Success Advice
6 Ways To Harness Your Curiosity For Success

What’s the one common thing that all great leaders in the world have? Curiosity.
The hunger, the desire, the passion to always be learning. Make no mistake about it, all successful entrepreneurs are passionately curious. In fact many of those entrepreneurs would say being curious is more important than simply being intelligent. Whereas intelligent people have the talent of being able to process and remember information better, they suffer a handicap when it comes to applying that information.
Studies have found that curious people don’t just want to understand how a problem came about, they want to know why it exists in the first place. They’re problem-solvers, taking every bit of information given to them and finding a solution, even if it means thinking outside the box.
Curiosity is the desire to learn more, to experience more, and to feel more. The passionately curious hate routine and are always looking for new experiences. Which goes to explain why, throughout history, world-changing individuals have always been curious people.
“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” – Albert Einstein.
But don’t fret if the above doesn’t sound like you. Unlike intelligence, curiosity can be nurtured and developed.
Here are six ways to develop your curiosity and kickstart your entrepreneurial journey:
1. Always ask questions
The key to developing curiosity is to be always asking questions.
Some people might be afraid of looking ignorant, but you have to remember that being curious and being ignorant are two completely different things. The ignorant believe they have the right answer, even when it’s wrong.
Accept the fact that you don’t know everything. After all, the whole point of being curious is to fill the gaps in your knowledge.
2. Never be satisfied with the answers
The right questions are almost never open-and-shut cases. If you’re asking questions where the answer ends in either “yes” or “no,” then you’re asking the wrong questions.
You need to be asking questions that begin with “how,” “what,” “when,” “where,” and “why.” Not just to other people but to yourself as well. Always challenge yourself and be introspective.
Be satisfied with more than just scratching the surface, don’t be afraid to dig deep. Who knows what you’ll learn. Even when things seem to be going well, curiosity means always reevaluating solutions you’ve found in the past.
3. Be distracted
Don’t be afraid to let your mind wander when it needs to.
Your brain needs a diverse diet if you want to keep motivated and passionate about your work. Going at 100 percent, all the time, is a surefire way to just end up burned out and unfulfilled. So let yourself be distracted every now and then.
If this sounds dangerously close to procrastination then don’t fret, set a structured approach where you set aside an hour and do nothing but poke around on whatever it is you want to explore. The rule of thumb is: If you’re learning something new then it’s not procrastination.
4. Read constantly
You need to always be reading if you want to nurture your curiosity.
It’s no secret that the majority of successful people in the world have extensive personal libraries. Books provide an exclusive gateway to a whole world of knowledge that you may have never even considered!
Challenge yourself by reading books in genres that you may not normally be interested in. Challenge the way you think by opening yourself up to someone else’s world and ideas.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss
5. Learn a new skill
If you’ve ever wanted to learn a new language, or how to dance, or just about any new skill, then you definitely should. Feed that part of you that craves new experience.
Multiple studies have proven time and time again that learning a new skill, regardless of what it is, will positively affect your brain. Learning a new skill, especially one that requires any sort of physical movement, improves your cognitive ability, your ability to learn, your memory and a whole host of other benefits, depending on the skill.
Plus you’ll never know when that new skill you’re learning could come in handy for yourself or your business.
6. Don’t be afraid to fail
A key part of what sets curious people apart from others is that they’re less likely to fear failure.
It might feel uncomfortable, but you shouldn’t ever be afraid to try something new because you’re afraid that you might fail. If you’re determined to stay on the path you’re currently on, then never try anything new. But if you want to be different and find true success then you simply must leave your comfort zone.
Curious people look forward to failure because in failure you learn something new. That knowledge you learn through failure could very well be the thing that keeps you going and drives you to ultimate success.
How will you start developing your curiosity? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below!
Success Advice
Success Is Never Owned and Rent Is Due Everyday

I coached the basketball team at the University of St. Francis for 34 years. In December of 1987 we went to the west coast to play the University of San Francisco. We were a small, liberal arts university in Joliet, Illinois. I would guess the players on that San Francisco team had never heard of us. (more…)
Success Advice
5 Smart Goals to Make This Year Your Most Successful Ever

Setting goals at the start of the year means you will know exactly what you need to do throughout the year to be successful. By setting goals, it forces you to build a plan about how you intend to achieve those goals. By having a plan in place, you will wake up every morning with a clear idea of what it is you need to do each day. Just by writing down your goals, there is a 42% greater chance you will achieve those goals than if they just stayed in your head. It may seem like a small thing but actually creating goals every year and then writing them down significantly improves your chances of success. (more…)
Success Advice
7 Ways to Face Adversity Using the Power of Extreme Ownership

Adversity is an inevitable part of our lives, and it is an important and defining factor of our personal story. The stories we build for ourselves in the face of adversity will either empower or discourage us emotionally, help us move forward or remain stuck in the past, allow us to grow or to decline. (more…)
Success Advice
Why Your Confidence Needs to Match Your Competence

Even if you produce amazing results at your job or in other areas of your life, others may still not see you as being competent if you lack the confidence to back it up. If you are good at your job, exuding confidence will ensure others also recognize your competence in your area of expertise. And research backs this up. (more…)
-
Success Advice4 weeks ago
5 Powerful Reasons Why You Should Write Down Your Goals
-
Life3 weeks ago
3 of the Most Important Life Lessons You Can Learn From Sports
-
Life4 weeks ago
How to Discover the Fears That Impede Your Behaviors and Thwart Your Plans
-
Life4 weeks ago
How to Crush Fear, Beat Imposter Syndrome, and Create a Fulfilled Life
-
Motivation3 weeks ago
How to Use the 3 Sins of Motivation to Achieve Your Goals
-
Entrepreneurs3 weeks ago
Entrepreneurs: Here’s the Best Method to Help You Get Your Money Right
-
Success Advice3 weeks ago
How Can I Stay Organized When I Have Too Much on My Plate? Here’s How:
-
Life2 weeks ago
10 Remarkable Lessons From an Unconventional School Teacher
Niraj Yadav
Jan 6, 2016 at 3:46 pm
I liked the numbers 5 and 6.
We must not be afraid of failure any time in our life.
“Success is the journey of one failure to another”.
Learning new skills will fill us with self-confidence.
Chris
Jan 4, 2016 at 7:05 am
Nice article. I like the idea of putting an hour aside to research something you’re interested in, move away from the structure and just poke around in some information. As you say it’s not procrastination if you learn something.
Jonathan
Jan 6, 2016 at 2:44 am
Glad to see you enjoyed the article Chris, it really is important to take some time to just feed your mind, besides you’ll never know when that obscure piece of trivia you learnt can come in handy!
Name:Ankit
Jan 4, 2016 at 4:00 am
This is an awesome article about curiosity. 🙂
Lawrence Berry
Jan 4, 2016 at 3:02 am
Great article about curiosity and the passion of it behind the successful. I can relate to the article in a lot if ways as I am always seeking new experiences and always asking questions. There is whole world to explore and learn about out there, and I could never understand how someone could be complacent with their life. I am always on a quest. Thanks for sharing.
Jonathan
Jan 6, 2016 at 2:46 am
If you’re always learning then you’re always finding new ways to win, just a fact of life. Great to see such an awesome attitude from the A2S community!
Stephen Osoko
Jan 4, 2016 at 12:54 am
Great post!
I can tell that you took a lot of time with this.
I personally have adopted no. 6
Keep going.
Jonathan
Jan 6, 2016 at 2:47 am
Thanks for noticing Stephen, it really was a fun article to write. Always happy to provide value to fellow entrepreneurs out there.
Addicted 2 The Grind
Jan 3, 2016 at 7:25 pm
Failure stop a lot of people from doing anything at all.
some people fear not getting the results they want and others fear what others will think and say if they fail.
If you can get over the fear of failure you can accomplish great things .
Great post .
Jonathan
Jan 6, 2016 at 2:45 am
Fear is just one of those things that can really consume you if you let it, glad you enjoyed it the article 🙂