Replace Fear of the Unknown With Curiosity
"By replacing fear of the unknown with curiosity we open ourselves up to an infinite
stream of possibility.”
Alan Watts, Philosopher (1915-1973)
I love this image because it takes a number of diverse, complex ideas and hews them down to seven simple words.
As a college professor I work with young people who have been taught to fear the unknown. It is my great desire to help them re-claim their courage and to build a culture of creativity, innovation and invention. But creativity, innovation and invention in the middle of the 21st century will not be measured by the metrics of the Mid 20th Century. The world shakers that are learning today and were born yesterday will require skills founded on Curiosity, Creativity and the ability to recognize and make Connections.
- People who practice curiosity and engagement find interest in a wide range of subjects. They don't look for answers to questions as much as they look for connections to solve problems. When we are brave and open to new ideas, we are more likely to follow our curiosities and connect new information and discoveries with what we already know.
- Creativity is the process through which we put curiosity into action. When children
participate in creative play, they do it without fear. “The Unknown” is a world of
possibilities waiting to be explored and assembled into things: A stick is not a “stick”.
A box is not a “box”. Snakes are not “scary”. Bugs are not “creepy”. And colors do
not define people.
- Connections among diverse ideas are often the grandparents of great innovations. Steven Johnson, in his book “Where Good Ideas Come From” said, "When you create an environment that allows serendipitous connections to form, [innovative ideas] are more likely to happen." The best of those environments are the ones that put groups of people with diverse interests and ideas in close proximity to one another creating human networks of thought sharing.
We’ve all heard about silos of thinking. They are the very things that create fear
and stifle creativity, curiosity and connections. If we are to help build the creative
culture of the next Mid-century we must climb to the top of our silos, stand on the
edge, and look over the expanse that separates us into disciplines and departments
and groups! In the open, fertile soil between our silos are vast, unexplored, undiscovered
countries. We must
look out over the spaces that separate us. When we can take that first step and find
solid ground we can start to make connections and explore. We can slip into the flow
of that infinite stream of possibility
The quote about replacing fear with curiosity has a second part: “We can let fear rule our lives or we can become childlike with curiosity, pushing our boundaries, leaping out of our comfort zones, and accepting what life puts before us.”
And all it takes is to embrace those seven simple words: Replace Fear of the Unknown With Curiosity.