Welcome to blog post #17 of The Insightful Creative
“I think curiosity is our friend that teaches us how to become ourselves. And it’s a very gentle friend, a very forgiving friend, and a very constant one.” —Elizabeth Gilbert
Lately, I’ve been thinking a great deal about curiosity.
This morning, as if the universe had been eavesdropping, a video of Elizabeth Gilbert talking about curiosity appeared in my Instagram feed (and yes, let’s not dwell on how eerily attuned social media seems to be to our thoughts).
In this beautiful video, Gilbert shares her perspective on a creatively lived life, describing it as one where we “routinely, habitually, and consistently choose the path of curiosity over the path of fear.” She continues:
“Every single day, curiosity approaches you, taps on your shoulder, and whispers in your ear, ‘What’s that?’ This little, tiny clue—it’s a scavenger light. Your curiosity is different from everyone else’s and will make a life unique to you.”
Her words sparked two ideas that I’d love to explore:
1. Choosing Curiosity Over Fear When challenges arise, we often default to fear—fear of failure, fear of judgment, or fear of the unknown. But what if we approached those challenges with curiosity instead?
Curiosity invites us to step into the unknown with a sense of playfulness, exploration, and openness. It shifts our focus from the pressure of outcomes to the joy of the process. When we prioritize curiosity, we create space for growth and discovery.
This shift allows us to celebrate the risks we take and the challenges we embrace. It helps us ask, “What can I learn from this?” rather than, “What if I fail?”
2. Choosing Curiosity Over Passion We’re often told to “follow our passion,” but that can feel overwhelming or even paralyzing, especially when passion feels like an all-consuming force we have yet to discover.
Instead, Gilbert offers a gentler alternative: follow your curiosity. Curiosity isn’t about knowing your life’s purpose or having an intense, singular drive. It’s about the small, everyday wonders that spark your interest.
Instead of asking, “What is my passion?” we can ask, “What am I curious about today?” Letting curiosity guide us brings more joy, openness, and flexibility into our creative journeys.
Other Thinkers on Curiosity Curiosity is a recurring theme among some of the world’s great thinkers and creatives, and I’m sharing these as further inspiration. Are there any others you would add?
• Alan Watts: “What do you desire? What makes you itch? Do that.” Watts encourages us to lean into what intrigues us rather than chasing external definitions of success.
• Rainer Maria Rilke: “Live the questions now.” Rilke invites us to embrace curiosity and patience, allowing answers to unfold over time.
• Brené Brown: Brown champions an approach to life’s uncertainties rooted in curiosity and openness, reminding us to explore rather than retreat.
What Are You Curious About Today? Curiosity is an invitation. It’s a tap on the shoulder and a gentle whisper: “What’s that?” Last week, I gave a performance and had as a goal to lean into curiosity rather than perfection or fear. I mostly accomplished this! It reminded me how powerful curiosity can be - not just in the moment as we are creating art, but in how we live and connect with one another too.
How might you choose curiosity over fear today? How could you let curiosity guide you (rather than passion)?
