you want to embrace curiosity, that's great! There are several shifts you can make to clear space for it.
In the episode, we discussed how to embrace curiosity from two different angles - in your own life, and as a manager of others. Here's a few recommendations for each.
🙋 For yourself
| 👩🏽💼 For your team (if you're a manager)
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👉 Some final thoughts
Curiosity is an incredibly valuable human trait that can you help pave the way to acquire new knowledge, deepen relationships, and find more joy and satisfaction in your life.
So many of us spend our lives caught up in all the things we "should" do. Noticing and following your curiosity is a way for you to reclaim your own agency and interests. Start small, simply noticing the things that grab your interest or bring you energy - and carve out time to ignite the spark.
Listen to the episode for more insights and tips! Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Inline player below ⬇️
💥 Break Out!
👉 Listen to the full episode:
