We see what’s familiar as better, more important and more ‘true’. That’s not surprising as it’s a fairly known human behavior. But I do wonder if in business it’s more intentional than that. It’s not that we are just too busy to venture into it, or it’s too expensive to research, or it’s too complex to understand … it’s that we don’t want to. Because we don’t really care. We believe it’s less important because it’s less familiar.

We break plans apart so we can rebuild them stronger. We question things like an outside company would so that our activities stand up to competitor scrutiny. We consider the worst alternative so that we build contingencies for that reality. We pressure test, we rethink, we reassess our plans with positive intent. It’s fun to play the devil’s advocate, sure, it’s easier to spot the negatives than the positives, but it’s also imperative that we do so.

Surely, the act of thinking - pausing, reflecting, considering, probing - is the most critical one in propagating curious behavior that is worthy of our time.

Curious action without curious thought is aimless. But curious thought in itself without curious action is fruitless. In fact, you could say practicing curious thinking, while critical, is not pushing us towards that aspect of curiosity that is so distinct and so revered - bravery.