The benefits of curiosity can empower the energy you feel when you want to dig deeper, learn more, and understand more completely. It’s the powerful realization that the world is a rich and complex place and there is so much to learn about it. Curiosity propels us forward both in life and in business. Curiosity is the fuel of creativity and the foundation of learning and innovation.
At 100Ninjas, we celebrate curiosity as an essential skill in both our personal and professional lives and believe that cultivating curiosity has significant benefits. Encouraging an atmosphere of curiosity in our workplaces can ensure that we are tackling the problems we face and digging deep to discover the best ways to solve them. For innovators, changemakers, and entrepreneurs, curiosity keeps us motivated and driven. In our personal lives, it can give our days more meaning and enhance our relationships. We believe the following are five key benefits to curiosity.
Increased Productivity
Engaging a curious mindset and encouraging an atmosphere of curiosity means that information flows more freely. When input and experience are valued, they are more openly shared. This increases engagement and improves the quality of attention being paid to work. When your staff is curious, they are more open and receptive to understanding processes and actively look for ways to improve.
Discovery
Curiosity means that you are much more primed and positioned to discover new things. Curiosity is a thirst that seeks to be quenched and the only true way to satisfy it is to continue to learn. “What if we tried it this way?” or “What would happen if we did this?” are some of the essential building blocks of innovation. When you are curious to know how something will work or how it can be done more efficiently, you are willing to push to find out the answers taking on any risk or burden of learning that might exist.
New Opportunities
When you open the floodgates of curiosity, you also open yourself up to new opportunities. Your open mindedness leads you down new paths and doors will open before you that you never expected. You may find yourself going places that you had never dreamed of before! Being curious increases your exposure to the possibilities that exist. The world expands when you’re curious.
Stronger Relationships
When you’re curious, you’re more present in your relationships. You desire to know and understand the people you interact with and your curiosity leads you to ask more questions. This has a twofold effect on your relationships. Not only do you understand the people in your life more deeply, but they in turn feel cared for. Showing curiosity about the lives of the people we love increases our empathy and reaffirms our commitment to truly knowing the perspectives of the people in our lives. And when relationships are just beginning, a healthy dose of curiosity can be very flattering indeed.
A More Meaningful Life
You’re never bored because you know there is always more to learn, explore, and discover. New possibilities are just around the corner and you know that you can uncover them. Whether it’s presenting more professional opportunities, improving the quality of your relationships, or allowing you to simply enjoy life more, being curious sparks creativity, innovation, and care for others — all of which propel us towards a more meaningful life.
Join 100Ninjas as we explore one of our cornerstone values, Curiosity! Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter for more insights and tips!
Founder at 100Ninjas.
Bananagram Master. Smoothie Mixologist. Seeker of the cozy. Art lover.