There are many traits of the successful people and there are many qualities of a happy and fulfilled life. Three that I have recently discovered are curiousity, conversation and variety. They all work together and also work separately in life but if you manage to incorporate them into you life you will notice a remarkable shift for the better.

The old proverb “curiosity killed the cat” is one that sends a message that unnecessary investigation or experimentation can be dangerous. This may be true yet those that sit idle may never truly live. In order to protect your nine lives don’t investigate, don’t experiment and don’t take risk. Though this may mean you never get to use one of those lives, or indeed enjoy life at all.

There is a great rejoinder to this proverb that says, “curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction bought it back.”

By being genuinely curious the benefits that result can be amazing. The most noticeably benefit that comes from investigating and experimenting in life is the learning.

Being curious may become unnecessary if the thing you are curious about are of no value or carries no weight. An example of this might be the noisy curiosity that surrounds gossip.

Gossip is surface conversation that aims to satisfy ones ego or a group ego and certainly is not factual or confirmed detail. Gossip can be entertaining I am sure but lessons learnt would certainly be lacking and be unsubstantial. To the observer of the gossipers, one can learn a certain amount of insight into human behaviours.

Curiosity must be genuine. When you discover something you may be curios about you must approach it in an open manner. Holding on to previous thought, experience, or belief may close the doors to deeper learning’s.

If you sit with the very successful you will discover that they are curious. If you try to interview someone that has success in life, which only you can determine, you may discover they become more curious about you, ask more questions of you than you of them.

Curiosity need not be only in human interaction but have a curious fascination with everything in life. You may look out your window at night and be amazed and marvelled by the night sky; the curiosity in this moment should be explored further.

You may wonder why people choose not to eat meat and even though you have been breed a meat eater, this curiosity need be explored. This is a sure way to exapand your knowledge, understanding and awareness that will be beneficial in all aspects of your life and successful journey.

For any thought within you that triggers a spark, do not sit idle and let it pass, take action. Take action towards discovery and you may just surprise yourself at what this spark may ignite. The doorways of curiostity open up many more doors of opportunity.

Be curious and don’t be afraid of killing the cat as the satisfaction gained may bring back life beyond that.

With a curious nature and a life that is explored you will find can come rich conversations. For many of us we only partake in what I like to consider surface conversation.

Most conversations in our world and our daily life are basic. It is not wrong nor is it wasteful or unnecessary it may just not be stimulating enough to promote or create growth and change. We know that with growth and change that the world and life in general becomes much greater.

If you view an iceberg you may notice only the part that protrudes above the water yet it is the remaining 80-percent that you cannot see that may truly fascinate. By becoming aware of the other 80-percent you will have a broader perspective of the world than those that choose only to see and become aware of the noticeable 20-percent. This will move you beyond the realms of meritocracy.

Conversation is like this also, must we discuss only the 20 percent that is in front of us and that we are aware yet leave the other 80 percent unexplored? This is what can truly spark creative change and growth. This can be true for your work, home and social life.

What of ther conscious mind? If we are only aware of 20 percent of all our thoughts yet could tap into our unconscious mind imagine what we may be able to dig out. We are often so withdrawn from the power of our unconscious mind and how it really directs us the we miss out on creating such greatness in our lives.

So what is stopping us from getting engrossed in deeper conversation at home, with our friends or at work? What is getting in our way? Are we lazy or are we just afraid. Perhaps we just are not curious enough to therefore being open enough to explore different areas with others. It may be a combination.

If you can create curiosity in your own life you will without doubt create and provoke thought within you that is worth investigating further. And what is within your mind would certainly be worth exploring further with those that are around you, those with similar interests and desires. This will promote further expansion internally but also externally aswell.

Some may wish not to partake and that should not stop you from continuing the desire to explore. You will find others that will wish to join you and you will find those that won’t.

There is a strong indication that we become like those that we surround ourselves with. If people choose to continue the gossip rather than sharing interest in deeper conversations than they may not be for you. Seek those that are like-minded as these are the people that will allow you to flourish in life.

As a child we were fascinated by everything. We were curious about how things work and why things are. We are curious with the question- why? We loose this curiosity, as we grow old. If you have lost it than you need to bring it back. Have a child like curiosity about everything.

In conversation we choose a path more satisfying to the ego and paths that are easier for us to remain comfortable, in favour of those that are more deep, slippery and do more to challenge our ego. We need to step away from the ego, approach life with an open mind and challenge ourselves to learn and think in other tones.

With curiosity and conversation alone we will find ourselves with greater variety in life. Variety is the spice of life and will without a doubt, when put in practice, tantalise your taste buds in new and wonderful ways each and every day.

We often talk in terms of success with focus on money; possession and status, which are all great things to have, however are usually ego pleasing. Happiness however is true success and with novelty and variety in life your happiness levels will rise.

If you can think about the time most recently to you when you did something that perhaps wasn’t something that you’d normally do. How did you feel? That time you went on a holiday or decided to eat something different from the menu. These experiences change things up and leave us with a feeling that we haven’t felt before or certainly don’t often feel.

We become so consumed by everyday life we forget the importance of novelty and variety, but variety is so important. Life without it becomes stressful, depressing, boring, unfulfilled, and stale. It is not that life may lack gratefulness or positivity but rather it’s just much of the same.

Variety makes things more enjoyable!

If you eat the same food everyday, things become a little boring. If you do the same task day in and day out, that would be pretty hard to handle. If you jog the same route each day, drive the same way to work, listen to the same song or hang out with the same people, things will stay much the same.

If you go on vacation to the same location each year you may still get variety from the everyday life but what if you went to a new location every year, imagine the variety then.

Change is growth and variety is change. Each time we do something different, no matter how big or small, we will certainly have new experiences. These new experiences, give us new thought, new perspectives, new interactions and will ultimately lead to new growth.

When we grow and experience life in new ways we become more fulfilled and happy. To make some variety in your life think about the environment around you, the places you visit, the people you interact with and the activities you undertake in your regular life.

Now think about what small things or even not so small things you could change up to add some more variety in the mix. You may eat dinner with the family in the back yard on a picnic blanket, you may ask the boss for a new task at work, you may switch up the office layout, you may step up and join a new group, you may just choice something different from the menu or decide to go hiking in the middle of the night.

Variety makes things fun, makes things interesting, creates new experiences and will push you outside your regular everyday life for greater happiness.

Without variety we become engrossed in activities detrimental for success. TV, drugs, alcohol & poor eating are just a couple that I am familiar with but there are others I’m sure.

I am convinced that if you approach life with a child like curiosity towards everything, delve into some open and deep conversations that challenge and create greater insight and add some variety into the everyday mix you will become more fulfilled, happy and successful in your life.

See how it works for you. Here is to discover more passion and life and indeed living with greater purpose.

Peace, passion and purpose.