Curiosity
There are many elements to how I approach cultivating my self-directed learning practice. Each of them stems from broad worldviews and influences specific behaviors.
Many of these elements intertwine and build off each other.
Today’s element is curiosity.
Worldview: Fostering the ability and desire to ask questions
I have always viewed the world as a place I can and should ask questions. I ask myself questions, I ask other people questions, I ask the Internet questions, I ask books questions.
Curious questions are questions that I ask purely for the sake of the knowledge or perspective I’ll gain from the answer. Depending on who or what I am consulting for an answer, sometimes I’m looking for a factual response but other times I’m more interested in the worldview of the source.
Behavior: Exploring
Exploring is how I discover new content and new sources of content. It’s a delicate balance of holding a loose enough idea of where I’m going to keep clicking on the next thing while staying focused enough for that thing to be relevant.
I set aside time to let myself go down rabbit holes of research via word association and clicking on the next interesting thing. For example, a newsletter I read may include a link to dive deeper on a topic. If I’m interested, I’ll click on that link, and then let myself continue clicking on links from there.
It’s freeform and kind of aimless- I’m not going anywhere specific, just seeing where my curiosity takes me.
As always, The Collection continues to grow. Check it out if you’re interested in digital sociology, design, business, and personal growth.