Turning Curiosity Into A Superpower
Turning Curiosity Into A Superpower
How does curiosity help build deeper business relationships?
For me, it goes back to a quote by Mother Teresa. Near the end of her life, she was interviewed. You’ve got to remember—she was in Calcutta, dealing with diseases that should’ve been gone for centuries. Typhoid, even leprosy. She was loving people whose fingers were literally falling off.
A New York Times reporter came to do a biopic piece on her and said, “These are horrific conditions.” Mother Teresa actually grew up wealthy. She gave all that up to serve others. The reporter asked, “What’s the worst disease you’ve come across?” Without hesitation, she said, “Loneliness.”
Today, a few great writers are talking about that same thing. Adam Grant, and Scott Galloway out of NYU, talk about the epidemic of loneliness.
A big part of my personal mission is helping people build curiosity like a muscle. When you get out of your own head and take an interest in others, you become more interesting. You build real connections—and you feel less lonely.
Loneliness has massive effects—physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. We saw this clearly during the pandemic. And now, a lot of people are wondering how to fix it.
Sure, we’re “connected” through apps, but many still feel isolated. I love technology and I’m usually an early adopter, but I only value it if it's a tool that helps us connect better—like a screwdriver, hammer, or scalpel.
So the burning question for me is: How can I walk away from every interaction making that person feel more connected, more seen, more loved? Because I believe loneliness is the real disease we need to eradicate.
How can curiosity uncover new business opportunities?
My consulting company started from a CEO's honest feedback. After a brand project, he said, “People liked you more than they like me. Can you help me lead better?” That moment sparked a new business. I’d never offered coaching outside of companies I worked for. Turns out that my real gifts—storytelling and people building—belong in that space. Curiosity opened the door to something bigger than I expected.
How can curiosity improve sales strategy?
The best salespeople you've ever met have never felt like they've sold you anything. What they've done is they've jumped into a problem with you, shoulder to shoulder, and they go, huh? I wonder if we did this or this or this or this, and all of a sudden you're like, hold on. Is this person lifting weight with me? Like the thing that felt like a hundred pounds before? Yeah. Now feels like 50 pounds or less because they've joined in. And so the thing that I tell salespeople and I tell humans in general is in order to be interesting, you have you have to be interested first.
Why is the “lone wolf” mindset dangerous for entrepreneurs?
I think this is largely an American issue. As a South African, I see how American culture—rooted in ideas like Manifest Destiny and the Protestant work ethic—elevates individualism. The mindset is: “I’ve been chosen. I do it on my own.”
In contrast, countries with lower anxiety and depression tend to emphasize community and doing life together.
In coaching, I talk about “the third way.” It’s not about choosing between masculinity and friendship. It’s about letting both thrive together.
Take the “lone wolf” idea. In popular culture, it’s glorified—this solo, tough leader. But in the animal world, a lone wolf is sick. The pack has rejected it. Wolves are wired to hunt together.
Solitude is healthy. Every great leader—from Jesus to Mandela—had time alone. But solitude is different from isolation. Choosing a solitary life is not noble—it’s often fear-based.
We invest so much into our business but rarely into community. That’s the real weakness. Telling yourself, “No one gets me” or “No one’s as good as me” is a mask for fear. We slap on the ‘lone wolf’ label to feel strong, but it’s just self-protection.
That’s not strength—it’s isolation. And it’s not worth admiring.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
