What if your biggest obstacle in life isn't a lack of knowledge, but something else? What if this one attribute is the one thing that can help you truly excel in life? Curious? In this episode, I wanna discuss what I think is the greatest attribute that any person should have, who wants to improve themselves and how to develop it. Hello, friends. My name is Eric Cloud and welcome to the Stoic Coffee Break. The Stoic Coffee Break is a weekly podcast where I take aspects of stoicism and do my best to break them down to the most important points. I share my thoughts on Stoke philosophy as well as my experiences, both my successes and my failures, and hope that you can learn something from them all within the space of the coffee break. This week's episode is called Stay Curious, the Stoic Case for asking why I'm neither clever nor especially gifted. I am only very, very curious. Albert Einstein, have you ever been around a young child who constantly asks why? It starts simple enough, why is the sky blue and quickly escalates to why do people lie? Why do we have wars? And at some point, most adults just get frustrated and say, because that's just how it is. And that's the moment curiosity starts to die. Now, curiosity is often dismissed as childish or impractical. Yet it is one of the most powerful tools for self-development. The ability to question, to seek understanding and to challenge our assumptions is what leads to wisdom. Without curiosity, we stagnate, but with it we grow. Now the stoics, despite the reputation for being serious and reserved, deeply valued curiosity, not in the sense of idol gossip, but in the essential part of wisdom. Marcus Rails himself was a lifelong learner. Writing. If anyone can refute me, show me I'm making a mistake, or looking at things from the wrong perspective, I'll gladly change. It's the truth I'm after. That is curiosity as a means of growth. It's about being open to new perspectives, questioning your own assumptions, and growing as a person. Now, the reason I wanted to do this episode was that last week I was on a local podcast here in Amsterdam. And I was interviewed by my friend Adrian, and it turned out really well, not just because of the things that I was able to explain about stoicism and leadership, but because Adrian was really good at asking questions and even more importantly, asking really great follow-up questions. Now, this is something that I really noticed and it's because it's something that I want to improve on, and I don't just mean in podcast interviews, but in life. Oftentimes I work out an answer to something and I think that I have it all figured out only to find out later that I missed something because I didn't go deeper. I didn't ask myself Good follow up questions. So let's get curious about curiosity. I. So the first idea I wanna bring up is the idea that curiosity is an antidote to ego. So imagine someone who believes they know everything, they never ask questions, never reconsider their opinions, and never listen to opposing views. That person is trapped not by others, but by their own certainty and curiosity breaks that cycle. It allows us to be humble enough to admit that we don't have all the answers as that dictus reminds us, it is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows. Do you ever think about why Socrates was considered one of the greatest philosophers, Socrates, who was said to be the wisest man in Athens? And it wasn't because he knew everything, but because he knew that he knew nothing. He never stopped asking questions, challenging himself and others, and refining his understanding of the world. His curiosity led him to insights that shaped philosophy for centuries. So here's some practical ideas to think of the next time you strongly believe in something. Challenge yourself. What if I'm wrong? Or even better? What if the opposite was true? Instead of assuming you understand someone's viewpoint, ask what led you to that conclusion? You can also seek out books or conversations that challenge your current thinking. Doing so allows you to develop a deeper understanding, not only of others or the world around you, but also yourself. Number two, the role of curiosity in overcoming obstacles. Now, curiosity doesn't just help us learn. It helps us to survive and adapt. When we hit roadblocks, we often default to frustration or despair, but curiosity turns problems into puzzles. A good example of this was Thomas Edison and the development of the light bulb. Now, Edison didn't see his failures as defeat. He saw that every failure was just another data point. When his experiments failed, he didn't say, this is impossible. Instead, he said, I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that don't work. Now, that is a stoic mindset in action. Instead of reacting emotionally to setbacks, approach them with curiosity. Ask yourself, what can I learn from this? What are other ways to approach this problem? And lastly, who can I learn from? Seneca, put it beautifully. Difficulty strengthen the mind as labor does the body. Curiosity allows us to view hardships not as barriers, but as teachers, you don't learn when things are easy. You learn when they are hard, and like I've often said on this podcast, win or learn, then you never lose. Point number three, curiosity and emotional mastery. So one of the most overlooked aspects about curiosity is its role in managing emotions. When we feel anger or sadness or anxiety, our instinct is to react. But what if instead of reacting, we became curious about our own emotions. So the next time you feel frustrated or anxious, pause and ask yourself, why do I feel this way? What are the deeper emotions going on? Why does this situation bother me? What belief do I have that is causing this reaction? And lastly, is this belief actually true? This technique is often used in cognitive behavioral therapy, which mirrors stoic practices. I mean, Marcus Aurelius was constantly analyzing his emotions, writing. You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength. When we get curious about our emotions instead of being controlled by them, then we develop greater self-awareness and resilience. Point number four, lifelong learning the stoic commitment to growth. Now, the greatest stoics were lifelong students. They read and wrote and debated and refined their views until their last breath. Marcus Aurelius, despite being emperor, studied philosophy daily. He didn't assume his position made him wise. He sought out teachers and questioned his own thinking and even welcomed criticism as a learning tool. So a good example of this is the Japanese concept of kaizen, and what that means is a continuous improvement. It's the idea that no matter how good you are at something, you can always refine and improve, even if it's just a little bit. And curiosity is at the heart of this. It asks, how can I be better than I was yesterday? What new insights can I gain from this experience? Who can I learn from today? And Seneca captures this idea nicely when he says, as long as you live, keep learning how to live. Number five, curiosity and joy. The key to lifelong wonder. So last week's episode was all about creating joy, and I wanted to bring this episode around to talking about how curiosity is a key to joy. Have you ever noticed how children seem to find joy in the simplest things? A cardboard box, a puddle, a butterfly? That's because they haven't yet learned to suppress the curiosity. They don't assume they already know everything. They don't see the world as mundane or predictable to them. Everything is new, everything is interesting and everything is worth exploring. But somewhere along the way we tend to lose that sense of wonder. We trade curiosity for certainty, and with it we trade joy for routine. Life becomes a series of checklists and obligations, and we forget. The joy isn't something we find. It's something that we cultivate. So curiosity, reignites joy, I. When was the last time you let yourself be truly fascinated by something? Maybe it was a book that challenged your worldview, a new skill that made your brain light up, or a conversation that took an unexpected turn. Joy and curiosity are deeply linked because curiosity keeps us engaged with life. Marcus s reminds us, dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars and see yourself running with them. That's curiosity in action. It's the willingness to stop and notice and engage with the world as it is, not as we just assume it to be. So one of the biggest killers of joy is the idea that we've seen it all before, that jaded been there, done that attitude, and it's a self-imposed prison. It tells us that there's nothing new to learn, nothing new to feel, and nothing new to discover. But the truth is, the world hasn't changed. We have, we've stopped asking questions. What if instead of assuming we already knew everything, we approach life like an explorer. What if we trained ourselves to find fascination in the familiar, so Seneca tells us begin. It wants to live and count each separate day as a separate life. I mean, that's a recipe for curiosity right there, and that's the power of curiosity. It allows us to experience life fully over and over again. So I want you to take this as a simple practice, the beginner's mind. So the stoics teach us that happiness isn't about chasing pleasure, it's about appreciating what's already there. But appreciation requires awareness, and awareness requires curiosity. A simple way to bring more joy into your life is to adopt a beginner's mind. The next time you eat a meal, slow down and notice the flavors and the textures and the way it feels to be nourished. When you go on a walk, really look at the world. Notice the colors, the sound, and the way the light changes in your conversations. Ask better questions. Instead of waiting for your turn to talk, get curious about the person in front of you. Joy isn't something that just happens. It's something you create by being deeply present and endlessly curious. Curiosity is an antidote to boredom. It turns ordinary days into adventures. It transforms struggles into learning experiences. And when we stay curious, we remind ourselves that life at its core is something worth being excited about. So the last point I wanna talk about is how to cultivate curiosity in daily life. Curiosity isn't just for scholars or philosophers, it's a tool that we can use every day. And here's some simple ways to reignite your curiosity. Number one, ask why more often if something annoys you, ask, why does this bother me? If you fail at something, ask, what can I learn from this? Number two, seek out different perspectives. Read books or or articles by people you disagree with. Have conversations where you listen to understand and not just to reply. Number three, develop a beginner's mindset. Even if you're experienced in something, approach it as if you are a beginner. This was the power that Socrates had. He would put his preconceived ideas to the side and engage as if he was just learning about the topic at hand. Challenge yourself to keep learning in areas that you've already mastered. Are there new ways to do what you're already doing? Number four, experiment and play. Try something new just for fun. Curiosity thrives when we step out of routine. Number five, keep a curiosity journal. Write down things that made you curious throughout the day, track questions that interest you and actively seek answers. So in conclusion. What I'm really putting forward is that you should be the seeker, not the knower. The world is not black and white. It's messy and complex and full of wonder. The moment we assume we already know is the moment we stop growing. The stoics teach us that the key to wisdom isn't in knowing all the answers. It's in asking better questions. So I'll leave you with this. What's something you've been wrong about before? What belief do you hold that you've never truly questioned? What's one thing you're curious about right now? Go chase those questions, because a life filled with curiosity is a life well lived. As Markelius said, look within, within is the fountain of good and it will ever bubble up if you will ever dig. So finally, what will you explore next this week? Challenge yourself to embrace curiosity. Pick a topic you've never explored before. Ask somebody about their life experience. Question one of your long held beliefs. Let's make curiosity. A habit, not a lost art. So stay curious, my friends, stay curious. I. And that's the end of this week's Stoic Coffee break. As always, be kind to yourself and be kind to others, and thanks for listening. Also, I just wanna let you know that my book, stoicism 1 0 1, is available for order. You can find out more information on my website at Stoic Coffee. And while you're there, you can join my free community. And lastly, I just wanna say if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to add them. If you're watching this on YouTube or listening to this on Spotify, I'd love to get your input for future episodes. Thanks again for listening. I.