I have noticed that people are motivated to be disciplined by different things. For some, it is money, status, and comfort but I have always grown because I have been curious.
This is not to brag about me. I consider myself average in most things and probably below average in too many things. However, where I excel is being curious. It has always forced me to seek answers, even when painful.
I shared before how as an impulsive kid I didn’t believe the stove was hot and touched it with my hand. My parents were surprised but I wasn’t. I was going to find out the truth of something firsthand literally! Most of the time however learning things didn’t cause me physical pain just emotional or intellectual confusion.
Neurochemists say that learning hurts. I agree. Many times I learned things that I wish I didn’t know. I have realized that there are certain areas in which I don’t need to know things. Those are subjects that are disgusting, illegal, or have no possible useful purpose to know. I am curious about everything, but I realize that when I have learned things in those topic areas I feel worse for knowing it and there is nothing that I can do with the information that can be useful to anyone. I don’t need to collect mental trash, and for me, those things are mental trash.
Now what I often see in the world is that people are selective of what they are curious about. It normally is only focused on a hobby/work-related subject. I think that because there is so much information people say “I can’t possibly remember most of it, so I’m going to focus on what helps me.” I think this is a mistake. Often I have learned things in a completely unrelated field in my life, and it helps put other information into perspective.
There is a joy that comes from understanding something and I don’t understand why people don’t feel motivated to feel that more often. When I understand something my world enlarges and life doesn’t seem mysterious, it makes more sense. Most knowledge helps you feel better about life, and that is what I have pursued in my life. What is life-affirming, pro-social, and helpful to others. Knowing things can be joyful if you make the effort.