“Much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity
and intuition turned out to be priceless later on.”
~ Steve Jobs

22 October 2020

Dear Renée,

After finding out I collected stuffed mini African animals, a very dear friend of mine gave me this brightly multi-colored stuffed monkey called Zuri (mzuri means “good” in Swahili). Zuri is by far my favorite in my collection. She’s fun with her multi-colored fur and looks nothing like real monkeys. Zuri has these oversized eyes with huge pupils. I love her because she reminds me to have fun in everything I do, to think in magic and most of all to be curious. I keep her on my desk so I can see her often.

I’ve always been curious about things. My brother remembers me as a kid as always asking questions about how things work. I guess I took that curiosity into my career as an Equity Analyst and Corporate Finance Consultant. I use it now every day too as a business and mindset coach.  When you are continually curious, you open up yourself to new possibilities and to new ideas and ways of doing things. You become a life-long learner. I have also found that having a curious mind allows you to accept change and differences easier.

So, when was the last time you asked yourself, “What if….?”

Here’s to being openly curious!

Taking the LEAP with you!

Curiosity and Results: What’s the Connection?

When we are kids, our imagination and curiosity are fully engaged. 

If you have spent any time with a four-year-old, you know what I mean with their “Why” response to almost everything!  Unfortunately, for most of us as we grow older, we are told to follow structured ways of thinking or act in a conforming way. We grow up hearing that asking so many questions is rude or shows our ignorance, or we will get into trouble if we are like Curious George (my favorite storybook as a kid and I still have it!). We might even have been warned, “Curiosity killed the cat.”  I think curiosity has a bad rap!

The truth is curiosity is one of the most vital and life-affirming qualities you can bring to your life, your relationships and even your business.

Curiosity in Life

Helen Keller said, “Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all!”

When you cultivate an attitude of curiosity, doors open and adventures begin; questions lead to new possibilities. For example, asking yourself, “What do I want to learn now and where might that lead me?” can set you on a journey of exciting exploration that moves you forward. If, instead, you come from the place of “I already know what I need to know,” you shut off the possibility of discovering something new that could rock your world.

Curiosity in Relationships

How often do we assume we know what someone else is thinking or experiencing?

What if we came from a place of not knowing and offered others an invitation to speak? According to Sharon Ellison, creator of Powerful Non-Defensive Communication, “A non-defensive question is innocently curious, reflecting the purity of the child who asks how a flower grows or what makes an airplane fly.” We invite others to share their true experience when we ask questions without hidden agendas and to clarify understanding.  We also learn how to become better listeners. 

Curiosity in Business

It is so easy to blame others when things go wrong.

Consider being curious about your experience rather than being critical. For example, instead of beating yourself up for not reaching sales goals—again—try asking yourself what was going on for you that kept your from performing to your expectations? With an attitude of “how fascinating that I’ve created this” you are much more likely to help yourself find new solutions to attaining your goals.

When you are curious in all areas of your life, you transform from being a judge to being an observer and explorer.   The judge is critical and demeaning while the observer and explorer are curious, kind, and open to change.

Practice Cultivating Curiosity

Here are some ways to cultivate a more curious life.

Questions. Practice asking questions with openness and neutrality. Practice with strangers in stores and with people close to you. Stop thinking you know all the answers...be open to being surprised! Remember to listen with all your whole body – don’t be thinking about your response.

Inquiries. An inquiry is an open-ended question designed to broaden your perspective. For example: “What would make life a daring adventure for me?” “Where in my life do I assume I already know?”

Assumptions. These impact how we treat strangers as well as loved ones. Challenge your assumptions by asking, “Is what I think to be true, really true?” Or you could ask, “What if that’s not true?” What other choices might you make then?

If you truly want to expand your excitement, joy and fulfillment in life and relationship, sprinkle liberal doses of curiosity and watch your life become the fabulous adventure it can be!

Ask yourself...

“What would happen if I changed things up today?”

Allow yourself the freedom to really think wild and crazy thoughts through the eyes of Zuri, the curious multicolored monkey – there’s no judgment here and it doesn’t mean you have to do what you thought.  Just wonder.  Have fun, and be wildly creative.  

What would your four-year old self think and wonder?

If you haven’t checked out the Day One Journal App yet, today may be a great day to be curious! 

Journaling about all of your curious thoughts can help you become open to possibilities, seeing opportunities and creating a more fulfilling life.  I suggest you start with the free version to see if you like it. Remember though, the benefits of journaling only work if you do it consistently. So try to associate it with something else you do on a daily basis.  I love doing it while I’m having the first morning sip of my favourite hot beverage. You can check it out here: https://dayoneapp.com. Find this and other great resources by clicking here.

FREE GIFT
If you know it's time for a change in a specific area of your life, but you aren't sure how to make it happen, this is for you - Courage, Risks and Reward: Taking a Chance to Change Your Life -  a 5-part Coaching Program compliments of The LEAP Network! Click here to download the program.

COMPLIMENTARY REINVENT STRATEGY SESSION

Join me in a one-hour complimentary strategy session to help determine how you can move forward in getting unstuck, and gain momentum to move in the right direction for you.

During our session, we will go over one or two exercises and determine the one next step you can take on your own after the call to keep the momentum going. Click here to schedule your session

Renée Blasky is the Founder and CEO of The LEAP Network Ltd.

After realizing her career in the financial industry was no longer exciting, Renée started her journey as a Start-up Business Coach by completing the Tony Robbins and Cloe Maddanes Core 100 Strategic Intervention program and she has never looked back!

Through her Get Results Without the Overwhelm Program, she loves working with new solo entrepreneurs to help them become the CEO of their companies. Using her unique process she helps them strategize, set stick-worthy goals, and implement an action plan. The program includes valuable resources to help them stay focused, create the right mindset, and stay accountable.  She also gently pushes her clients outside of their comfort zones and helps them face their fears so they can achieve their dreams. Renée works with her clients through various online courses, webinars, one-on-one coaching, and group coaching programs.

In addition to her own Get Results Without the Overwhelm Program, Renée is a certified trainer for Marci Shimoff's Happy for No Reason and Susan Jeffer's Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway courses based on their respective books of the same name. 

Renée, who obtained her CFA Charter in 1990, has over 30 years of experience in the finance industry and first entered into the world of entrepreneurship in 1997 after discovering several ethical lapses at her places of employment.  She decided it was best to start her own business so she could dictate the values and beliefs from which to run her business.  Renée's coaching clients are based all over the world, and range from various types of coaches, import/exporters, to direct line marketers. 

Learn more about Renée and The LEAP Network by visiting her website here: www.theleapnetwork.coachesconsole.com.

You can also send an email directly to Renée at rkblasky@theleapnetwork.co (not “.com”)

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