A recent Big Think article highlights how curiosity can rewire the brain—boosting learning, memory, and adaptability. At ELI, we’ve seen firsthand how curiosity fuels the entrepreneurial mindset. It’s what enables individuals to spot opportunities hidden in problems and stay engaged through the often-challenging process of building solutions.

But curiosity isn’t just outward-facing. It also drives self-reflection, helping us question assumptions, confront biases, and improve decision-making. Without it, we risk overlooking better paths forward.

Curiosity is a skill—and like any skill, it grows with practice. In uncertain times, it’s one of the most important tools we can cultivate in ourselves and in those we serve.

Hat tip to ELI partner Stephen Taylor of Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation for sharing this resource!

What if you approached your own life the way an anthropologist approaches a culture—curious, observant, and open to discovery? In a recent Ness Labs piece, previously featured Anne-Laure Le Cunff encourages us to do just that. By keeping “field notes” on our habits, decisions, and experiences, we can begin to uncover the unseen patterns that shape our lives.

At ELI, we view this kind of reflective practice as essential for making change within and outside ourselves. Developing the ability to observe your own thoughts and behaviors without judgment creates space for growth, persistence, and better decision-making. When individuals can identify what’s holding them back, they’re better positioned to take meaningful steps forward. Le Cunff’s idea of self-anthropology offers a practical and empathetic tool for that work.

Like all good anthropologists, we must observe with humility and curiosity—only then can we start to reimagine what’s possible.