As a kid, I learned much about curiosity from my twin brother, Rick. We were too young to verbalize much; it was just through his actions that I was motivated to be curious as well. During our childhood, we left no stone unturned.
Curiosity has served me well throughout my life. I’ve learned that curiosity can be developed, so is it a skill or capability? What do you think? I looked up the definitions of skills and capabilities related to curiosity yesterday. A quick internet search revealed this:
- Curiosity is the hot new skill: 5 ways to set yourself apart…
- Curiosity: the essential critical capability for transformational…
What about aptitudes and skills? Is there a difference? In the realm of aptitudes, this is where my twin and I are very different. His math aptitude is off the chart; he’s an actuary and has dedicated his career to developing and teaching post-college actuarial science courses designed to help promising actuaries pass the rigorous exams for their certification. In addition, he created his niche business model, and is one of only 2 in the country. So, while he played with his math aptitude, I read Napoleon Hill and Dale Carnegie’s works.
- Aptitude reflects what comes easy to you, what you do naturally
- Skills are what you curate for yourself, from knowledge and practice
I studied accounting (with a limited aptitude for math) and management (where my curiosity and aptitude resided) in school. I learned that no matter how much effort I put into accounting, I would never be the “Mozart” of accounting.
To reach your highest potential, focus on what sparks your curiosity and comes naturally to you. It is the path to your financial freedom.
It’s a new year; change is at its highest. So, change your thinking from “I will be happy when,” to “I want my life back,” and control how you reach your true potential.