4ReasonsWhyCuriosityisImportantandHowtoDevelop

It

TheimportantthingisnottostopquestioningNeverloseaholycuriosity.
AlbertEinstein
Curiosityisanimportanttraitofagenius.Idontthinkyoucanfindanintellectualgiantwhoisnotacurious
person.ThomasEdison,LeonardodaVinci,AlbertEinstein,RichardFeynman,theyareallcurious
characters.RichardFeynmanwasespeciallyknownforhisadventureswhichcamefromhiscuriosity.
Butwhyiscuriositysoimportant?Herearefourreasons:
1.Itmakesyourmindactiveinsteadofpassive
Curiouspeoplealwaysaskquestionsandsearchforanswersintheirminds.Theirmindsarealways
active.Sincethemindislikeamusclewhichbecomesstrongerthroughcontinualexercise,themental
exercisecausedbycuriositymakesyourmindstrongerandstronger.
2.Itmakesyourmindobservantofnewideas
Whenyouarecuriousaboutsomething,yourmindexpectsandanticipatesnewideasrelatedtoit.When
theideascometheywillsoonberecognized.Withoutcuriosity,theideasmaypassrightinfrontofyou
andyetyoumissthembecauseyourmindisnotpreparedtorecognizethem.Justthink,howmanygreat
ideasmayhavelostduetolackofcuriosity?
3.Itopensupnewworldsandpossibilities
Bybeingcuriousyouwillbeabletoseenewworldsandpossibilitieswhicharenormallynotvisible.They
arehiddenbehindthesurfaceofnormallife,andittakesacuriousmindtolookbeneaththesurfaceand
discoverthesenewworldsandpossibilities.
4.Itbringsexcitementintoyourlife
Thelifeofcuriouspeopleisfarfromboring.Itsneitherdullnorroutine.Therearealwaysnewthingsthat
attracttheirattention,therearealwaysnewtoystoplaywith.Insteadofbeingbored,curiouspeople
haveanadventurouslife.
Now,knowingtheimportanceofcuriosity,herearesometipstodevelopit:

1.Keepanopenmind
Thisisessentialifyouaretohaveacuriousmind.Beopentolearn,unlearn,andrelearn.Somethingsyou
knowandbelievemightbewrong,andyoushouldbepreparedtoacceptthispossibilityandchangeyour
mind.
2.Donttakethingsasgranted
Ifyoujustaccepttheworldasitiswithouttryingtodigdeeper,youwillcertainlylosetheholycuriosity.
Nevertakethingsasgranted.Trytodigdeeperbeneaththesurfaceofwhatisaroundyou.
3.Askquestionsrelentlessly
Asurewaytodigdeeperbeneaththesurfaceisaskingquestions:Whatisthat?Whyisitmadethatway?
Whenwasitmade?Whoinventedit?Wheredoesitcomefrom?Howdoesitwork?What,why,when,who,
where,andhowarethebestfriendsofcuriouspeople.
4.Dontlabelsomethingasboring
Wheneveryoulabelsomethingasboring,youcloseonemoredoorofpossibilities.Curiouspeopleare
unlikelytocallsomethingasboring.Instead,theyalwaysseeitasadoortoanexcitingnewworld.Evenif
theydontyethavetimetoexploreit,theywillleavethedooropentobevisitedanothertime.
5.Seelearningassomethingfun
Ifyouseelearningasaburden,theresnowayyouwillwanttodigdeeperintoanything.Thatwilljustmake
theburdenheavier.Butifyouthinkoflearningassomethingfun,youwillnaturallywanttodigdeeper.So
lookatlifethroughtheglassesoffunandexcitementandenjoythelearningprocess..
6.Readdiversekindsofreading
Dontspendtoomuchtimeonjustoneworldtakealookatanotherworlds.Itwillintroduceyoutothe
possibilitiesandexcitementoftheotherworldswhichmaysparkyourinteresttoexplorethemfurther.One
easywaytodothisisthroughreadingdiversekindsofreading.Trytopickabookormagazineonanew
subjectandletitfeedyourmindwiththeexcitementofanewworld.
Therestaurantmanagerwhospeakswithpoiseandgracetothepatroncomplainingloudlyaboutthewait
service.Thelevelheadedfriendyoucallinyourgreatesttimesofneed.Thecompassionatebutcomposed
rescueworkerwhoaidsvictimsafteranaturalcatastrophe.Thepartnerwhoangersrarely,forgiveseasily,
andassumesaccountabilityfortheiractions.ThesuccessfulCEOwhobalancesherprofession,herfamily
responsibilities,andherpersonalhobbieswithequalmeasuresofcalmandconfidence.
Whatdothesepeoplehaveincommon?
Intwowords:EmotionalIntelligence.Arelativelynewtrendintherealmofpopcultureandpsychologytoday,
EmotionalIntelligenceorEQhasexistedsincethebeginningoftime.AccordingtoPsychologyToday,
thepreeminentsiteformentalhealtheducationandinformation,EmotionalIntelligenceisdefinedasan
aptitudeforidentifyingandmanagingemotions,andtheemotionsofothers.Itconsistsofthreeprimary
skills:theabilitytoanalyzeinterioremotionsandthefeelingsofthosearoundthem,thecapacitytoapply
emotionstotasks,andthefacilitytotakecontrolofemotionswhetheritsmanagingtheirownbeforethey
veeroutofcontrol,orhavingthestrengthandcapabilitytomakeanotherpersonsmile,settledown,or
handleasituationappropriately.

ThosewithhighEmotionalIQshavebeenproventoenjoymoreprosperityinlife.Whethertheyreina
socialorprofessionalenvironment,theythrive.Studiesdemonstratetheyhavefewermentalhealthissues,
includingdepressionandanxiety.Theirpersonallivesarenttrainwrecks,preciselybecausetheyrelived
fromthepointofthoughtfulandmeaningfuldecisions.Theyoutperformothers,excelattheirjobs,are
happyintheirrelationships,andconsistentlyworktowardsattainingpositiveresultsinallaspectsoflife.So,
thequestionis,whatdonttheydo?
Hereare7thingsemotionallyintelligentpeople,asarule,avoid:

1.Theydontgetcaughtupinotherpeoplesdrama.
OneofthehallmarksofEmotionalIntelligenceisempathy,andthosewithhighEQsextendittoeveryone
theycross.Buttheresanenormousdifferencebetweendisplayingempathytowardsafriendorlovedone
andallowinganotherpersonsrageormiserytoincense,dominate,ormerelyinfluenceoneswellbeing.
Thinkofthehistrionicbehaviorofyourcoworkerwhoisdistraughtnotbecauseshesgoingthrougha
breakupbutbecauseherfriendis.Orthatcousinofyourswho,insteadoffocusingonherindividual
personalcrises,purposefullyseeksoutpeoplewhoaredistressedsothatherproblemsdisappearvia
distractionahabitsoingrainedshecantseemtoaddressherthecomplicationsinherownlife.
Emotionallyintelligentpeople,ontheotherhand,listencarefully,providegentle,loving,butauthoritative
advice,andofferassistance.Buttheydontpermitotherslivesandreactionstoruletheirown.

2.Theydontcomplain.
Whiningandgrumblingimpliestwothingsone,thatwearevictims,andtwo,therearenosolutionstoour
problems.Rarelydoesanemotionallyintelligentpersonfeelvictimized,andevenmoreinfrequentlydoesan
emotionallyintelligentpersonfeelthatasolutionisbeyondtheirgrasp.Insteadoflookingforsomeoneor
somethingtoblame,theyimmediatelythinkofhowtoconstructivelyaddressthedilemma.Theyalsoknow
thattheircomplaintsinfluencetheemotionalresponsesofthosearoundthem,andinsteadsearchforways
tobemoanthedissolutionofarelationshiporadisappointmentwithafriendinprivate,effectiveways
whetheritstakingayogaclass,meditatingaloneatapark,orsimplygettingtheirfeelingsoutonthepage.

3.Theydontalwayssayyestoothersandthemselves.
Likeempathy,selfcontrolandconvictionaresuresignsofanemotionallysolidperson.Emotionally
intelligentpeoplearewellawarethatasecondglassofwinewillleadtonegativeconsequencesthenext
morning,justastheyknowthataninvitationtogoonaspontaneousweekendrendezvouswilldetractthem
fromfulfillingtheirpreexistingcommitments.Theyaredefinitiveabouttheirdecisions,ratherthansayingI
dontknow,maybe?orPerhapsIllskipthegymtoday,whichinvitesdoubtandwiththat,heightened
anxiety,evendepression.
Themoreoftenemotionallyintelligentpeopleexercisetheirrighttosayno,andthemorefrequentlytheyrely
ontheirwillpower,thefreertheyaretoconcentrateontheirambitionsandoverallwellbeing.

4.Theydontgossip.

Emotionallyacutepeoplesidestepgossipasdeterminedlyastheyskirtdrama.Toinvolvethemselvesin
scandaloustalk,theyknow,istoshameanotherforasupposederrorandanemotionallyintelligent
personunderstandsthatallhumansareequallydeserving,andthatwhatothersmightperceiveasa
mistakeisanopportunityforimprovement.

5.Theydontcountonothersforhappinessorconfidence.
Emotionallyintelligentpeopleareselfsufficientinallmannersoflife,includingtheircontentmentandpeace
ofmind.Theyhavelearnedthattobankonsomeoneelsemakingthemfeeljoyfulorworthyistoput
themselvesatriskfordisappointmentandhopelessness.Rather,theytaketheiremotionsintheirownhands
andfindhobbiesthatdelightthem,striveforachievementsthatwillleadtoasenseofselfworth,andsearch
withinforloveandacceptance.

6.Theydontengageinnegativeselftalk.
Whilefewofusareentirelyimmunetothinking(orsaying)pessimisticstatementsthatbeginwithI(Im
unattractive,Ishouldhavedonebetter,Impathetic),emotionallyintelligenthavetheabilitytocurb
cynicalthoughtsbeforetheyfalldowntheproverbialrabbithole.Instead,theyrelyonfactstocometo
conclusions.Forsome,itsamereglanceattheirexperienceandaccomplishmentsoutlinedontheirCVs
forothers,itstheappearanceofacleanandorganizedhouse,oraninternalanalysisofwhattheyvedone
right.
Afterall,emotionallyintelligentpeopleacknowledgethatnegativethoughtsarejustthatthoughtsjust
astheyrecognizethatthederogatoryinteriorvoicestheyheararetheirstoturndown,tuneout,orsilence
completely.

7.Theydontdwellonthepast.
Peoplewhoexistmoreintheirpastthanintheirpresentaresusceptibletoabarrageofmentalandspiritual
grievances,fromregretandnostalgiatoagitationandtrepidation.Emotionallyintelligentpeoplehonortheir
paststhepeopletheyhaveloved,themistakestheyhavemade,theopportunitiestheyveeschewed
butaremindfuloftheimportanceoflivingsquarelyinthehereandnow.
Bylearningfromthepast(insteadofdwellingonit),theemotionallyintelligenthavethepowertoinformtheir
presentwithoutdiminishingtheirabilitytoadvanceorharnessthreeofthemostvitalemotionsofall:Self
satisfaction,gratitude,andhope.