Todd Kashdan, professor of psychology at George Mason University and the author of the book Curious?: Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life, once conducted a study that found that people who exhibit high levels of curiosity experience higher levels of satisfaction with life than their more disengaged peers. The “engine of growth,” as he calls curiosity, is important because it helps us create and discover meaning in life. By trying new things, you can unearth new hobbies, desires, and goals. Learning doesn’t and shouldn’t stop after you finish school, and in fact, being curious helps our brains stay young and is a protective factor against degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
How do you cultivate curiosity? Here are a couple of my suggestions.
1. Try new things despite your fear of them.
Yoga, sushi, skydiving, and public speaking are just a couple of examples you could try. You never know…maybe you’ll become addicted to it. If not, at least you can say you tried.
2. Take classes.
If you find something you’re interested in, why not learn more about it? For example, I love taking yoga classes and it’s a great way to take a break from the office. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to learn to tango or play poker. Find the opportunity to learn!
3. Research your questions and interesting topics.
Why is the sky blue? How many people in the U.S. go hunting annually? What nonprofits need the most help in my city? It seems like there’s little that a quick Google search can’t fix these days. Write down your questions and look them up. If anything, you’ll have something interesting to talk about during awkward family gatherings.
Now, are you curious about how Far West Capital can help your business? Let me teach you about asset-based lending; give us a call!
