I find it interesting that when I get intrigued by something, I am willing to put in the time and effort to learn more. It is not an unusual trait. You have probably experienced the same effect.
It starts with a new awareness. A fact that I was not aware of previously. Then I feed that curiosity with a simple search on the internet which produces a list ready to be explored.
After clicking and following a few leads, one of two things happen. Either I find my curiosity satisfied, and I am willing to move on, or I find my curiosity increasing.
As I continue to pursue more knowledge, the search process transforms into research. I find myself taking notes. I begin to organize and analyze data. Has this ever happened to you?
This can lead to taking action. Trying something new. Taking the knowledge and putting it to use.
For a thought to turn into action, and make it through all those obstacles, it must be linked to an outcome you desire. The desire for a new outcome is what allows us to dig deeper, solve problems, and tolerate mistakes. For me, and maybe for you also, only a few ideas survive this process.
It is difficult for us as human beings to change our behaviors. But yet all of our new actions or new behaviors begin with a single thought.
Usually I am intrigued by ideas that are related to my business, or my area of expertise. But sometimes inspiration comes from completely unrelated ideas.
I can tell you I am not very effective in this entire process. I am not sure anyone can be. Is our curiosity always bigger than our ability to follow through?
It only takes following through with one idea to make a huge improvement in your results. Also the time to research an idea in 2015 is a fraction of the time it would have taken in 1985. So we do research more. But do we take action faster also?
This process has lead me to be curious about how I could be more productive, yet more innovative, and even more curious than I am today.
Maybe we should do more searches, some of them even random.