Curiosity Changed A Galaxy

When we first meet Luke Skywalker in 'Star Wars', he's a restless young man yearning for something more than a mundane existence on Tatooine. His curiosity about a droid carrying a secret message from a captured princess sets him on an epic journey that ultimately topples an empire. As it would!

Curiosity can bring down empires.

Luke's willingness to follow his inquisitive nature, no matter how seemingly insignificant the catalyst, put him on a path to greatness. If he had ignored that random droid and its odd message, the entire Star Wars saga would have turned out very differently, HE would have turned out very differently. The Rebellion may have failed, the Empire could have reigned unchallenged, and Luke's (Force) abilities may never have been unlocked.

But because he decided to investigate the droids and listen to Old Ben Kenobi's call for help, Luke became the unlikely hero who destroyed the Death Star, faced the Emperor, and sparked the beginnings of a New Republic.

We could all take a lesson from the farm boy who let his curiosity chart an unexpected course into legend. How many opportunities have we missed by dismissing seemingly unremarkable situations as trivial rather than embracing a curious mindset? What hidden possibilities might we have noticed or unlocked if we followed the inquisitive notions that spark our interest? In todays world of distraction addiction, it's mega easy to let our curious natures be put on auto-scroll. What are we missing in life when we let that happen?

I'm making a May the 4th promise to myself. If something piques my curiosity - no matter how small - I'm going to be a little more like Luke and not let the opportunity pass me by unexplored. You never know where answering that nagging "why?" might take you. It could be the first step (into a larger world) on a path towards your own epic journey of self-discovery, achievement, or changing the world in ways you can't yet imagine.

See where your own spirit of inquisitive adventure leads. Like a young Luke, gazing longingly at twin suns on a dusty planet at the edge of the galaxy, curiosity will be the catalyst for learning, discovery, adventures and impact.

Reclaiming our curiosity is an act of hope. Join me at the next Tilt Talk in London to get some practical tools and insights to do just that!