2019 - 10 - 04 - Freeing Your Curiosity By Raising Your Tolerance For Ambiguity

I am a firm believer that people are naturally curious. The area where you find yourself the most curious is generally the area where you are the most creative. But how can we increase our curiosity or even evaluate our curiosity? That is why I have the concept of a “Tolerance of Ambiguity” included. There are ways to increase our tolerance for ambiguity. For those most part, this involves a combination of looking at things from multiple perspectives as well as stepping into situations of uncertainty. Take a different path, explore, talk to a stranger. There are all things that you can do to help strengthen your tolerance for ambiguity and build your curiosity. We spoke earlier about the importance of routine. And this does not mean you should abandon routine for ambiguity but rather that you should plan in times to strengthen your tolerance and to explore the world. In many ways, creativity as a concept involves generating new ideas and crossing into new territory. For those without some experience sailing off the map as it were, this can be a difficult thing to do. It may seem easier and safer to stay in your comfort zone. Being able to step outside of your comfort zone with a minimal amount of discomfort can significantly improve your creative output. Learn to explore the world in as many ways as you can. Every time you find yourself saying or thinking “but what if I don’t like it” fight the urge to step back and try. The idea is not that you will enjoy and like everything you try but rather that you will discover what you do like and what you don’t like. Take the training wheels off. Your homework this week is to go exploring. Remember to start easy. Choose an area of your life that you enjoy, be that food, fishing, bike riding, or quilting. Whatever the context explore a different perspective. A different restaurant, different fishing spots, a different bike path, or different techniques. Remember to continually try new things and new experiences. You don’t need to like them all, or even most of them, it’s a big world. Explore. And learn to enjoy the discoveries. This can strengthen your creativity by enhancing your exposure to the world and sparking connections. It can also help you explore different aspects and be curious about your area of focus.