This is George.
He lived in Africa.
He was very happy
But he had one fault
He was too curious…
George was caught…
George was sad, but he
was still a little curious….
They took him away
and shut him in a prison.
Curiosity was in the news this past week. With the passing of Stephen Hawking, many reflected on his immense curiosity:
My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all.
Stephen Hawking might be a unique individual (understatement) in that he was able to retain his child-like sense of wonder throughout his life. Children, and Stephen Hawking, lack the self-consciousness that enables them to admit that they don’t know.
There are some theories as to why adults are generally less curious. It seems that we, adults, become more rigid, self-conscious and more concerned about how we are perceived by others. We might be less willing to acknowledge that we don’t know something and we resist experiences that challenge our current biases.
Or perhaps, we have been read Curious George too many times as a child creating a belief that curiosity gets you caught, in trouble and perhaps even in jail.
But curiosity is an important trait that has brought us quarks, and moon shots, and the exploration of our world. To be curious is to have
an insatiable hunger to learn and understand everything one can about life and his/her circumstances. It is a hunger for knowledge, growth, and development that ignites passionand purpose. This, of course, requires a desire to solve problems and put ideas into action through a process of asking effective questions that allow one to adapt to life in optimal ways. (IQ Matrix)
What are you insatiably hungry to learn?