Think like an explorer: go on a Curiosity Safari
A few weeks ago I was leafing through the magazine of the FT Weekend newspaper when I was drawn to a feature about an Irish bar in one of my favourite cities, NYC. I stopped turning the pages and read the article. It immediately made me want to go and hang out in this bar and do all the other things I love doing when in New York.
I can’t take a long trip at the moment for health reasons so I wondered: what’s the next best thing? I decided to explore an urban area closer to home: east London. Zoë and I took the Overground to Haggerston, wandered pavements we’d never walked before and ended up at Batch Baby for coffee. Later that afternoon we headed down wide, blossom-lined streets for a matinee of a play in Dalston.
The streets. The overground station. The coffee shop. The theatre. I get a real buzz from discovering places new to me. Sure, Haggerston is hardly the Himalayas, but I felt like an explorer wandering around, noticing the world around me. When we can’t go far, even experiences and interactions on our doorstep can feed us.
Last month I gave a talk to the communications team at a major UK retailer. I’m a customer of their brands so I feel I know them well. Even so, to have a deeper dive into their world, to prepare for my talk I decided to go on what I describe as a Curiosity Safari at one of their major stores.
As I walked around the aisles I was intentional about paying attention. I slowed down and brought a ‘beginner’s mindset’ approach. Wandering around the store without an agenda was so rewarding, just seeing what I encountered and chatting to staff. That 90 minute experience gave me some brilliant insights for my talk.
Whether it’s going somewhere new on a day off or getting curious about the environment around us at work, we can reap the benefits when we channel the mindset of an explorer.
Go on a Curiosity Safari of your own! Essentially it’s about slowing down and noticing, keeping your eyes and ears open. Tune into what’s unusual or surprising. If you work in an organisation, wander the corridors and departments - what do you notice that you’ve never been aware of before? Keep an open mind and bring that beginner’s mindset - pretending it’s your first day in the space or area. And take a pen and notepad to jot down your findings!