The Curiosity Matrix- 9 Habits of Curious Minds⁠↗

Some people tend to be more systematically curious than others. Those curious minds are generally adventurous, creative, less risk-averse, and seem to seek and enjoy exploration more than others.

Curious minds are not only comfortable in the in-betweens, they actively seek out those transitional moments of personal growth. Rather than racing through the uncomfortable phase of not-knowing, they enjoy exploring the gap between what they know and what they don’t know. They can fall in love with problems and revel in what poet Mary Oliver calls “the pleasure of mystery.”

Instead of thinking about the world in a linear way, curious minds think in maps. They practice networked thinking and combinational creativity, and find delight when discovering an unexpected connection between two ideas. Their mind is a garden and the world a giant playground where ideas can seed their imagination.

For curious minds, every interaction is an opportunity to learn. Exchanging good questions is one of their favorite modes of communication. They not only ask questions to others during conversations, but also to themselves when consuming content. Some of them even keep a list of their favorite questions.

Because the world is full of potential curiosity attractors, curious minds have many interests which may not always overlap. However, it can be hard to channel their curiosity, and the fleeting urge to explore something new just for the sake of novelty can sometimes lead to distraction.

Instead of trying to be the expert in the room, they consider themselves lifelong learners. They are willing to be wrong. And they generously share what they learned with fellow curious minds.

Anything that seems obvious on the surface can become a topic of investigation for curious minds. They wonder about the reality of default definitions and test their assumptions through experimentation.

Because they want to deeply understand the world and others around them, curious minds tend to be empathetic. They try to listen without judgment and to embody the words of Thích Nhất Hạnh: “If we cannot listen mindfully, we cannot practice right speech. No matter what we say, it will not be mindful, because we’ll be speaking only our own ideas and not in response to the other person.”

Any thought or emotion can be the seed of self-discovery for curious minds.

For curious minds, the fact that the world keeps on changing is a feature, not a bug. They believe that their response determines how much disruptions affect them, and they choose to respond with curiosity. They surf with chaos to not only survive, but to thrive in chaotic times.