Forever Young: How to Cultivate Your Curiosity

Last week Drew McLellan (blog) wrote about how a reader of his wondered if he could outgrow marketing (Read the MP Daily Fix article here). He was concerned that he was quickly becoming the oldest person in the room. In response to this reader, I suggested that the way to avoid obsolescence was is to cultivate a constant state of curiosity. We stay mentally young by always seeking to learn something new.

Knowing that is one thing, but practicing it is entirely different. Drew asked, "[H]ow do you stay curious and how do you stay connected with what you need to learn?"

Become a skeptical optimist
Hasty optimism can lead you to dedicate precious limited resources for every new fad. Untempered infatuation with every new medium and process can cause death by a thousand cuts.

On the other hand, skepticism can be paralyzing by preventing you from doing anything until it's been tested, which puts you behind the power curve in a highly competitive environment.

How does one reconcile two traits that are seemingly mutually exclusive? Simple: Embrace the "genius of the AND" (For more on this concept, refer to Jim Collins and Jerry Porras in the classic Built to Last).

In his farewell address (text), President Ronald Reagan commented on the increasingly improved relations with the U.S.S.R. under Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. While he expressed hope that Gorbachev was sincere and capable, Reagan understood that not only are nations with long histories and large bureaucracies slow in changing course, they often snap back to preserve their traditions.

"It's still trust but verify. It's still play, but cut the cards. It's still watch closely. And don't be afraid to see what you see." [emphasis added]

Similarly, don't be afraid of exploration and discovery when something seems likely to help your company achieve its goals, but don't be afraid to see what you see. Build your organization so that you can be more nimble than your competitors (especially if you desire to kill giants of your industry, since speed and fluidity can be your essential advantage over them).

Here's how you do it:

1. Be humble. None of us really knows the breadth and depth of our own ignorance. Realizing that is the key to harvesting an open mind (and the key to a healthy skepticism, too).
2. Ask, "Why?" Don't rely on the reasoning ability of others to tell you. Come prepared with your own questions and answers. You will often see how people arrive at a similar answer that complements your own reasons. Come up with a satisfactory answer for everyone, and you're more likely to find a solution to the bumps in the road that will inevitably occur. Just don't be afraid to see what you see.
3. Ask, "What if?" Project the consequences. Consider all of the stakeholders, and take a long view.
4. Take the contrary position. Project the consequences. Force yourself to see the other side.
5. Read. Explore areas outside of your expertise. You might find parallels you didn't know existed, and that may give you ideas about whom to invite to your war room when the time comes to formulate or fight for an idea.
6. Share. Unshared knowledge cannot be vetted and tested, and it's ultimately useless.
7. Revisit. Don't be afraid to see what you see.

How do you stay curious? - Cam Beck

Comments

[Lewis Green]

Cam,

I would add Care enough about people to be curious. I am just an old busybody who talks to strangers everywhere I go. Man, they teach me a lot and get me interested in things I otherwise would not care about. Passion about others keeps this 61-year-old wanting to learn and some something difference everyday.

[Cam Beck]

Lewis - You're so right. I meant "consider all the stakeholders" to encompass that, but it is important enough to warrant its own point -- perhaps even the first one.

The more we genuinely care about the fate of others, the greater our vesting and responsibility to seek and produce desirable results.

Thank you for making that important point.

[Roger von Oech]

Good advice. The most difficult, in my experience:

"Revisit. Don't be afraid to see what you see."

Each of us has long-operating biases that make this especially challnging.

[Jim Stroup]

Hi Cam,

This is absolutely terrific advice, and the list starts off with a winner, one that everyone should apply in all aspects of their lives.

Thanks for a great presentation of an important idea!