Curiosity is a superpower for physiotherapists
The yearning to explore, learn and try new things – to be inquisitive…curiosity – ‘to boldly go where no one has gone before’, to borrow words from Star Trek. Curiosity is a soft skill superpower that we have abundantly as children. My son is asking me “what’s that?” and “why?” all the time. He is insatiably curious about everything; he wants to learn about everything around him. He is Columbus - he is an explorer. NASA look for astronauts and scientists that are curious, that ask good questions, and actively listen; NASA even have a car-sized rover designed to explore the Gale crater on Mars as part of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission named ‘Curiosity’.
Curiosity is an important trait for us as learning physiotherapists. Think back to history of individuals who have made an impact on civilisation – they were curious human beings. Thomas Edison, Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Sarah Goode, Nikola Tesla, Elon Musk - they are all curious characters. As Einstein said, “the important thing is not to stop questioning…never lose a holy curiosity”. Be like my son.
Successful and high performing physiotherapists are usually very curious – they ask when, what, how and why consistently. They ask questions. They are constantly seeking and looking for answers to help optimise clinical outcomes for patients.
Curiosity at the forefront of your development as a learning physiotherapist gives so much as a superpower - it creates an active mind, seeking clarity, questioning decisions constantly and looking for the appropriate approach. Curious physios are not passive. They cannot be.
Being curious opens new approaches and ways of looking at things, rather than being tunnel visioned and fixed on certain strategies and methods of treatment. Take occlusion or blood flow restriction training (BFR) as an example. A curious physiotherapist will want to explore the concept and science behind this method, attend a course, get certified, trial it, decide on its efficacy and effectiveness…and then make an informed call whether to include it in a rehab programme. Curiosity started this trail of new possibilities and treatment methods for the learning physiotherapist.
Aim to cultivate your curiosity as an adult constantly. Be open to new ways of thinking – be fluid and receptive to new ways of learning. Practice how to unlearn and relearn. We can change our minds as we get more experience or spend time with mentors in the physiotherapy profession. “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths” Walt Disney said.
Dig deeper and ask more questions – stay curious and engaged that little bit longer to extract all the relevant information about something you want to know more about. Tracy Morgan once said that “if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that curiosity might kill cats, but it doesn’t kill people.” Be relentless. Listen to audiobooks and podcasts that inspire and scratch your curiosity itch; read books that nurture your enquiring mind and feed your knowledge animal that is always hungry.
Curiosity feeds into innovation and creativity, a key mix of ingredients to finding an edge in physiotherapy today. In a recent Harvard Business Review article, Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, a professor of business psychology at University College London, identified three skills deemed vital in order for one to successfully navigate the challenges of modern life. Intellectual sharpness, emotional intelligence and curiosity were the three capabilities - and the professor put them at equal ranking. He elaborated that curiosity is critical to success as it infers a mind that is hungry…open to ideas and experiences and asking why religiously, like all physiotherapists who want to be the best they can be. Stay curious that bit longer as Michael Bungay Stanier, author of ‘The Advice Trap’ and ‘The Coaching Habit’ proclaims.
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