Curiosity - the Spark that Ignites Creativity

At the Bauer Academy we’re a huge fan of Ken Robinson (creativity expert, author, international education consultant and all round good guy. If you haven’t seen his TED talk on education check it out here). As well as being fully on board with his rally cry that the education system needs an overhaul, one thing that really struck a chord with me is his beautifully simple way of articulating the basic stages of the creative process: imagination, creativity and innovation.

These can often be hard to define as they have many crossover elements but he manages it beautifully. To paraphrase, our imagination is when we bring things to mind that aren't present in our senses and is the root of creativity. Creativity itself is putting your imagination to work, it is ‘applied imagination’. And innovation is putting those new ideas into practice (‘applied creativity’). Such a refreshingly easy way to think of things.

Equally important in this discussion and another element which sits alongside the imagination as a necessary seed of creativity is curiosity.  

The case for curiosity

Curiosity is the spark that ignites the imagination in the first place. Without curiosity there would be no innovation, no art, no culture, no progress.  

It is slowly beaten out of us as we grow out of childhood and have to conform, tow the line, fit in, follow the rules. We are told that ‘curiosity killed the cat’ and are encouraged to be risk averse in all that we do. We get frustrated at our children constantly asking us why...? We have google at our disposal to answer any question we have, which stops us pondering and exploring different possibilities in our minds. Any time we do question something we are often told ‘that’s the way we’ve always done it’ (this last one is a particular bugbear of mine).

And yet, this is at odds with today’s strong appetite for innovation and creative thinking. These are - quite rightly - highly desired attributes of both individuals and businesses but culture and society is still a long way off from making the practice of innovation and creative thinking the norm. Too often a company will say they want creative minds but will stifle them as soon as they are in the door, unwilling to take necessary risks associated with new ideas. To use a well worn phrase, they try and fit a square peg in a round hole. You can have all the creative talent at your disposal and still see no real creative output if your business and processes don’t allow that talent to thrive. We need to shift our mindset and traditional thought processes and instead foster cultures that encourage curiosity, that really value and reward it (rather than just paying lip service to the latest buzzwords and trends). Change at this scale is never easy, but I’m an eternal optimist and am very much enjoying the Academy’s small part in trying to disrupt the status quo.

Regardless of whether it’s for professional or personal reasons, there are so many benefits to being curious that it’s worthwhile learning how to practice and hone the skill. In an age of misinformation, digital overload, and technological disruption, being more curious can help you to stay grounded, consider things from all sides, be more empathetic, find brilliant solutions to problems and be prepared for a future where we won’t know the answers, we’ll have to figure them out. More than anything it will help you live an enriched life, taking more notice of things rather than just constantly passively consuming. It is a skill which should be right up there (above the usual suspects) on anyone’s CV.

How to cultivate your curiosity 

There are some people who are naturally curious, those instinctive problem solvers who like a good mystery or those who enjoy taking things apart to understand how they work (this is a good time to interject and say that curiosity doesn't always lead to eureka moments or success, it can just as often lead to broken appliances or a mess, but I’d wager lots of learning in the process!)

However if being curious doesn’t come naturally to you, it is something you can work on improving. Even curiosity champions like myself can fall foul of the daily grind and find ourselves drifting into routines that feel safe and comfortable so it’s good to regularly check in with yourself and practice some of these steps

1. Question everything

This is one of our values in the Academy and for very good reason. Whether it’s facing a new challenge, being presented with new information or a news story, or just going about your day to day activities, don’t just accept that things are the way they are. Instead, start to wonder about ‘why’ things are the way they are.  

‘What would happen if…?’ is a great starting point for brainstorming and coming up with creative solutions.

Other questions you could regularly ask yourself include... ‘I wonder why / how / what….? How does this work….? How did they do that….? How else could that be used? What makes this product great (or terrible!)? Who wrote this? What agenda might they have? How could you look at it differently? What is the opposite of this? ‘Wouldn't it be great if…..?’

2. Challenge the status quo

Linked to the above point, really question why things are done a certain way and if that could be changed or improved. As a tutor, I regularly tell learners that I will be sharing my knowledge and my own experience on how things have worked to date but I expect them to ask why and not to be afraid to challenge myself and other tutors. They are the talent of the future after all. Things evolve and teachers need to facilitate learning and creative thinking rather than just lecturing their views as the gospel.  

There’s an old story I love to tell about someone who cooks a roast and cuts either end off the joint before putting it in the oven. When questioned about why they do that (does it make it more succulent? Help with the cooking process?) they said they didn’t know, it’s how their mother always did it. Curious, they then asked the mum who said she learned it from her own mother but didn’t know the reason for it. When they finally asked the grandmother about it , she laughed and said that she used to have a small oven so had to cut the ends off to fit the roast into the oven. Nothing to do with the actual cooking and a waste of meat for a couple of generations worth of roasts. Don’t just do things because that’s always why they’ve been done.  

Try it yourself. Assess things you take for granted or do on autopilot. It might be that what you’re doing works perfectly fine for you but just the act of thinking about it makes you more curious and more purposeful in what you’re doing. And on the flipside, you might just find new and better ways of doing things.

3. Be bold! Don’t worry about what others think of you

Sometimes we are curious but don’t want to stand out from the crowd or worry that we’ll seem stupid if we ask a question or show we don’t quite understand. Have you ever been grateful for someone asking a question that you were thinking? Be that person! Get comfortable with questioning until you understand something. Who knows, you might even inspire others too.

4. Expose yourself to new experiences

We are creatures of habit and naturally gravitate towards what is familiar but you'll never have your curiosity piqued unless you experience new things. Get out of your normal routine, learn something new, buy a magazine on a subject you have no knowledge of, walk or drive a different way home, soak up new experiences like a sponge. Creativity is often coming up with novel ideas from different sources of inspiration so the more you experience new things and apply a curious mindset as you do, the more naturally open you’ll be to new ideas and solutions.  

5. Switch off and let your mind wander

This is probably the hardest thing to do in our digitally plugged in world but there are lots of research studies which confirm boredom is good for us and enhances our brain function and creativity, so it’s important to try and create opportunities to let your mind drift rather than filling it with something to passively consume. 

A good way of starting this is to be aware the next time you find yourself in a situation where you’d instinctively pull your phone out - whether it’s waiting in a queue at a shop, waiting for the kettle to boil, out for a walk or sitting on the bus or train. Resist the temptation to check your phone and instead just let your mind wander. Be open to your surroundings while you do - creative insights often come when you are not specifically concentrating on the problem but it’s ticking along in the background (which explains why many people say they have their best ideas in the shower or when driving).  

Word of warning - switching off is not easy. We’ve become addicted to our devices and find ways to fill our time and our minds instinctively. However switching off does work so just start small until you get used to being more comfortable with your own thoughts and then start to build up. Who knows, you might just bore yourself creative!  

6. Practice Empathy 

To be empathetic is to be curious about (and open to) others feelings. If you spend any time on twitter you might be feeling that there’s not much empathy left in the world but being curious about someone’s thoughts, beliefs and experiences is a great way to get a better understanding of them and why they might behave a certain way. It can also help you to really understand your own thoughts and beliefs more.   

Practice putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, try seeing the world from different perspectives. You don’t have to agree with those perspectives but by shifting the lense from your own narrow view you will get a much deeper, richer understanding of the world and of others.

In business it can lead to insights about customers, colleagues, markets and competitors. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is a highly quoted characteristic of leadership and empathy goes a long way to increasing your EQ. I would say I’m naturally empathetic but still find that reading from a wide and diverse range of authors and seeking out new perspectives on things are good ways to nurture it further.  

A point worth flagging - if something makes you uncomfortable and defensive, talk a pause and question why. Listen to understand rather than pulling the shutters down and digging your heels in. Trust me, it will help you navigate the world better. 

7. Be more childlike

‘Find time to play’ is one of our most quoted values in the Academy.  We are huge advocates of the benefits of play in learning, connecting with others, developing key skills, relieving stress and, let’s not forget, having fun. I have two children and am amazed at how vital play is in how they gain an understanding of the world around them. Play comes naturally to kids, they are amazing at it and we can all learn a thing or two from them. They can take any game, toy or object and turn it into something entirely different from its intended purpose. I very quickly gave up trying to get my eldest (now 5) to play things ‘the right way’ and instead followed his lead, and you know what? A lot of the time it’s more fun. It’s certainly always brimming with creativity and imagination.  

It’s not just the benefits of play that we can learn from children. Their sense of wonder at the world is a gift, to see things through their fresh eyes is magical. When was the last time you were in awe of something? And yet there is so much around us to be inspired and delighted by. It’s just that as adults we might have to be a bit more intentional about seeking it out.

Children are naturally curious which can sometimes drive us up the wall (they ask a LOT of questions!) but the reality is we need to be more like them and not the other way around. Follow their lead and look for opportunities to be more childlike in all that you do. Minus the tantrums of course.

When you’re curious, everything is an adventure. And when you’re curious from a business perspective, everything is an opportunity. I can’t think of any better reasons for taking time to nurture your curiosity and turn every day apathy into interesting exploration.