There is no time for curiosity. You have a commute, an important job with plenty of overtime, a mortgage and kids with homework and sports. Personal and professional deadlines hound you and the need to stick with processes and regulations ensure you stay focused. Keep your eyes on the task at hand. I know, you don't really have time to even be reading this post because the urgent or honey do list is pulling at your pant leg. Something else is waiting for your attention and it is very patient. This dear friend sits in the shadows. If necessary, it will wait your whole life, sitting on the sidelines, awaiting your notice. This companion was by your side in the early days as you explored the world around you, trying to make sense of how things worked. Constant questions; what is inside the box, how far does the knob turn, can I make a fort out of it, are dragons always purple, does it fit, what happens if I put it here. You could learn all day with this friend curiosity, by your side. You learned because you had questions and wondered. Now, your curiosity is limited to wondering how many sit-ups will be required to maintain the six-pack abs after the ice cream sandwich or if you can zeroize your inbox by Friday evening. Curiosities boundless energy is hamstrung with the first return of the Google search. Back in the shadows curiosity; I have my answer, there is no need to wonder. A new friend explained how much fun she is having exploring the startup world and what kind of problems these go-getters are trying to solve. She is intentionally pushing back on her schedule to make room to explore and follow her curiosity with much joy. Curiosity was as big as your imagination when you were a child and was able to deliver the world to you. If you desire its companionship, then make space to get reacquainted with your old friend; it is waiting.
What have you postponed learning about because of the demands of life? What was the last thing you were curious about? What is a mystery to you? What kept your interest as a kid? How does the prospect of exploring your curiosity excite you? What 17 minutes could you invest this week to pursue a curiosity? How could you make this a habit?