I have been playing around in my head with the concept of curiosity being the foundation for a life of excitement, and joy, and adventure, and creativity, and discovery. A life well lived is one founded in exploration and following where your curiosity may lead.
My own curiosity is insatiable, I feel such delight when considering that through the blessing of the internet, for the most part, ANYTHING we want to know, learn, read, discover, is all right there just a click away. One click!
Last year I was listening to the ‘Good Life Project’ podcast with Jonathan Fields and I can’t for the life of me find the correct episode – my scribbled note as I excitedly pulled over to the side of the road simply read
The opposite of depression isn’t happiness, it’s curiosity.
And there it was. BAM! The bolt of truth. Jonathan felt it too I know this because he has referenced it quite a few times since and mentioned his own journey searching for curiosity studies. A quick google search reveals many other people were also stopped in their tracks by those words.
I have been following the thread of “curiosity and creativity” for a long time, since 2004 in fact when I read “Raising Curious, Creative, Confident Kids The Pestalozzi Experiment in Child-Based Education” by Rebeca Wild.
Ever since I’ve been using that 3-word moniker to define what I personally stand for. Most of my websites and online profiles reference those words.All human endeavour starts first with curiosity. The what if…
Learning starts with curiosity ~ What don’t I know.
Art making starts with curiosity ~ What if I do this.
Play starts with curiosity ~ What can we do with what we have.
Connection starts with curiosity ~ What do we share.
Growth, invention, discovery, creation, discussion, debate….oh curiosity….a delightful mistress, one who is however never satiated.
Stick with me, let’s explore curious together.
This is a fabulous interview, the early discussions about curiosity happen within the first 5-7 minutes, but the whole interview is worth watching.