When was the final time you had been inquisitive about one thing? While you had been so you misplaced monitor of time? In his e book, SEEK: How Curiosity Can Rework Your Life and Change the World, curiosity skilled Scott Shigeoka makes the case for adults studying the right way to be extra curious. He says curiosity doesn’t simply make life extra gratifying; it deepens our connections with others, reduces our fears and nervousness and reverses our society’s isolation. 

Individuals usually affiliate curiosity with kids, however Shigeoka says individuals get extra curious as they age. He additionally provides that curiosity is just not a set state; we’re all born with it—a muscle we are able to develop at any level in our lives. It’s by no means too late to construct and deepen our sense of curiosity. 

The three instructions of curiosity

“One of many large misconceptions is that curiosity is simply an mental pursuit,” Shigeoka says, explaining that it sometimes goes in three instructions: outward, inward and past. Outward curiosity, which is usually directed at others, is what we’re most acquainted with.

“Curiosity towards another person will help you to know their values or tales, what they care about and that makes them really feel seen, heard and valued as an individual,” Shigeoka says. 

The second course, inward, is directed towards ourselves: “[It’s] getting inquisitive about myself, my feelings, my emotions, what I worth in life, what relationships are serving me, which of them are harming me,” he says. 

The third course of curiosity is past, an curiosity in what lies outdoors the bodily realm. It’s not essentially about spirituality.

“For some of us, it is perhaps consciousness or the spirit of interconnectedness and all life for others,” Shigeoka says. “Nevertheless it could possibly be getting inquisitive about your ancestors who’re now not alive or about seven generations from now. What’s the world that they’ll inherit? And the way do our actions in the present day influence their lives of their world seven generations from now?”

We’re every naturally extra vulnerable to be curious in a single course, and Shigeoka recommends practising intentionality within the different course. Shigeoka says to begin inward in the event you’re uncertain the place to begin. 

“I at all times inform individuals to begin from inward curiosity, get actually curious and particularly get deeply inquisitive about your self and your inside world,” Shigeoka says. “Ask your self questions that you simply may ask different individuals. Really feel what that feels prefer to be requested these sorts of questions or to discover these sorts of questions.”

Not solely are there a number of instructions our curiosity can take us, however there are additionally various depths of curiosity. Shigeoka says deep curiosity requires extra time and power however brings richer outcomes. For instance, you could possibly ask somebody their title, after which go even deeper and ask concerning the story behind their title. 

How you can be extra curious at work

Curiosity improves our on a regular basis life and makes our workplaces extra productive, artistic and collaborative. Shigeoka factors out that individuals understand curious leaders as extra competent and reliable by their staff. 

“If you need your workforce or group to consider in you and to really feel like ‘OK, I can belief this particular person and I like this particular person,’ it’s worthwhile to exemplify curiosity,” Shigeoka provides. He makes use of the DIVE mannequin to information leaders in curiosity audits with corporations and college workplaces. 

How you can enhance curiosity: Use the DIVE mannequin

Detach: Let go of our assumptions, biases and certainties 

“In our tradition in the present day, we cling to our assumptions and biases of others, however these assumptions can really push individuals away and make them really feel unseen. They are often fallacious, they usually can result in battle,” Shigeoka says. “Now we have to study to detach from certainty and really sit within the discomfort of not understanding generally.”

Intent: Put together our mindset for curiosity

Shigeoka recommends not leaping straight into the conversations when diving into deep curiosity. As an alternative, think about your atmosphere and setting, the questions you’re hoping to ask and indicators that you need to decelerate or cease.

Value: See the dignity of individuals, together with your self

As a result of there may be a lot polarization and dehumanizing language utilized in social media, Shigeoka says it may be straightforward to neglect the humanity of those that don’t consider the identical issues we do. 

“It’s so essential to begin from this place of recognizing the humanity of the person who you’re being curious with, remembering that curiosity doesn’t imply settlement,” Shigeoka says. 

Embrace: Welcome the onerous occasions in our lives 

Shigeoka describes the embrace section as welcoming the onerous occasions, which helps us entry deep curiosity as a result of we’re not sinking into concern or nervousness. 

In high-conflict conditions, a tradition of curiosity permits groups to navigate tensions successfully as a result of they’ve fostered an atmosphere the place everybody feels heard. We could discover a constructive ripple impact as we develop our curiosity muscle mass. Shigeoka says, “When you’re curious, others will comply with go well with, particularly these you supervise, as a result of curiosity is contagious in that means.”

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Iona Brannon is a contract journalist primarily based within the U.S. You possibly can learn extra of her work at ionabrannon.com.