Known for his curiosity, the little brown monkey was happy in the African jungle. According to one source, he followed “The Man with the Yellow Hat” home to the big city. He’s a legend. His name is Curious George.
Based on the movie about Curious George, there is…
- No creature more curious
- If there’s a laugh, he’s up for it
- If there’s trouble, he’s behind it
- If there’s a chance for adventure, he’s ready to go
What were you like, as a kid?
Being inquisitive means you enjoy a strong desire to learn, know, and explore … to grow. Curiosity suggests open-mindedness and freedom.
What constrains curiosity?
One of my clients recently straddled his Harley for a trip to Tennessee. This medical doctor and his wife zigzagged through Northwest Arkansas, stopped to explore when something sparked their curiosity, and did not make hotel reservations in advance. He reported, “It was a great trip!”
As a leader, he is inclined to micro-manage. He had lost his freedom and was working exceedingly long hours. He has been working on “releasing control” in his practice … on the road he re-discovered the joy of exploration and received the reward of renewal.
One hindrance of curiosity is a “need to control.” How do you experience freedom while holding on tightly? Think about it: what happens when you set out to control the conversation? The need to control limits inquisitiveness.
Curious people understand the advantage of releasing control.
When are you curious?
Another constraint on curiosity is time; it takes time to explore. Have you noticed how “time poor” people are today?
How busy are you? Everyone is so “busy.” The pace of life, over-commitment, and distractions leave little margin. For example which is easier: to tell them what to do or to ask open-ended questions and listen? You’re right! It takes time to explore, even in a conversation.
When our grandchildren visit, they love to explore our koi pond and big backyard; they discover frogs and worms, love feeding the fish and climbing on the rocks. When given freedom and time to explore and curiosity takes over … it’s amazing how happy they are during those times.
So Rita and I made the commitment to explore when they visit. Now, we go to area parks, walk the pedestrian bridge over the river, explore the Oklahoma Aquarium, and yes, we’ve taken them to the “Center of the Universe” in downtown Tulsa. How fun when trains rumble under our feet!
It takes freedom (letting go) and time to be curious, but the reward is “happy people.” Happy people do things differently and have more success.
One Curious Question
What hinders you more: a “need to control” or a “lack of time?”
Here’s to your curiosity, happiness, and future success –
Steve
One-on-One
Just for fun the Curious George movie trailer.
Photo credit: Loren Javier via Compfight
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