### Why does curiosity matter?

When you’re curious about something, you process it deeply rather than superficially. You also voluntarily spend more time learning about things that spark your curiosity. As a result, you more readily remember what you learn. In general, people who are more curious are happier and better liked.

## **Pulse Check**

Reflect on how you’ve engaged with the world this past week. How many of these things are true?

- I got so absorbed in learning that I lost track of time.
- I talked to someone who gave me a new idea or changed my mind.
- I took the initiative to learn more about one of my interests.
- When I didn’t know the answer to a question, I couldn’t rest until I figured it out.
- I explored a completely new idea or topic—just for the fun of it.

### How do I encourage curiosity in others?

**Model it.** Cheerfully admit that you don’t know what you don’t know: _“I actually don’t know how to do that problem. Let’s look it up together!”_ However you enjoy exploring your personal interests—books, podcasts, documentaries—share what you like: _“I listened to the most amazing story today. Let me tell you about it!”_

**Celebrate it.** Praise question-asking: _“What a great question! I love the ideas it’s sparking!”_ Show admiration for wrong answers: _“No, that’s not right. Explain to me how you’re thinking about this!”_ Build on curiosity expressed as statements: _“I bet that if we use all our pencils we can build a skyscraper!” “That’s cool, let’s see how we can do that!”_

**Enable it.** Make room for curiosity: When planning an activity, factor in time for questions. Establish an end-of-day ritual to share one thing each person in the family learned that they didn’t know before. Replace close-ended questions (_“Is oxygen a component of the air we breathe?_”) with open-ended questions (_“What is air made of?”_).