The Gift of Fascination: Why the Most Successful People Never Stop Being Curious

"Be fascinated instead of frustrated."

Let me share something with you that might change the way you see the world. It changed the way I saw mine.

When I was twenty-five years old, I was frustrated with just about everything. Frustrated with my income. Frustrated with my lack of education. Frustrated with where I was in life. And all that frustration was getting me exactly nowhere.

Then I met a man named Earl Shoaff, and he gave me a piece of advice I have never forgotten. He said, "Jim, instead of being frustrated by what you do not understand, try being fascinated by it."

What a concept. Be fascinated instead of frustrated.

The Power of Fascination

Here is what fascination does that frustration cannot: it opens your mind. When you are frustrated, your mind closes. It says, "This is too hard. This is not fair. This is not for me." When you are fascinated, your mind opens. It says, "How does this work? What can I learn? What am I not seeing yet?"

Same circumstances. Completely different response. And a completely different result.

I have noticed something about the most successful people I have met over the years. They are all fascinated by something. They ask questions. They notice details. They wonder about things that most people walk right past.

They look at a sunset and think about light. They meet a stranger and think about their story. They read the news and think about patterns. The world, for them, is an endlessly interesting place. And because they find it interesting, they pay attention. And because they pay attention, they learn. And because they learn, they grow.

Fascination Is a Choice

Now, here is what I want you to understand: fascination is not a personality trait. It is a choice.

You do not have to be born curious. You can decide to be curious. You can walk into a room and instead of looking at your phone, look at the people. Instead of rushing through a conversation, ask a follow-up question. Instead of reading the same things you always read, pick up a book about something you know nothing about.

Every time you choose fascination over indifference, you are training your mind to be more alert, more engaged, more alive.

What to Be Fascinated By

People ask me, "What should I be fascinated by?" And my answer is: everything.

Be fascinated by people. What motivates them? What frightens them? What do they dream about?

Be fascinated by ideas. How do successful businesses work? Why do some cultures thrive while others struggle? What makes a great book great?

Be fascinated by nature. By seasons. By the way a seed becomes a tree.

Be fascinated by yourself. Why do you do what you do? What are your patterns? What are your blind spots?

The person who cultivates fascination never runs out of things to think about, talk about, or work on. And they never, ever get bored.

From Fascination to Fortune

Let me close with this thought. Fascination is not idle daydreaming. It is the beginning of all achievement.

Every great invention started with someone who was fascinated by a problem. Every great business started with someone who was fascinated by a need. Every great relationship started with someone who was fascinated by another human being.

When you are fascinated, you pay attention. When you pay attention, you learn. When you learn, you grow. And when you grow, everything in your life gets better.

So my challenge to you is simple: the next time you encounter something you do not understand, resist the urge to be frustrated. Choose fascination instead. It might just be the decision that changes everything.