Curiosity is not enough
People are often surprised when someone learns a lot in a short period. They try to explain the person's accomplishment by either making them seem special or undermining their schedule. If they didn’t undermine the other person, they would have to ask themselves why they haven't achieved similar results.
People who were once overweight but build muscle in six months are often met with envy. Those still struggling with weight might justify it by saying that person had more time than they did. This justification makes it easier to avoid facing the truth. That’s what real learning involves—facing the truth every day and improving based on feedback.
Mere curiosity isn’t enough; you need to follow up on that curiosity long enough to find solid answers. If you’re curious about a topic but never take the time to seek out the best books, articles, or even use AI tools to guide you, what was the point of that curiosity?
Being curious is essential to building a unique personality. Your curiosity shapes who you become. If you’re curious about plants, you’ll naturally seek out all sorts of information about them—the fascinating plants, the dangerous ones, their benefits, quirks—and soon, among friends, you’re the person who knows a lot about plants. It doesn’t take extra effort; you simply follow the trail of curiosity.
The challenge comes when people are curious but don’t follow through. That’s why some people have deeper insights than others.
In the age of AI, you’re only one query away from finding answers. Take advantage of that and build something. Today, you can teach yourself almost anything. Don’t get bogged down by every shiny distraction you see online. If you’re not interested in developing apps, don’t waste time on it just because everyone else is doing it.
The next time questions pop into your head, don’t dismiss them. Write them down and follow through, no matter how trivial they may seem. Let your mind wander to the extreme. Keep doing this, and you’ll discover your true interests, which will encourage you to dive deep. Curiosity is the precursor to learning, but the only way to truly learn is to hold on to your curiosity.