In a letter to his biographer in 1952, Albert Einstein claimed to have no special talents other than being “passionately curious.” False modesty aside, it was through pursuing his interest in the world’s mysteries that Einstein revealed hidden secrets about the universe.
Curiosity may be humanity’s brightest, most powerful spotlight for illuminating the unknown—whether it’s quantum mechanics in Einstein’s case or, gulp, the possibilities of AI replacing all our jobs. A neuroscience study offers a new way to think about anxiety.
Research is Reframing Curiosity and Anxiety
A research team from Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute recently published a study in the Journal of Neuroscience about what happens in the human brain when feelings of curiosity develop. They found that uncertainty can be processed as curiosity in visually ambiguous situations, showing how deeply the two elements are interrelated.
“What distinguishes human curiosity is that it drives us to explore much more broadly than other animals, and often just because we want to find things out,” stated Jacqueline Gottlieb, one of the study’s authors. This curiosity leads to a lot of our creativity.
Most people dislike uncertainty. It signals a lack of control and an unshakable sense of trouble looming over the horizon. “To the human mind, uncertainty equals danger,” Bryan E. Robinson wrote in Psychology Today. Uncertainty drives stress, even more so than situations with predictable adverse outcomes.
But maybe it shouldn’t be. Another way to deal with uncertainty is to treat it the way our brains automatically treat the visual kind—by reframing it. Amy Poehler says nervousness can be reframed as excitement. The same for uncertainty and curiosity. Instead of stewing in the absence of instant answers, view ambiguity as an opportunity for discovery.
A Curious Mind
I received a copy of “A Curious Mind” from my WPO (Women Presidents Organization) group leader. Just what I needed: another book! It sat on my shelf for a few months until I picked it up one day.
A few minutes later, I grabbed a highlighter. A few hours later, I’d finished the book. I’ve since recommended it to my Metro State students and given it as a gift to my guest speakers.
At the heart of the book is conversation—listening and learning. Brian Grazer’s stories about his curiosity conversations are truly inspiring, highlighting how curiosity can open doors and create connections.
The flip side of “I’m worried about the unknown” is “I’d like to learn more about the unknown.” The second choice feels better and is more constructive.
It doesn’t take an Einstein to understand that. And as Brian Grazer puts it, “If _________ is your dream, tapping into your curiosity is the key to achieving it.”
Two Links Du Jour:
Your Brain Wants You to be Curious, Not Anxious – Forbes
A Curious Mind by Brian Grazer and Charles Fishman
Two Minutes Du Jour 
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