One of the essential ingredients to personal growth is curiosity. Curiosity is like a built-in catalyst that keeps your mind fresh and your appetite for growth alive. Some people seem naturally curious. Take Thomas Edison for example.

Edison was known as the “Wizard of Menlo Park,” named after his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey, which served as the birthplace of such inventions as the light bulb and the phonograph. As his work continued to expand, he constructed the largest testing laboratory in the world in West Orange, New Jersey, housing approximately 60 employees.

He is reported to have told a new staff member inquiring about the company’s rules, “There ain’t no rules around here. We’re trying to accomplish something.” And accomplish he did. Before his death at the age of 84, Edison was credited with 1,093 patents. His curiosity never slept.

I have found three things to boost curiosity: reading, listening, and traveling.

Reading will stimulate your thinking and open your mind to new ideas, perspectives, and concepts. Edison was a constant reader and maintained an attitude of self-improvement throughout life.

Listening assumes a learning posture. One of the pioneering voices in servant-leadership, Robert Greenleaf, said, “From listening comes wisdom, from speaking comes repentance.” When you listen, curiosity is aroused by the people you meet, and you place yourself in a position to learn and grow.

Travel exposes you to other cultures, lifestyles, and an excess of ideas. St. Augustine said, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” Reading, listening, and traveling will initiate your drive toward personal growth. Like Thomas Edison, once you’re curiosity wakes up, don’t let it sleep.

Question: What else have you found will boost curiosity as a personal growth catalyst?