If you are new to Live Curious let me quickly say I believe two things about humanity:

1. Most people want to live curiously.
2. Most people do not live curious lives.

I want to instigate a future where people who follow Jesus can feel empowered to live a curious life, a life that not everyone in this world will applaud.

So, after many conversations with cautiously curious people, I have constructed this list of six things that will keep millions of people from living a curious life.

1. Comfort. Simply put, we are addicted to it. And I promise, an overcommitment to comfort will cause us to miss about 90% of this world. When we choose comfort instead of courage we miss out on the stories that make our lives adventurous and infectious. Curious people reject comfort. Therefore, curious people collect amazing stories. And when sitting at a party listening to their tales – we wish we were them!

[Tweet “Collect experiences not things.”]

2. Concern. Most of us are overly concerned with what others think. Several years ago when I decided to leave a comfortable job in Kentucky and move my family to California, one of my big concerns was … “What will others think?” And I can tell you they thought and said some pretty rough things. But I am so grateful that our family chose not to be paralyzed by what others think.

3. Margin. We often live our lives with very little margin leaving no room for curious adventures, escapades or interruptions. If we have no margin, if every single day is filled to the brim with already known and scheduled events, then how will we ever engage in a curious life? People who live truly curious lives and have the stories to tell are people who build margin into their day and week.

They expect to experience curious things.
They anticipate interruptions.
They welcome unintended moments into their lives.

 

If you study the curious life of Jesus … His days were full of interruptions. And how He handled and responded to those interruptions are why, in part, hundreds of millions of people are committed to Him.

[Tweet “”Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.” ~ I John 2:6″]

4. Friends. Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future. Hang around predictable, complacent, boring people and receive in return a similar life. Hang around strange, selfless, driven, diverse, unique, spontaneous, contemplative people and receive a curious life.

[Tweet “The more curious your friends, the more curious your future!”]

5. Finances. It is easy for us to make excuses and say, “We don’t have the money to live a curious life.” Nothing could be further from the truth. We do not have to take last minute trips to Vegas – drop $700 on a suite at the Bellagio – see three Cirque-De-Solie shows and eat at Mastros Steak House at the Aria Center to live curiously. A curious life has nothing to do with our finances. Some of the most curious people I know don’t make much currency. But they have decided to do simple things like…

– Talk to people in line at Starbucks
– Engage in conversations on the plane
– Serve the poor in soup kitchens on Saturday mornings
– Bake cookies for neighbors
– Tip servers at restaurants $100 on a $57 meal

What I am saying is some people have made a choice within the realm of their normal, everyday life to live curiously. These people talk to the people that no one else talks to. They serve people who will never be able to serve them back. They bless people by obeying Spirit promptings and in doing so become answers to people’s prayers. And these people collect amazing experiences and stories. Again, when sitting at a party listening to their tales – we wish we were them.

[Tweet “Curious people see the very same situations others do, only they respond differently!”]

6. Fear. It is infinitely easier to be a copy than an original. Going with the flow turns no heads. Joining the crowd rarely receives condemnation or questions. But when we decide to live in a fresh, adventuresome and original way, people notice. People ask questions. People cast stones. And it can be quite scary at times to investigate living the life you know you were meant to live. But ultimately these questions give us the opportunity to talk about why we are living curiously in the first place. It gives us an opportunity to bring our faith into the conversation. It allows us to talk about the curious life of Jesus that we are trying to emulate.

[Tweet “A follower of Jesus should live a curious life.”] [Tweet “”Always do what you are afraid to do.” Ralph Waldo Emerson”]

What do you think, friends?

What is keeping you from living the curious life you were meant to live?  

How To Live Curiously – Part I
How To Live Curiously – Part II
How To Live Curiously – Part III