5 Sparks to Fuel Your Week: Choosing Curiosity Over Comfort

This morning I discovered my Uber driver's wife is someone I've worked with. Small world? Maybe. But it only happened because I struck up a conversation on the way to work.

I travel regularly for work, and I've developed a ritual of starting conversations with people I meet, not just pleasantries about the weather but real conversations.

This morning's driver moved here from Hondouras and is running a half marathon in Miami this weekend. We swapped training stories, compared race experiences, and then he mentioned his wife. Turns out, I've worked with her. What are the odds? But this isn't a one-time coincidence. Every ride has revealed something remarkable: yesterday morning, my driver shared his passion about health and wellness and we learned we had many of the same health and well-being philosophies. Yesterday afternoons driver was a young woman saving every dollar to move to Oregon and lead a happy life without the family drama she's determined to leave behind, that is courage personified!

These stories were always there. I just had to ask. How many interesting people do we pass by in silence? How many potential connections, insights, or simply human moments do we miss because we're comfortable in our own bubble? I'm not suggesting every interaction needs to be deep, but there's something powerful about choosing curiosity over isolation, even in a 15-minute car ride.

Next time you encounter a stranger, whether it's an Uber driver, a barista, or someone in line at the grocery store, try striking up a conversation and become curious about them as a fellow human. Sometimes they won't want to talk, and that's ok too. But...sometimes the most meaningful moments happen when we're just being human with other humans.

Spark #1 - Quote of the Week

David C. Brooks

Spark #2 - Thought for the Week

This morning, I discovered that my Uber driver’s wife is someone I’ve worked with. Small world? Maybe. But it only happened because I struck up a conversation on the way to work.

I travel often and have developed a small ritual: real conversations, not just comments about the weather. This morning’s driver moved here from Honduras and is training for a half marathon in Miami. We traded race stories, talked training, and then he mentioned his wife. Yesterday’s driver shared his passion for health and wellness — our philosophies aligned more than either of us expected. The afternoon before, a young woman talked about saving every dollar to move to Oregon and build a life free from family drama. Courage, in its quiet form.

These stories were always there. I just had to ask.

It makes me wonder how many interesting people we pass by in silence. How many connections, insights, or simple human moments we miss because staying in our own bubble feels easier.

Spark #3 - Leadership Resource Spotlight

📘 How to Know a Person by David C. Brooks

In "How to Know a Person", Brooks explores what it truly means to see another human being, not to fix, impress, or extract, but to understand. At the heart of the book is a simple idea: deep connection begins with genuine curiosity.

This aligns closely with leadership. Leaders who ask and truly listen, create trust, psychological safety, and engagement.

Try this open-ended question this week:

• “What’s something that’s been energizing you lately?”or

• “What’s been on your mind more than usual these days?”

No agenda. No follow-up point. Just presence.

Spark #4 - Wanderlust Wisdom

Some of the most meaningful moments I’ve experienced while traveling didn’t happen at the destination. They happened in transit; in cars, airports, cafés, and conversations with people I may never see again.

Travel has taught me that curiosity is a choice. You can move through the world efficiently and disconnected, or open and human. Adventure doesn’t always mean going far. Sometimes it means leaning in.

Spark #5 - Take Action

This week, choose curiosity once.

Start small. Try one of these:

• “What brought you here today?”

• “What’s something you’re looking forward to?”

• “How did you get into what you’re doing now?”

It might be an Uber driver, a barista, or someone standing next to you in line. Not every interaction will turn into a story and that’s okay. But sometimes, the most meaningful moments happen when we’re simply willing to be human with other humans.

Until Next Time. Keep Growing, Keep Leading

If you need a tool to help you keep growing and have been through Emergenetics, consider purchasing my Emergenetics Conversation Cards. A full deck of wisdom and curiosity in the palm of your hand to keep you engaged in the language of Emergenetics.

Cards are $24.00/pack (52 carefully and thoughtfully curated cards). Contact me at rebecca@rebeccabaybayan.com to purchase.