Curiosity – One Simple Tweak to Transform Your Time

Curiosity conquers fear …

Curiosity killed the cat. Remember that saying?

Well, I’m stopping in today to take a closer look at that idea- and to encourage you to reconsider it.

Curiosity is the opposite of self-criticism – that cloying feeling that traps you and puts a lid on your creativity. Curiosity frees you up — there is nothing  lethal about it.

So, step back and think about your curiosity and how it feels to you — how it affects your perspective and energy in the moment. And here are a few quotes about curiosity to get you started.

• “Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning.” ~ William Arthur Ward

• “I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

• “Curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will.” ~ James Stephens

So here’s a tip for you – one that I hope will help you see how curiosity is a trait that counters fear, opens doors, and transforms time.

TIP: Curiosity actually kills the critic.

Behind fear lurks the inner critic. Do you put off decisions, fearing that you’ll judge yourself for mistakes? That can eat up a lot of time. Fortunately, curiosity has a wonderful power to dispel all kinds of fears.

So whenever you freeze up, try asking yourself a friendly, open-ended question. It’s an excellent antidote to the inner critic’s reproaches.

ACTION STEP: Curiosity Asks Questions

When you feel yourself constrict, take a deep breath. Feel yourself relax. You have the space to do this, and it is empowering to claim it.

As you let out your breath, ask yourself a friendly question. It could be as simple and generic as,

• “What is happening here?”
• “What is my best response to this going to be?”
• “Where is the learning for me?”

The great thing about these questions is that they are pragmatic, focused on right now, and self-referenced. Your personal power is real. It is grounded in the present and in your ability to learn and grow.

EXPLORATION: Curiosity Transforms Time

You hold in your hands endless possibilities when it comes to enriching your work process.

The more frequently you engage in curious, warm and supportive conversations with yourself, the more fruitful your self-talk becomes. That’s because you are getting to know yourself better and better!

This rich self-knowledge is such a far cry from the dire, self-fulfilling prophecies of the inner critic. You prove the critic wrong, every time you refuse to put yourself down! And instead, you develop a dynamic and productive inner partnership using supportive questions. What could be better?