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6 Amazing Benefits of Curiosity

By Creativity Tips, Uncategorized

Curiosity, that insatiable desire to know or learn something, doesn’t just make you an interesting person… it actually has far reaching benefits around happiness, achievement, relationships, and survival.

Holding the thought, “Why?”, can lead to discoveries that open you up to new adventures, discoveries, maybe even a new business or career idea.

The Greater Good Science Center from the University of California at Berkeley studies the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of well being. Their research uncovers findings that aim to make our society more thriving, resilient, and compassionate.

What’s even better is it gives scientific evidence that something I’ve known all along is true: being incurably curious is A GOOD THING!

Here are the 6 surprising benefits of curiosity according to the Greater Good Science Center.

1. CURIOSITY HELPS US SURVIVE

Your brain rewards you for being curious, and that’s a fantastic trade off for human survival! When you encounter something new, your brain releases dopamine, the feel good chemical. That’s incentive to explore and seek novelty.

 

2. CURIOUS PEOPLE ARE HAPPIER

This goes along with #1. The more dopamine running through you, the happier you feel. The reward of curiosity is shown to create happier people with lower stress levels, higher levels of positive emotions, and a greater sense of well being.

 

3. CURIOSITY BOOSTS ACHIEVEMENT

According to the Greater Good Science Center, “Studies reveal that curiosity leads to more enjoyment and participation in school and higher academic achievement, as well as greater learning, engagement, and performance at work. It may seem like common sense, but when we are more curious about and interested in what we are doing, it’s easier to get involved, put effort in, and do well.”

4. CURIOSITY CAN EXPAND OUR EMPATHY

Curiosity can lead you to explore outside your social circles and develop deeper levels of understanding people with different lives, experiences, and worldviews than yours. This expands your empathy. Empathy helps us break down the barriers between us and others, and to move into a more peaceful existence. Findings on the positive effects of empathy have been published extensively by the Greater Good Science Center.

5. CURIOSITY HELPS STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS

According to the Greater Good Science Center, “One study asked strangers to pose and answer personal questions, a process scientists call “reciprocal self-disclosure.” They found that people were rated as warmer and more attractive if they showed real curiosity in the exchange (while other variables like the person’s social anxiety and their levels of positive and negative emotions did not affect the partner’s feelings of attraction and closeness). This implies that demonstrating curiosity towards someone is a great way to build your closeness with them.”

6. CURIOSITY IMPROVES HEALTHCARE

Studies involving doctors and patients found that the quality of healthcare improved when doctors held genuine curiosity in their patients. By asking questions and listening more deeply, there was less frustration and ultimately more effective treatment.

So go out into the world with a spirit of wonder and awe, look for the new and unexpected, try things you might never would have tried, and see each person you meet as a gift waiting to be revealed.

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Curiosity has the power to open you up to new directions for your business, career, or mission in life. To learn how my style of approaching creativity and leadership can benefit you, your organization, or event contact me HERE

3 Listening Skills To Spark Your Genius

By Leadership

One of the challenges of being the genius that you are is forgetting listening skills. Remember: other people exist in the Universe… and they might have something to say.

When you’re focusing intensively on your gifts, you might get a little carried away with yourself. You might be so tuned into your genius and your ideas, that you barely notice anyone else out there with an opinion. Your listening goes out the window.

Suddenly, you’ve sucked all the air out of the room without noticing it. Your thoughts, your ideas, and your voice are all you can hear. That’s not good for the Genius Ecosystem. (The Genius Ecosystem is the collective genius in your world: your team, organization, collaborative community. Like a natural ecosystem, it’s a web of interdependence where one supports the other.)

One of the keys to a healthy Genius Ecosystem is great listening. Listening takes you out of your own head and opens you up to receive the ideas and brilliance of those around you.

Here are a couple of exercises you can put into action right now to build up your listening skills and strengthen the Genius Ecosystem around you.

Exercise 1: #STFU

 

Businessman with a duct tape on his mouth

 

A great exercise to test your listening skills is to partner up with someone and have them talk for 2 minutes straight about a challenge… particularly a challenge that YOU are expert at solving. Your job is to sit there SILENTLY, not interjecting your solution or ideas. You are not to give facial responses to indicate that you know a solution (no “Pick me! Pick me!” faces). You can’t pantomime, wave, dance, shimmy, moonwalk, or use your body to convey anything. You just sit there, mouth closed, eyes on the person, and ALLOW them to speak. For some of you, those 2 minutes are going to KILL!

When you’re done, switch partners and repeat.

Debrief and discuss after… that’s when you can go over all the agony you endured of sitting there silently. But… what did you learn? That’s the important part. And how did the other person feel when they could speak uninterrupted for 2 minutes straight?

 

Exercise 2: Telephone

phone red

Yes, the party game you played in 6th grade that gave you the chance to whisper in the ear of that cutie you had a crush on, is a great tool to improve listening. The beauty of Telephone is that it shows how we create context and meaning from the information we have on hand… even if that information is inaccurate. You start off with “3 circus clowns in a car”, whisper it to the person next to you, they whisper it to the person next to them, they whisper it to the person next to them… and end up with “Trees grow in the forest.” Hmmm where did we go off course, team? Discuss.

Exercise #3: Yeah, What She Said

phubbing - people playing with cellphone snubbing others

Ever look down at your phone while someone was talking to you, check your latest text or Fantasy Football scores, then  look up and say “Oh, cool. That’s great.” But honestly, you had no clue what they said. You play acted. You tried to be a coy multi-tasker. But guess what? They know and you know that you failed.

Let’s make things right by doing an exercise where you must be attentive and fully present. This is a great team building exercise and can also be used in social situations where you introduce people.

Person A tells you a bit about themselves. Let them talk for a minute or 2. Have them cover the basics: who they are, where they’re from, what they do for a living, and something personal like a hobby or where they last traveled.

You, aka Person B, will then introduce Person A to someone else. You can do this at a meeting as an icebreaking exercise or in a social situation. Your job is to accurately summarize all that they told you (where they’re from, what they do for a living, etc.)

For an icebreaking exercise or team building, you’d then switch and Person A would introduce you the way you did for them.

Can you glance down at your messages while they’re telling you information about themselves? No.

Can you space out and think of all the other things you have to get done today while they’re talking to you? No again.

You simply need to be FULLY PRESENT. If you were around before cell phones, you may recall what that means to be fully present. It’s quite nice when you’re in it.

Put these 3 listening skills to work in your life and you’ll notice a change in how people hear YOU. Honoring another person by listening is honoring their genius… and remember: we all hold genius. Yours is important and so is the genius of those around you!

 

 

Are You Successful But Unhappy?

By Business Motivation, Market Positioning, Uncategorized No Comments

Yesterday I was talking to a colleague about people who are successful but not enjoying their success. For everyone out there who is hustling to make the money, believe it or not, it doesn’t always lead to happiness. Yeah, nod your head and say “Amen, sister, that’s right!”, but take a moment to feel into this.

**Successful and not enjoying the success.**

Do you know what happens when everything externally says you should have it all together, but inside you’re not?

It stinks. You feel off purpose and empty. But because the money is coming in and all looks peachy-keen on the outside, you can easily stay there and hide. You’re standing there with golden handcuffs on, not sure what to do.

[images style=”0″ image=”http%3A%2F%2Ftalentandgenius.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgolden-handcuffs.jpg” custom_width=”Y” width=”500″ custom_width_val=”500″ align=”center” top_margin=”0″ full_width=”Y”]

Last year, I dismantled a high level coaching program that was a 6 figure revenue stream for my business. But… it was my version of the golden handcuffs. I loved my clients, they got results, but there was something missing from it and I knew it had to end. I could have continued re-enrolling people and bringing in new clients, but until I got my head around my own purpose for what I wanted this group to be, I just couldn’t run it anymore.

Yes, it was scary to dismantle this.
Yes, when I told people what I did they looked at me like I was half-baked.

I told myself the answer would reveal itself to me when it was ready… when I WAS READY.

At times I felt a bit panicked and impatient… “Ummm, hello God? It’s been a few months now, I kinda thought we’d have resolution in a few days… I’m getting a little worried!”

The time is NOW. Things are READY.

My Golden Handcuffs are off. I have the clear vision of my intensive work with leaders and impact entrepreneurs. The habits and behaviors I had that attracted in non-ideal clients have been replaced with habits and behaviors to bring in my ideal clients- the visionaries, the change agents, the leaders feeling the need to know who they really are and what’s their unique genius…

OK let’s just let this sink in… golden handcuffs… feeling trapped… breaking free. Can you relate? What comfort is holding you prisoner?

(Originally posted on Facebook)

‪#‎TAGtip‬ ‪#‎TalentAndGenius‬ ‪#‎FeelingFree‬ ‪#‎ComfortableInYourOwnSkin‬

Want to be in on this exciting new program? If you’re a successful entrepreneur but feel like your identity has gotten lost along the road to success, contact me to set up a conversation to explore if this is for you. 

Wild Ideas with Pamela Slim

By Business Motivation, Uncategorized No Comments

A while back, I grabbed a few of my most wildly creative entrepreneur friends and asked them all the same thing:

Tell me about a risky, wild idea you took action on… and it paid off.

I wanted to hear their thoughts on risk taking and innovation… and inspire YOU to take risks with your wildly creative ideas.

Pamela Slim, author of Escape from Cubicle Nation and her latest, Body of Work, is a risk taker extraordinaire. From her days as a high school exchange student to her current fame as a best selling author and coach, Pam’s life is devoted to curiously seeking new ways of understanding the world and ourselves.

Listen in to this inspiring conversation!

P.S. The link I mention to the VirtualChatSeries.com site is inactive but if you’re not yet a subscriber to my list, Click here to get my free training Get Paid to Be You!

Entrepreneur Unleashed Interview

By Business Motivation No Comments

Patti Keating captured my enthusiasm for all things GENIUS during this great interview we did for her podcast, The Entrepreneur Unleashed.

Patti and I have Facebook messages dating back to the Stone Age, but it wasn’t until this past year that we really got to know one another on a more personal level. I love her!

We’ve shared business ideas, motivated one another, sang Karaoke with a couple of hunky Aussies, gotten our backs walked on by masseurs who spoke no English… so in other words I’ve vetted her for you: She’s one of us!

Click here to listen to the interview she conducted- it’s honest, inspiring, raw, funny and will remind you that YOU are a genius. Just like that!

 

 

My $600 Meal

By Business Motivation, Uncategorized No Comments

I recently paid $600 for a meal.

I mean,  my portion of the bill was $600. And I don’t drink so it wasn’t a $100 food bill topped off by a $500 bar tab.

$600 for 15 courses of food at The French Laundry restaurant in Napa. Gasp! That’s more than my entire monthly food budget, and having it all at one meal?

Am I crazy? Am I obsessed? Was it worth it?

The Facebook Message

It all started 2 weeks prior when I got a private Facebook message  from my friend, PJ, a successful business coach.

Would you be interested in going to The French Laundry with me and 4 other movers & shakers? Budget $500 for the day. That’s a lot of money for a meal, but not a lot of money for a peak life experience that you’ll remember for a long long time.

LMK if you’d like to come. I need a final head count today.

The Restaurant

The French Laundry has been called “The best restaurant on the planet, period.” by food writer and TV personality Anthony Bourdain. It continues to hold 3 Michelin stars, the highest culinary honor possible. Chef Thomas Keller is considered one of the greatest chefs alive. It’s nearly impossible to get reservations, especially on a weekend.

Chefs and foodies from around the world make pilgrimages to eat at this place. People beg, cajole, and cry to get a seating. And here I am, with a message asking me if I’d like to go. All I have to do is say YES. That’s all…

Am I ready to spend a huge amount of money on a single meal… or am I being invited to invest in a peak life experience?

Of Course I Said Yes

Nancy in the kitchen at The French Laundry

There are certain things in life I’d LOVE to do but I hold back on. I can rationalize all sorts of reasons not to go places and try things. The French Laundry is a place I’ve always wanted to go to, but I never put forth the effort. I talked myself out of it many times, but with this invitation I know I could only say YES.

Relationships Matter

Reflecting on PJ’s invitation, I counted my blessings. She and I have only known each other a short time but we clicked when we first met. For her to think of me and invite me meant a lot. Her invitation forced me to do something for myself that I may not have done otherwise. The other women in our group were equally as awesome: 4 of us were business coaches, one a relationship coach and another a multi-million dollar business owner.

The Fabulous Foodie

One of our tablemates was a regular at the French Laundry. She’s a bona fide foodie and does PR in the gourmet food world. She’d been to the restaurant more than 50 times and was on a first name basis with most everyone there. She acted as our docent into the world of fine dining. She taught us something very important: ask questions.

“When they bring the butter, ask them to tell you where it’s from.”

6 Salts

“I’m going to ask for them to bring us the special salt. Listen closely as they tell you about each one.”

“The olive oil is $150 a bottle. He’s going to bring us some to taste. Listen and ask questions.”

We learned about 6 different salts from around the world (including Jurassic Salt from the dinosaur era). The olive oil was perfect. The butter you could eat straight with a spoon it was so good.

When I ordered herb tea with honey, I looked at my pot of honey and asked, “So tell me about the honey.”

I learned the source (within a few miles), and why they choose to buy honey from this particular vendor.

The White Truffles

We went during a short period when White Truffles were on the menu. White truffles are a rare mushroom that are hard to get and extremely expensive. Our Fabulous Foodie suggested we all try them as they are only available during the short season. “Oh and by the way, it’ll be an extra $200.”

At that moment, I started adding numbers up in my head. Was this going to be worth it? Have I reached my limit? I think it’s crazy to pay that much money for a freakin’ mushroom… makes no sense at all. 

White Truffles with Black Butter over Risotto

The server came over to see who wanted to try the truffles and one by one, everyone at my table said “Yes”. I was going to say “No” but for some reason when my mouth opened up I heard myself saying “Yes”.

Peer pressure? Or my Higher Self speaking up for me?

What I was learning about myself during this culinary adventure was that I say NO to myself way too often. In the past, I’ve put things off like tropical vacations and paying for premium parking… but in the last year I’ve learned to shout YES with enthusiasm and to simply embrace the moment and not to worry so much about the price.

And in the past year I had a few great trips to new places in Vegas, Hawaii, actually paid for premium parking at a concert, and now I was going to dive right into a $200 bowl of chow. It was as much about saying YES to myself as it was about the experience.

 Say YES

At one point in the meal, we all went around the the table and gave a word that was our theme of the day. My word was “YES”. How could it be anything else?

Each time I got worried about the price, I simply reminded myself that I am a business owner. I’m not living on a fixed income. I can manifest clients, I can manifest money, I can manifest abundance. This meal out was no longer an expense- it was a ticket into a new place of receiving and saying YES to myself.

Desserts for Thought

My day was incredible. 6 hours of culinary orgasm, great conversation, bumping against my comfort zone, and breaking through to see my ability to create abundance and afford to say YES.

Will I be plunking down money like this every week? Highly unlikely unless I bring 50 friends to the local Thai restaurant. But knowing that there’s a time and place to say a big YES definitely opens a person up and peels away those layers of “No” that no longer serve us… and no longer fit.

Bon apetit!