Be Curious

“Be curious!”                                                                                                                                                     Ted Lasso

“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”                                                                           John Wooden

Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights                                Proverbs 18:15 (The Message)

I was recently speaking with a client about the need to be relevant. As we get older, we need to work hard to stay relevant, that is, to be aware of what is going on in the world, and to have some impact upon that world. I used one of my favorite quotes from basketball Hall of Fame coach  John Wooden, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts!” I also quoted that famous philosopher of positive thinking, Ted Lasso, “Be curious”.

Indeed, as we get older, we can get set in our ways, convinced that the old ways are best. Truly, ancient and accrued wisdom is of great value, but we must also temper that with the idea that our sense of certainty can be a stumbling block for new wisdom.

So, stay curious my friends. Be open for new knowledge, and for different ways of looking at our own perceived orthodoxy. We grow in our faith as we challenge it. Our muscles, even our ideas, are meant to be challenged and exercised in order to grow.

I want to stay relevant by learning from others, and by being open to new and different ideas and different cultures. Reading and traveling are great ways to stay relevant and continually learning.

So, stay curious, my friend!

Prayer: Lord, you have made us to be curious beings- what a blessing! Amen