How to be more curious?

Curiosity can give you a big advantage over your peers.

Once, I was at my school studying for a paper. One of my friends had a doubt. So she asked me how to approach the problem. And I told her the solution. She was impressed.

Was this because I studied from the books? Absolutely not.

The reason I knew the solution was because I had a conversation with a teacher the same day. The teacher told me the solution, and I told to my friend 🙂

I looked intelligent.
In reality, I was just curious.

There are some really simple and effective ways you can use to start being more curious. Here they are:

1. Ask questions

This is the easiest way. If you can ask the right questions, there’s so much that people can reveal to you.

Add the skill of asking questions with keeping your ears open, and you’ve a deadly combination at your disposal.

2. Explore new things

Exploring new things can expand your curiosity by introducing new information, perspectives, and experiences. When you try new activities, visit new places, or learn about new subjects, you open yourself up to new ways of thinking. It’s a very stimulating experience.

For example, if you’re interested in learning about a new culture, you could take a trip to a country where that culture is practiced. You’ll be exposed to new customs, traditions, and ways of life that may be different from your own.

This can lead to questions about the history, values, and beliefs of that culture, and inspire you to learn more.

3. Keep your mind open, mouth closed

When you approach new information with a closed mind, you’re less likely to question what you’re being told. So you seek out additional information.

But when you approach new information with an open mind, you’re more likely to consider it objectively, question it, and seek out additional information or perspectives.

Having an open mind can also lead to the ability to make connections between seemingly unrelated ideas. Or in other words, it can help you be more creative and come up with new solutions to old ideas.

4. Seek out diverse perspectives

With just one perspective, it can be easy to take for granted the assumptions and beliefs that underlie that perspective.

But when you’re exposed to different perspectives, you’re more likely to question the assumptions and beliefs you’ve taken for granted.

Seeking out diverse perspectives can also help you to understand and appreciate the complexities of the world. It can help you to see things from different angles and to understand how different factors interact to shape a situation.

5. Take on new challenges

Curiosity can sometimes just be taking a step into the unknown.

It can be stepping foot in the gym when you’ve never been to one.
It can be cutting out on junk food, and seeing what happens when you change to a healthy diet.

Challenges push you out of your comfort zone. Along the way, you also learn something new from them.

6. Be persistent

Staying persistent allows you to continue exploring and learning, even when things don’t go as planned.

For example – Imagine you’re learning a new language. It’s very different than the one you speak. Initially, it will be hard for you to grasp the new words. So what would you do?

You can give up. But that would mean you wouldn’t be able to master the new language. When you don’t understand the language, it would be harder to understand the culture of the people using that language.

So sometimes having an attitude of not giving up easily can help you be more curious.

7. Practice mindfulness

Have you ever stopped and looked around the world? How does it look? What does it feel like?

When you’re mindful, you’re more likely to notice things around you that you might otherwise miss.

For example, if you’re walking down the street without paying attention, you may not notice the small details of the buildings, the people, and the environment around you. But if you’re being mindful, you’ll be more likely to notice these.

Conclusion

Being curious is a vital aspect of personal growth and development.

Hopefully, you now have some useful tips you can start implementing right away!

Being curious isn’t something you achieve once and then stop. It’s a continuous process. Nurture it, keep going with it, and have fun learning!