Be Curious

At last week’s Upper Bound conference, Micah Slavens MBA, ICD.D, founder of Lift Interactive, dropped a truth bomb that stuck with me long after the stage lights dimmed: “Wonder is not enough.”

He was drawing a line in the sand between two mindsets we often confuse: wonder and curiosity. Both sound noble. Both suggest some form of open-mindedness. But only one drives innovation.

Wonder, Micah argued, is passive. It’s that moment of awe when you see something impressive or hear about an idea that shakes your worldview. It makes you say, “Whoa.” But then? You move on. Back to the inbox. Back to the meeting. Back to the routine.

Curiosity, on the other hand, is active. It follows wonder with a question. It leans in. It pokes at the idea and says, “Tell me more.” It opens another tab, starts a conversation, runs an experiment.

In the age of AI, this distinction matters more than ever.

AI is Wonder-Filled. But Curiosity Makes It Work.

Let’s be real: AI is jaw-dropping. It writes, draws, talks, codes, predicts, and even feels (kind of). The tools are evolving so fast that the daily “wow” moments can feel endless.

But here’s the trap: We stop at the “wow.”

We see an incredible demo on social media or hear about someone using AI to write 10 blog posts in 5 minutes and think, “That’s amazing!” But then we go about our day without applying it. We’re wondering, but we’re not curious.

Wonder is essential—but it’s just the spark.

Wonder is that moment of awe you feel when you see what AI can do for the first time. But without curiosity to ask, “How does this work?” or “How could I apply this in my business?”, that moment fades. If you wonder but then move on with your day, then you really haven’t accomplished much.

Curiosity is what closes the gap between inspiration and implementation. It’s what turns a jaw-drop into a prototype, a demo into a workflow, a “what if” into “what now.”

Curiosity Is a Business Advantage

In a world where the tools are accessible to everyone, what separates businesses won’t be the tech itself. It will be the willingness to explore it. To ask better questions. To test. To fail. To refine. To dig deeper.

Micah shared a great slide with the quote: “Infrastructure is a commodity, but curiosity is scarce. Along with motivation, curiosity is the fuel in a culture of innovation.” That quote hit hard.

Because you can give two teams the same AI tool. One will use it to automate emails. The other will rethink the entire customer experience.

The difference? Curiosity.

So, What Now?

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Yeah, I want to do more with AI,” here’s the invitation:

• Don’t just admire the tech. Ask it better questions.
• Don’t stop at the keynote. Go build something.
• Don’t just consume. Create.

Curiosity is a discipline. It’s a mindset. It’s the bridge between being amazed and being effective.

Wonder gets your attention. Curiosity gets things done.

So ask yourself: When was the last time wonder led you to curiosity? And curiosity to action?

In a world driven by rapid AI evolution, staying curious isn’t just helpful—it’s a requirement. Those who turn wonder into exploration and exploration into action will lead the next wave of innovation.

Let’s get curious.