Passion Struck with John R. Miles - The Science and Traits that Promote Curiosity - John R. Miles EP 114

Episode Date: March 11, 2022

The majority of the novel discoveries and incredible innovations throughout history, from the printing press to airplanes to landing on the moon, all have something in common: They are the result of curiosity. The instinct to pursue new knowledge and adventures and explore untried possibilities is a fundamental human characteristic vital to our personal development. When our curiosity is activated, we think more profoundly and rationally about decisions and develop more creative solutions. But what is the science behind curiosity, what are its advantages, and how can we create it in our own life. All questions we will answer in this episode on the science and traits that promote curiosity. Thank You to Our Sponsors: Athletic Greens: Get a free one year supply of Vitamin D3/K2 and five travel packs at https://www.athleticgreens.com/passionstruck Raycon: Get 15% on Raycons at https://buyraycon.com/passionstruck Grammarly: Get 20% off premium at https://www.grammarly.com/PASSIONSTRUCK Podbean: Head on over to Podbean at www.podbean.com and use the code PODCAST21 for your first thirty days of podcast hosting for free. Our Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/passionstruck. Thank you for listening to this podcast. I hope you keep up with the weekly videos I post on the channel, subscribe to, and share your learnings with those who need to hear them. Your comments are my oxygen, so please take a second and say 'Hey' ;). -- ► Subscribe to My Channel Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnRMiles Time Stamps: 0:00 Introduction to curiosity 1:57 Raycon and Grammarly 5:19 The story of the village of Naive Hill 9:23 Podbean and Grammarly 11:21 The science of curiosity 12:15 Why is curiosity tied to success? 15:00 What are the eight traits of curious people? 15:30 Eight ways to develop curiosity 16:16 Six benefits of curiosity 17:15 How curiosity changes our beliefs 18:28 Conclusion and Synthesis Socials: * Twitter: https://twitter.com/Milesjohnr * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnrmiles.c0m * Medium: https://medium.com/@JohnRMiles ​* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john_r_miles * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milesjohn/ * Blog: https://passionstruck.com/blog/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passion_struck_podcast/ * Gear: https://www.zazzle.com/store/passion_struck/ Timestamps: 0:00 Keys to a Rewarding Life Introduction 2:57 Surfshark and Coda 5:37 The Story of Kai-Fu Lee 8:42 Valuing possessions over shared experiences 11:48 Coinbase and Magic Mind 14:03 How Bronnie Ware chronicled top deathbed remorse 15:11 Why we are far more than the sum of our possessions 16:23 Experiences improve our interpersonal relationships 17:09 The difference between hedonistic vs eudaimonistic happiness 18:19 Having less clutter promotes being happy 19:20 Experiences reduce the comparison of oneself with others 20:03 Experiences provide better memories 20:51 How to experience the most rewarding life possible 23:40 Conclusion and Synthesis -- John R Miles is a serial entrepreneur and the CEO and founder of Passion Struck. This full-service media company helps people live intentionally by creating best-in-class educational and entertainment content. John is also a prolific public speaker, venture capitalist, and author named to the ComputerWorld Top 100 IT Leaders. John is the host of the Passion Struck Podcast, a show focused on exploring the mindset and philosophy of the world's highest achievers to learn their lessons to living intentionally. Passion Struck aspires to speak to the humanity of people in a way that makes them want to live better, be better and impact. Stay tuned for John's latest project, his upcoming book, which will be published in summer 2022. Learn more about me: https://johnrmiles.com. New to this channel and the passion-struck podcast? Check out our starter packs which are our favorite episodes grouped by topic, to allow you to get a sense of all the podcast has to offer. Go to Spotify or https://passionstruck.com/starter-packs/. Like this? Please join me on my new platform for peak performance, life coaching, self-improvement, intentional living, and personal growth: https://passionstruck.com/ and sign up for our email list.  

Welcome visionaries, creators, innovators, entrepreneurs, leaders and growth seekers of all types to the Passion Struck podcast. Hi, I'm John Miles, a peak performance coach, multi industry CEO, maybe veteran and entrepreneur on a mission to make Passion Go viral for millions worldwide. do so by sharing with you an inspirational message and interviewing eye achievers from all walks of life who unlock their secrets and lessons to become an action-struck. The purpose of our show is to serve you the listener by giving you tips, tasks and activities you can use to achieve peak performance and for two action-driven life you have always wanted to have. Now, let's become PassionStrike. Hello, everyone, and welcome back to episode 114 of the PassionStrike podcast,

and thank you to each and every one of you who comes back weekly to listen and learn, to live better, be better, and impact the world. And if you're new to the show, or you would just like to introduce it to a friend or family member, we now have episodes to serve the packs packs both on our website and on Spotify. These are collections of your favorite episodes organized by Toppich, which gives any new listener a great way to get acquainted

to everything that we do here on the show. Just go to passionstruck.com slash starter packs to get started. And if you'd like to watch these in addition to listen to them You can go to our YouTube channel at John our miles where we have over 250 different videos. Please go subscribe and check it out the majority of the novel discoveries and innovations throughout history from the printing press to the first flight of an airplane to landing on the moon all have something in common They are all the end result of curiosity. It is this vital trait that we are going to discuss on today's episode. The instinct to pursue new knowledge and adventures and explore untried possibilities is a fundamental

human characteristic that is vital to our personal development. When our curiosity is activated, we think more profoundly and rationally about decisions and come up with more creative solutions. But what is the science behind curiosity? What are its advantages? And how can we develop it in our own life? All questions that we will tackle on today's episode. Thank you for choosing passion struck and choosing me to be your host and guide on your journey to creating an intentional life. Before we begin, I would like to emphasize that this podcast as part of my hope and desire to bring zero constant information to the general public regarding how to create an intentional life. And in keeping with that theme, I would like to thank today's sponsors of this episode. Today's podcast is brought to you by Raycon. We're a few months into 2022,

but that doesn't mean you have to give up on switching up your workout routine or going someplace new. I know for me, the sheer is all about new challenges, and there's no better way to do them than with a pair of Raycon wireless earbuds in your ears, which look, feel, and sound better than ever. With optimized gel tips for the perfect in-ear fit, you don't have to worry about them falling out of your ears as you do your hit classes, crossfit, biking, gym days, running, or walking. And they are priced just right at half the price of other premium brands. It's no surprise that they have over 48,000 five star reviews. And right now, passion struck listeners can get 15% off their Raycon order at buyraycon.com slash passion

struck. That's bu-y-r-a-y-c-o-n.com slash passion struck to say 15% on Raycon's buyraycon.com slash passion struck. Our next partner has a product that I literally use every day. I started taking Athletic Reigns six months ago because I wanted to achieve optimal performance and better gut health. And I can tell you it does that in so much more. I've noticed an overall improvement in my sleep quality recovery from my daily workouts and better mental clarity. I take it first thing in the morning with an eight ounce glass of water. So what's in that glass of water? With one delicious scoop of

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Thank you so much for listening and supporting this show. All those codes and URLs can be difficult to remember so we put them in one easy place at passionstruck.com slash deals. Please consider supporting those who support this show and make it possible. Now back to passion struck. Long ago, there existed a small village called Nive Hill. The inhabitants of this town were very conventional people who knew only to search around for wildly growing fruits, plants, and nuts, and they would spend their time talking and sleeping. They all lived this basic lifestyle except one teenage boy named odd George. Odd George was considered by his fellow inhabitants as strange, because he always asked questions and sought out to do things

in unconventional ways. He would wake up before everyone, go out on his own to explore the surrounding area, search for new things, try different foods, and return after everyone else had gone to bed. Odd George had a deep desire to fill the gaps in his knowledge, try different foods and return after everyone else had gone to bed. Odd George had a deep desire to fill the gaps in his knowledge and was driven to experiment

and learn new things. He used sticks, stones, and leaves to build contraptions that had no practical use, but he was so excited after making each and proudly show them off to anyone in the village who cared to see, even though their reaction to him was always scornful and demeaning. Then one day, Odd George discovered something that would significantly impact the lives of all the villagers and that of every other person across the world. Odd George struck two stones together during one of his experimentations and suddenly noticed a spark.

He did it repeatedly and saw that the spark kept coming up each time after each strike. He then gathered some dry leaves and struck the stones together on and on again. This finally caused the leaves to ignite, which produced fire. Ah George could not believe his eyes. With the invention of fire,

people would now be able to stay warm and cold times, eat a greater variety of food and gather together. Through fire, people opened a doorway into the spiritual realm, allowing people to communicate and have connections that were never there prior to its discovery. And from Odd George's example, his experiments opened the realms of possibility for more people to begin discovering new things that would benefit the lives of everyone. There was one thing each one of these inventors

had in common, curiosity. Over millennia, curiosity has been credited as the driving force behind human progress and advances in science, language, and industry. It is a vital quality that helps us learn, grow, and discover. Curiosity is affiliated with inquisitive ways of thinking and includes investigation, experimentation, and knowledge. Our personal development is also connected to curiosity,

and it facilitates a more profound relationship with ourselves, others, and our interaction with the world. As humans, we all have a natural inclination to want to know why things are the way they are, explore and learn new things. We all exhibited these as kids, putting objects in our mouths, playing with items around the house, touching fire, and many more. As we grew, most of us experienced a decline in our desires to explore and discover new things. However, in our desire to become passion-struck,

there is a need to be curious. Has this will drive us to seek those novel things which will yield incredible results? As Edmund Burke said, the important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he or she contemplates the mysteries of eternity

of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. And using that story and quote as a backdrop in this discussion, we will begin drawing insight from the subject of curiosity, delving into its science, understanding the critical role it plays in our lives, and highlighting how we all can develop and apply it to become as successful as we can dream of becoming. We'll be right back to the Passion Start Podcast.

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And they are offering passion struck listeners a special discount. Go to Grammarly.com slash passion struck to sign up for an account for free. And when you're ready to upgrade to Grammarly Premium, get 20% off for being my listener. That's 20% off at being my listener. That's 20% off at grammaarly.com slash passion struck. Please consider those who support the show

and make it free and possible for our listeners. And remember, we put all these codes at passionstruck.com slash deals. Now back to passion struck. So let's discuss the science of curiosity. As humans, we are equipped with the lifelong capacity to learn, enabling us to pick up new ways of doing things and thinking and adapting to unique circumstances. This goes all the way from childhood through adulthood.

The learning algorithms in our brains with their built-in exploration are equipped to pick information and knowledge that might seem irrelevant in the immediate but vital in the future. Studies have provided some insight into the neurological mechanisms that make up what is known as the reward pathway, which may impact characteristics associated with curiosity such as learning, memory, and motivation. Evolution has wired us to become the ultimate learning machine and to fully utilize this learning capacity,

we require a healthy dose of curiosity. So now that we've looked at a little bit of the science, how are curiosity and success linked? Curiosity can be thought of as the yearning to learn. Comprehend new things and understand how they function. It can manifest as the desire to accumulate knowledge about science, arts, or other subjects or the desire to learn how to repair things. It is a quality that helps wind the mind, open it to different opinions, lifestyles, and topics. Curiosity is tied very strongly with success

because it drives you into uncharted territories, which is where you make discoveries, established relationships, uncover opportunities, and experience overall personal growth. While curiosity alone may not necessarily lead to the success. It's an excellent place to start in relationships, business, and life. And it's not only linked to success, but it helps form and establish deeper and more meaningful relationships because the interactions will be about discovering others

rather than just using them to fulfill your personal agenda. It's also associated with happiness, health, longevity, and positive social relationships. Our inherent curiosity and fascination will lead us to a meaningful purpose for calling in our lives. Curiosity is, after all, the doorway to so many of life-spratest treasures, including our passions, interest, and pastimes. Curiosity is sparked by passion, but it also works the other way around. The more you can learn about something, your curiosity, the more exciting and significant it will

become for you in the long run. Curiosity is a two-way street, people, literature, sports, nature, and conversations all fall into this category. Some things become even more fascinating, the more we try to learn about them and understand them. To put it another way, the more diverse and in-depth our interests and our capacity for experiencing new and exciting things are, the more life-s meaningful moments and experiences we can have. During his interview of over 700 CEOs for his book, Corner Office. Adam Bryant asked, what characteristics do you see most often in people who succeed? Can you guess what the top answer on their list was?

Right, it was curiosity. Albert Einstein, who is regarded as one of the most innovative minds in history with all his achievements is known to have said, I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious. This is true not only of Einstein, but of every other person who has achieved phenomenal things in this world. For curiosity is where it all begins. So this leads us to the question of what common traits constitute curious people. People who exhibit curiosity generally possess the following attributes.

They tend to be more positive than their less curious counterparts. They find their own entertainment. They're willing to be wrong and are open to correction. They love to dialogue. They love to learn. They are easily motivated. They are empathetic and they think creatively. So now that I've laid those out, how do you develop curiosity?

While curiosity comes naturally to many people, some adults have to intentionally develop it. Just like any other worthwhile skill or habit, it takes practice to develop. The following are ways by which you can develop this important quality in your own life. The first is to be mentally present in the moment. Second, give your time and energy to exploration. Three, be a humble learner. Fourth, be open to creativity and novel waves of doing things. Fifth, read, reading, opens your mind to new worlds and possibilities, sparking your interest to wander and explore. Six, find the unfamiliar in the familiar. Seven, explore your passions

and eight make new friends. And those are just some of the ways. The important thing is to seek out even more ways through which you can develop curiosity. So now that we've laid those out, what are the benefits to having curiosity in your life? Being curious and acting on our curiosity offers numerous vital benefits. It is what compels astronauts to travel into outer space and Jack Kusto to explore the depths of the ocean. It has made life as we live it today possible only through the many discoveries that started with curiosity in the fields of medicine, science, engineering, technology, architecture, entertainment, and so forth. The following though are some further benefits this important quality offers. Curiosity helps us become better problem solvers. Curiosity facilitates more innovative and positive changes.

Curiosity makes us more self-aware. Curiosity inspires more open communications and better team performance. Curiosity helps us counter anxiety and fear. Curiosity also enhances brain functions and may even reverse some of the natural Degeneration that occurs with aging. So now that I've laid this all out, how can you apply this to your own life? It's one of the most outstanding achievers in history, Walt Disney once said, we keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things because we are curious. And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. When you realize how important curiosity is to becoming your best self and start taking conscious steps to develop curiosity within yourself, you will be able to discover things

you otherwise would not have. Your life will take on new dimensions. You will be able to unlock an intentional life of unprecedented levels. By taking good notes of the points mentioned in this podcast, and acting on them, you will be able to reach heights that you never thought possible and achieve things you dared to imagine before. So go ahead and explore all the world has to offer. I wish you good luck in your many adventures and explorations to come. Stay curious and become the best version of yourself. Thank you for listening to today's episode.

And I hope we were able to bring you some knowledge and inspiration that you can apply directly to your life by becoming more curious in your pursuits to becoming your best you. If there's a topic like today's that you would like to hear me discuss, feel free to email me at Momentum Friday at passionstruck.com or if there is a person that you would like to seem to have on as a guest, you can email me at that same email address or reach out to me on Instagram at John R. Miles or on LinkedIn at John Miles. And speaking of guests, we have some amazing ones that are coming up over the next weeks. The first I wanted to highlight is Susan Kane, who is the author of the book Quiet, which focuses on those of us who are introverts.

That book has sold over 30 million times, has been on the New York bestseller list for over eight years. She is a new book coming out called Better Sweet and she has given us the distinct honor of using our podcast to launch her book. I also recently interviewed Admiral Stavridis for his new book to risk it all. And like Susan, he is doing us the honor of allowing us to launch his new book to risk it all. And like Susan, he is doing us the honor of allowing us

to launch his new book later on in May. I also recently interviewed Brechen Rubin, the New York best selling author of the Happiness Project, as well as many other books. We have Rare Admiral Tim Gallaudet coming on, who is the former Undersecretary of Commerce, as well as Dr. Yaden, Dr. Vago, Dr. Sheer, and many, many other guests.

Thank you again for being so purposeful and intentional in your desire to become the best you and to tuning into our show on a weekly basis. We couldn't do any of this without you or make our movement grow. Now, live life passion strike. Thank you so much for joining us. The purpose of our show is to make Passion Go viral. And we do that by sharing with

you the knowledge and skills that you need to unlock your hidden potential. If you want to hear more, please subscribe to the Passion Strike podcast on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to your podcast ad. And if you absolutely love this episode, we'd appreciate a five-star rating on iTunes, and you're sharing it with three of your most group-minded friends, so they can post it as well to their social accounts and help us grow our passion-struck community. If you'd like to learn more about the show and our mission, You can go to passionstruck.com where you can sign up for our newsletter, look at our tools, and also download the show notes for today's episode. Additionally, you can listen to us every Tuesday and Friday for even more inspiring

content. And remember, make a choice, work hard, and step into your sharp edges. Thank you again for joining us. [♪ OUTRO MUSIC PLAYING [♪ you