THE LEVEL UP LETTER

Hi All!

Here is your weekly Level Up Letter. This week we're challenging conventional wisdom. We've all heard the advice "follow your passion" countless times, but what if that's actually leading us astray? Instead, I want to make the case for something different: Follow your curiosity. Whether you're trying to find more fulfillment in your personal life or looking to grow your business, curiosity might be the more reliable compass. Let's dive into why curiosity beats passion every time, and how to use it to your advantage.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

CURIOSITY VS. PASSION: WHY ONE WINS

⁣We've been sold this idea that we all have some burning passion waiting to be discovered, and once we find it, everything will fall into place. For most of us, that singular passion doesn't exist or keeps changing.

I spent years in the music industry chasing what I thought was my passion. But when I looked closer, it wasn't passion that got me through the toughest times—it was curiosity. I was genuinely curious about how studios worked, how producers crafted sounds, how the business operated. That curiosity sustained me even when the "passion" flickered.

Passion is fickle. It comes and goes. But curiosity? That's a more reliable engine. You can be curious about almost anything, and curiosity has this magical quality of opening doors rather than narrowing them. Passion is Lust - Curiosity is Love.

WHY CURIOSITY BEATS PASSION IN BUSINESS

Think about the most innovative companies around. They weren't necessarily started by people with a specific passion for their product. They were founded by people curious enough to ask: "What if?"

• Peloton - John Foley wasn't particularly passionate about cycling. He was curious about why boutique fitness classes couldn't be brought into people's homes. That curiosity about combining technology, content, and convenience led to a company that transformed home fitness.

• Slack - Started as an internal tool for a gaming company that was developing a game called Glitch. The founders were curious about better ways for their team to communicate. When the game failed, they realized their internal communication tool was more valuable than the game itself.

The business leaders who thrive aren't necessarily the ones most passionate about their industry—they're the ones most curious about it. They ask questions others don't think to ask. They explore angles others miss. They remain students of their craft long after others have declared themselves masters. They’re interested in the market at large and in their competition.

WHEN CURIOSITY MAKES THE HARD STUFF EASY

When I started exploring real estate as a side venture, I wasn't driven by some overwhelming passion for property. I was simply curious. And that curiosity made all the difference. How were other people making this work? What market does it work in? Can I figure it out?

Those 6am calls to East Coast lenders, agents and contractors? I actually looked forward to them. The weekend research that ate into my free time? I enjoyed it. The complicated financial models? I wanted to understand them.

This is the hidden superpower of curiosity—it transforms "work" into something that pulls you forward rather than something you have to push yourself to do. When you're genuinely curious about something:

1. You learn faster because you actually want to know, not because you have to

2. You see connections others miss because you're exploring broadly, not narrowly

3. You persevere through challenges because you're intrigued, not just obligated

4. You approach problems with wonder rather than frustration

The same dynamic applies whether you're running a company or trying to find more meaning in your everyday life. Passion may get you started, but it's curiosity that keeps you going.

THE ONE-WEEK EXPERIMENT

This week, try something I call the "Curiosity Audit." Take 15 minutes to make two lists:

List 1: What am I actually curious about right now? Think about what websites you visit when no one's looking. What topics make you lose track of time? What questions pop into your head during quiet moments? List at least 10 things, big or small.

List 2: Where am I forcing "passion" without genuine curiosity? Where in your life or business are you going through the motions without that sense of wonder? Where are you doing what you think you "should" be passionate about?

Now the important part: Pick one item from your curiosity list and commit to exploring it for just 30 minutes this week. Don't worry about how it connects to your career or life goals. Just follow the curiosity and see where it leads.

The most successful and fulfilled people I know aren't necessarily those who found their passion early and stuck to it. They're the ones who remained curious enough to keep exploring, learning, and evolving—and who trusted that following their curiosity would eventually lead them somewhere interesting.

What are you genuinely curious about that you haven't given yourself permission to explore?

Forward this to someone who might need permission to follow their curiosity.

READY TO LEVEL UP?

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