As creative people, one of the simplest and most powerful things we can do to develop and maintain fulfilling creative lives is to develop positive habits.

A habit is a behaviour or pattern of actions, often done unconsciously, that weve developed through frequent repetition.

You may already have in your creative life a number of habits that serve you well, for example writing a journal entry each day, using positive affirmations, visiting a new place of interest once a week, or reading more about creativity each night.

The Curiosity Habit is one of the most useful and productive habits we can acquire to increase and support our creativity.

Being curious and having an active attitude of curiosity means we are constantly inquisitive about the world and how it works. Were keen to question, to learn and develop and absorb all we can to help us further our knowledge.

This in turn adds to the breadth and depth of our understanding and experience, and the richness of our lives and our creative output.

Here are just some of the ways the Curiosity Habit can be adapted and used most effectively

Be curious about how things work

This can be anything from mechanical objects from clocks to catapults, electronic devices like phones or speakers, parts of civilisation like road networks or community groups, to naturally occurring phenomena like how plants grow, the water cycle, or how our bodies digest food.

Develop an attitude like that of a young child, a sense of wonder of how things work and why they do the things they do. Its all too easy to forget how many intricately detailed systems and processes, both natural and man-made, were surrounded by at any one time.

Be being more curious about just a few of these, we start to build the Curiosity Habit and see and appreciate everything in so much more depth, detail and richness.

Be curious about people

When you meet someone new, be curious and interested in them and what they do. Show a genuine interest by asking questions such as What do you most enjoy about your (creative) work?, What are you most proud of in your life and What advice would you give to others about (the things theyre proud of/ successful at)?.

As well as making the other person feel genuinely valued and important, you also gain insight into how their lives work and what matters to them. Theres no better way of learning about other people than meeting and talking with them, with an attitude of genuine curiosity and interest.

This in turn will feed your own creativity and give you no end of ideas and material for your creative projects.

Be curious about creativity itself

Look at your own creativity and notice the times when youre most inspired and productive, and those when you feel more stuck. Be curious about the tiny nuances and details that make difference and why they do.

Learn about other peoples creativity, by talking with those you already know. Enquire about their methods, techniques and habits, be curious about what they find effective and useful in their creative lives, and why.

Find out more about some of the creative people whose work you admire, by researching their lives and their art. Visit their work wherever possible, and be curious about what it was in their lives and personalities and methods that enabled them to produce the work they did.

All of these are slightly different approaches to what is essentially the same habit, and there are many other variations to explore and discover.

Remember to be curious, ask questions, and adopt an insatiable attitude of wanting to know more, to understand and to learn.

The more you do, the more your sources of inspiration and ideas will expand, and the more enriched your own creative life and work will become.

Adopt the Curiosity Habit today and start to notice the powerful and positive impact it has on YOUR creativity.

Copyright 2006 Dan Goodwin