1. The Power of Curiosity
In our daily lives, we often find ourselves limited by our own thinking patterns and fixed social circles, habitually viewing the world through our own lens. We frequently fall into the cognitive trap of thinking that what we see is the true reality. However, every person has a unique worldview, and perspectives and insights can be drastically different from one another.
For creators, especially in fields like filmmaking, writing, and other similar industries, in order to create groundbreaking stories and ideas, one must break free from personal cognitive boundaries and learn to view things from the perspectives of others. After all, creation stems from observation, and at the heart of observation lies “curiosity.” By engaging in dialogues and asking questions, we can spark others’ thoughts and, in turn, open up new horizons for our own creations.
“Squeeze-style questioning” is an exceptionally efficient approach in this process. It stems from intense curiosity and delves deeply into questions, helping you uncover another person’s fundamental thoughts and experiences. This technique can even enable you to gain a lifetime’s worth of knowledge and wisdom in a short period of time. It’s not only a way to absorb someone else’s wisdom but also a breakthrough in your own self-awareness.
The author, in his younger years, was an unknown in the Hollywood film industry until he realized that curiosity was the key to changing his destiny. Once he understood this, he stopped confining himself to isolated thinking in his office and began engaging with people from various fields to understand their worldviews, experiences, and stories. Through constant questioning, his knowledge and experience significantly expanded. These experiences weren’t simply about “getting answers” but about extracting others’ wisdom from every conversation, pushing himself forward in his creative journey.
There is one crucial rule: when conversing with others, you must approach it with genuine interest and curiosity in order to have the most valuable conversations. Authentic curiosity is the bridge to communication, not just a tool to get superficial answers.
For example, after watching the show “24,” the author developed a deep curiosity about the world of spies. He wanted to understand their motivations, psychological states during missions, and how they deal with immense pressure. He then used “squeeze-style questioning” to engage in deep conversations with several intelligence experts, asking them many questions that intrigued him. These discussions greatly broadened his understanding of the field and also inspired new ideas for his creations.
In short, curiosity is a powerful force that sparks creativity. It not only helps you gain insight in specific fields but can ignite countless sparks of inspiration in various aspects of your work. By asking questions, you can break free from your original thought limitations and gain new perspectives and solutions to problems.
2. How to Ask Curious Questions
The First Question:
Everyone has their own questioning style, but whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned questioner, the first questions should be directed at familiar people. This includes your friends, relatives, colleagues, and industry partners with whom you have business dealings. Many people have unique experiences—whether from education, culture, career, or life background—that can provide you with entirely new perspectives.
You can start by saying: “I’m really curious about your work and I’m trying to broaden my understanding of the world. Would you mind spending 20 minutes sharing your experiences with me?” Whether asking them how they got into their current profession or what their biggest challenges and surprises were, these are excellent conversation starters.
Remember, the most important thing in these conversations is to respect the other person’s time and avoid interrupting them. When you have the chance to talk with someone, always remain humble and focused, listening carefully and digging deeper into their viewpoints and experiences with further questions.
At the same time, during the listening process, avoid putting yourself at the center of the conversation. Don’t rush to share your own stories. The purpose of asking questions is to understand the other person better, not to promote yourself. Every high-quality conversation requires sincerity and patience, respecting the other person’s time and opinions.
When the conversation ends, make sure to express gratitude for their time, and send a short thank-you email afterward. You can highlight the insights you gained from their stories or emphasize the viewpoints you appreciated the most.
3. Expanding Your Questioning Scope
After accumulating experience with conversations with friends or people within familiar fields, you can begin to expand your reach to a wider group of people, especially those who are strangers or not related to your field. Cross-disciplinary conversations can help you discover new worlds that you might not know, providing richer material for your thinking.
How to Approach Strangers:
Start by identifying experts or professionals in the fields you’re interested in. If you’ve developed a strong interest in a topic like astronomy, sports, or cooking, try reaching out to people who have achieved success in these areas. You can establish connections through mutual friends or colleagues, or you can directly contact them via email or social media.
For example, if you’re interested in astronomy, you might write an email like this: “I’m the Vice President of a hospital and have always had a strong interest in astronomy. I would love the opportunity to talk with you and learn about your insights in this field and your personal experiences.” This simple and sincere expression can increase your chances of getting a response.
Before engaging in a conversation with a stranger, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with their background and field of work. This way, you can ask high-quality questions and demonstrate your respect and interest in their work during the conversation. At the same time, always be mindful of their privacy, maintaining appropriate manners and boundaries.
4. Carrying Curiosity Everywhere
It’s important to note that curiosity doesn’t need to be reserved for specific or formal occasions. You can use curiosity anytime to discover the beauty of the world. Whether on a plane, at a wedding, or at a gathering, you have opportunities to interact with people from different backgrounds, listen to their stories, and even receive inspiration you never imagined from an impromptu conversation.
The key is to take the first step and actively connect with strangers. A simple self-introduction like, “Hi, I’m XXX. What do you do?” can open the door to a conversation.
5. Curiosity Questioning 2.0: Dinner Parties
If you’ve mastered personalized curiosity questioning techniques, you can try extending it to group interactions. Host a dinner party, inviting interesting friends, colleagues, or even strangers. These people can come from various industries and backgrounds, and the aim is to provide a platform for exchanging diverse experiences and viewpoints.
A dinner party can be an informal social gathering or a more structured dialogue session. You can encourage everyone to ask questions and listen attentively to gain deeper insights into other people’s experiences and perspectives. This not only helps broaden your thinking but also promotes deep interaction and cross-disciplinary intellectual collisions among the group.
Conclusion
Through “squeeze-style questioning,” we can not only gain a lifetime of wisdom from others in a short period of time but also expand our mental boundaries and enhance self-awareness. Whether through one-on-one conversations or group interactions, maintaining curiosity, asking insightful questions, and actively listening are all keys to achieving excellence.