Grow This Foundational Success Characteristic

You can have all the money, talent, and knowledge in the world. If you don’t have this, you’re less likely to be successful—overrun by change, sidelined by setbacks, bored, and stuck in a rut.

This major component comprising the foundation for successful living is—drumroll, please—curiosity.

​More so than natural abilities and resources, curiosity is the driving force behind success. Learn more about this foundational attribute and how to improve it below.

Curiosity. It’s the desire to learn, explore, and uncover new things and ideas. It’s the catalyst for innovation and change. It motivates you to dig deeper for additional information, perspectives, and opportunities.

Curiosity is behind every invention, world record, and scientific fact. It’s that thing that makes you ask, “What would happen if…?” or “I wonder why…?” It compels you to test, run experiments, or collect more data to get answers to your inquisitive questions.

Where would we be if early explorers had never been curious enough to journey to far-off places? If Marie Curie had no interest in radioactive elements?

Like these pioneers, curiosity implores you to create, innovate, and push boundaries. It rejects the status quo and looks for new and improved ways of doing things.

And as if that wasn’t enough, here’s the kicker: Curiosity pushes you through challenges. You’re less likely to give up when you’re curious.

So, you run your tests or experiments, and it doesn’t go as planned? What then? As long as you stay curious, you have the fuel to persist. You don’t give up because of obstacles and setbacks, as so many do.

​Persistence is key to success. But, it’s curiosity that drives that persistence.

Complacency has its place in your overall mental health balance—you need the comfort and focus it can bring. However, too much of it can stifle growth and breed arrogance.

​While curiosity isn’t directly opposite and in contrast with complacency, it fuels progress by lighting a fire underneath a complacent, disinterested attitude.
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​In addition to making progress. Here are more positives from having a curious mind:

You can improve your curiosity and reap the benefits and successes it brings. It starts by developing the core pillars of the trait: a growth mindset and humility.

You are born with inherent (and unique) qualities and traits. But are you given all your potential at birth?

A fixed mindset believes your inborn traits don’t change and will limit you. In other words, “You’ve either got ‘it,’ or you don’t.” There’s no changing your core self—some were born successful; others weren’t.

​In contrast, a growth mindset says you can always learn, grow, and improve. It’s this mindset (and not a fixed one) that breeds curiosity.

Work on quieting the inner voice that says you were born a certain way and can’t change. You can do anything you put your mind to. Success comes from persisting with your personal development and committing to life-long learning.

Failure isn’t in your vocabulary when you possess a growth mindset. You may have ways that didn’t work. You may encounter challenges, but there is no ‘Fail.’

​Instead, you treat challenges and wrong turns as learning opportunities. To paraphrase a quote attributed to famous inventor Thomas Edison, you didn’t fail; you just found 10,000 ways that didn’t work.

Embrace the power of ‘Yet.’ Yet means to be continued. When you say it, you know there’s more to come. You may not have reached success on your first attempt or fifth attempt, but you will if you persist.

Recalling how you overcame past obstacles and achieved significant things can help you develop and keep a growth mindset.

Get into reading growth mindset guides to maintain that attitude and way of thinking.

Give yourself regular pats on the back or small rewards whenever you persist, gain knowledge, or succeed.

Curiosity requires a humble attitude. Humility isn’t the same as poor self-confidence. Rather, it’s being:

You know your strengths and shortcomings. You’re truthful about your knowledge and capabilities without hiding anything.

To be humble, you must believe and admit you don’t know all there is to know. You don’t have all the answers and don’t need to, nor must you be the smartest person in the room. Everyone you meet and every situation has something to teach you.

You can willingly ask for help and give credit to others for their assistance. You don’t need to cross the finish line by yourself to be a success.

Listen attentively to others’ advice, ideas, and constructive criticism. Stay open-minded to doing things differently.

Curiosity is one secret of success you can’t do without. It’s what excites you into action and promotes change.

Want to grow your curiosity? You can.

Develop a growth mindset and humility for more curiosity. A growth mindset says you can gain whatever knowledge and skills you need with persistence.

Humility means you recognize you aren’t perfect and all-knowing. You must rely on others to help you reach your goals.

​Stay humble. Stay growth-minded. Stay curious.