Be curious: In Community #21

We’ve all heard it before: curiosity killed the cat. 

Used as a warning to keep children from asking questions, this simple phrase has discouraged generations from exploring the world around them. But the origin of this phrase is “care killed the cat” – a reference to caring for others being an unnecessary concern.

Last week, I wrote about how caring for ourselves involves 7 distinct types of rest. Today, I’m exploring curiosity, and how this form of caring opens us up and opens up our world.

Think about it: when was the last time you were at a party and one of the first questions you asked someone new didn’t involve what they do for a living?

When was the last time you led by being curious about who they are beyond the title or company – showing you care about who they really are? We have a tendency to define so much of our identities and sense of self through the titles we hold and the jobs we do. But we’re more than our jobs.

I’ve always been curious about people – who they are, who they’ve been, and who they want to be. What motivates us to make the decisions we make, and how do we solve the problems we see? It’s this curiosity that led me to a career understanding human behavior and applying it to product innovation and marketing – to help solve problems I saw.

And it’s curiosity that I’ve seen in the best team members I’ve hired over the years – and a lack of it in those who didn’t see long-term growth. Curiosity allowed me to work across categories and geographies, to travel to new places (mostly because I was curious about trying all the food!), and more. It allowed me to care about my own interests and those of the people around me. 

It’s opened up my world, but it continues to be an underrated trait among us. So take this opportunity to honor your own curiosity. 

👉🏽 What is it that you’ve been wanting to explore but haven’t?

👉🏽 What do you care about that deserves your attention?

👉🏽 How can you build a culture of curiosity into where you spend your time every week?

As Yara Shahidi calls out in the lead of this week’s Need to Know, chasing curiosity can help your purpose constantly unfold in front of you. And it can help us find our place in the world.

Need To Know

💥 Yara Shahidi’s multi-dimensional upbringing drove her curiosity. And the world opened up to her.

💥 Regina King takes her seat at the table. But does her Shirley Chisholm biopic reinforce tropes? 

💥 IYKYK: Latine artists are redefining art. “At the Edge of the Sun” shows how being in community is a choice.

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