Using Curiosity As Your North Star Will Lead You to Happiness
Your mind is telling you something
Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash
Curiosity is your mind attempting to point you in the right direction.
Your mind is trying to tell you what you should spend time on. It wants you to explore the world, art, science, find answers, learn, and grow.
The happiest people are those who heard curiosity calling their name and spent their lives following that voice.
Curiosity is your north star and if you chase it, happiness will follow.
Where will your curiosity take you?
Passion comes from curiosity
Imagine waking up every day and working on something you are truly passionate about. It’s a gift that should be more common.
Why is it that barely anyone possesses this gift?
Unfortunately, few people have followed their curiosity for long enough to see this become a reality.
We have been taught to take the “safe” road, and that often means not following your curiosity (which seems backwards).
Following your curiosity has many benefits.
For one, you do not get bored. There is always more to learn, explore and experiment with.
As you continue to explore your curiosity, the results of your exploration give you bursts of happiness. The further you explore, the more happiness you receive.
This is a never-ending journey that has led to many incredible scientific discoveries, innovations and experiences for mankind.
As passion is born, so is the willingness to work endlessly, and the willingness to tolerate what others can not.
Excellence does not have to come from a higher pain tolerance (as some might suggest), but simply because passion from curiosity is one of the biggest motivators one can have.
This passion can push you to greatness.
But, without curiosity, that passion is rarely born or appropriately harnessed.
“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” - Albert Einstein
Innovation occurs through curiosity
The greatest innovations were the result of individuals following their curiosity. As they explored, they innovated, and those innovations have changed how we live.
Whether it was innovation that led to the automobile, the internet, or the iPhone it all came from curious individuals.
Innovation is all about doing more with less.
The first computer was weaker than your cell phone and bigger than your bedroom. Over time, computation became cheaper to produce and more powerful.
That was innovation at work.
The first Model T got 21 miles per gallon and had a max speed of 40 miles per hour. Today, some cars weigh twice as much and get far better gas mileage, while being capable of going 3x faster.
It’s even more impressive once you consider the innovation in electric cars.
Innovation makes our lives easier and more luxurious, it helps reduce poverty, improve education, elevate our health and connect us.
Nearly everything around us was made by humans. Curious humans.
We should be thanking these humans who followed their curiosity for making our lives what they are today.
My point is you should not be afraid to be curious.
And you should never suppress it.
Not only will it benefit you, but it often benefits the world for years to come.
“Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and you can change it.” - Steve Jobs
Art is born
It’s hard to explain the kind of beauty that art brings to our lives.
If an alien were to come from far far away to try and understand humans, they would see no practical use for art. It is in a way, only for pleasure.
For example, one could consider the iPhone art. The sleek and zen-like design doesn’t necessarily make it more useful, but it is beautiful, so it is designed the way it is.
In more classical art, it is simply paintings or sculptures that show the beauty that the artist envisioned or witnessed.
And yet, even though art serves no practical purpose, it makes us happy. So for that reason, art is a major upside of following your curiosity.
Since the beginning of civilization, art has been created by humans following their curiosity and passion that was born from it. This art brings us happiness, and pleasure and helps us connect.
Because each of our curious journeys happens slightly differently, so does the art. That means there will forever be a never-ending supply of unique art purely for your satisfaction.
In its own way, innovation is also art.
As we learn to use what is at our disposal and make the best of it, art is created.
Cars while innovative, are art. The iPhone again, while innovative, is art.
Building homes is also art.
And the same could be said in the tech world. Developers build new software that changes the world. One could call this, “computer art”.
A “few” lines of code can create something massive out of nothing.
So, no matter where you go or what you do with your curiosity, art is created.
And art makes us happy.
Conclusions
Many of us lose the curiosity that drives us as children as we grow up. It is an unfortunate truth.
Those who lose curiosity often end up as some of the most unhappy people. Meanwhile, those who are constantly following their curiosity are almost always excited, and happy and keep moving even through hardship.
Curiosity acts as your north star and in a way, serves as your purpose.
So, if you’re ever feeling lost or unhappy, ask yourself, “What am I curious about?” and then walk in that direction.
Thanks for reading.