Develop Curiosity and
Interest
During
my seminars I ask the participants to draw the front face of their watches with
all details, without looking at it. Once completed and when they compare, they
would be surprised to see many new things which they have never seen, even though
they are wearing the same watch for several years. They would have missed out a
few important details or drew them wrong. This exercise illustrates the
pitfalls of over familiarity. There are very few objects that we look at more
frequently than
our
watch. We look at it so often that we cease to bserve it. Whenever behavior
becomes automatic, when we take objects too much for granted, we no longer
observe them. Close observation is vital to develop curiosity.
Curiosity:
It
is the allocation of attention to things for their own sake.
Children
tend to have enormous of this – interest in anything within range. The object
need not be useful,
attractive
or precious; as long as it is mysterious it is worthy of attention. Unfortunately
with age we lose this
sense
of wonder. But creative individuals are childlike and their curiosity remains
fresh forever. As there is no end to the unknown, their delight is also
endless.
Mihaly,
in his book, ‘Creativity – the psychology of discovery and invention,’ gives
the following advice
to
cultivate curiosity and interest:
Get surprised by something everyday:
It could be something you hear, see or read
about every day. Look at anything unusual, taste the new dish in the canteen,
listen (really) to your wife or colleague. How are
they
different? The common mistake is that we assume that we already know what these
things are all about.
(Remember
the exercise of drawing your watch!) Experience this one thing for what it is,
not what you think it is. Be open to what the world is telling you. Life is
nothing more than a stream of experiences – the more
widely
and deeply you swim in it, the richer your life will be.
Surprise at least one person everyday:
Instead
of being your predictable self, say something unexpected, express an opinion
that you have not dared to reveal, ask a question you wouldn’t ordinarily ask.
Or break the routine of your activities: Invite a person to go
with
you to a show, a restaurant, or a museum that you never visited before.
Experiment
with your appearance. Routines are great when they save energy for doing things
that matter.
But
if we are searching, they restrict and limit.
Maintain a journal:
Write
down each day the most surprising event that happened that day and your most surprising
action. It makes your experiences more concrete and enduring.
It
is like self stroking and you’ll also find it fun to do. After a few days you
go through what you have written and reflect on those experiences. This will enrich
your life
so
that the most memorable, interesting, and important events are not lost
forever. Writing them down and reliving them is one way to keep them from
disappearing. After some time you’ll see a pattern of interest
emerging,
that is worth exploring indepth.
Follow a spark of interest:
When
something captures our attention – an idea, an object, a song, an incident – the
impression is faint and brief. More often we ignore that idea and miss
exploring further, somtimes thinking as though it is not in our domain. We loose
the idea for ever. We can’t know what is best suited to our potentialities without
making a serious effort to pursue the different aspects.
These
four suggestions, when implemented seriously, will give you a feel of
possibilities and gather creative
energy
and the rebirth of curiosity that
is lost since
childhood.
CS AUG 2016
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