How an Explorers Mindset can help you be courageous and curious

When I think of survivors, I think of people motivated by fear. People who do whatever it takes to get by. People who will do what needs to be done to survive one more day.

Survivors want what is safe and known. They aren’t fans of uncertainty or the unknown. Their primary motivators are safety and security.

Explorers, on the other hand, are daredevils. They’re adventurers. They come alive in the face of the unknown. They seek out new places and challenges. They trust themselves entirely that they have the skills to cope with what may present itself. Their primary motivator is curiosity.

Survivors stick with the majority and the status quo. After all, there is strength in numbers and if that fails, they can hide amongst everyone else.

Explorers branch out on their own. They are willing to put themselves out on a ledge and push further than has ever been done. They face their imposter syndrome head-on.

Explorers discovered the lands that we live in, the foods that we eat, the cars that we drive, the planes that we fly in, the skyscrapers that we’ve built. All of these were created or discovered through curiosity, not fear.

Explorers are the early adopters. Survivors are the late adopters.

Explorers are playing offense, while survivors are paying defense.

Explorers are Amazon, Apple, Tesla, Zoom & Facebook. They’re stepping forwards brazenly into the unknown.

Survivors are always last to jump on a train. They have to first make sure that it is safe and secure. Explorers are always the first up. They’re seeking an adventure.

Explorers jumped on the Bitcoin train before they even knew it would be what it is today. Explorers are jumping on the NFT and Metaverse trains right now. Meanwhile, survivors are clinging on to the known.

Survivors make more mistakes of omission — fail to act when they should. Explorers make more mistakes of commission — act when they shouldn’t.

It is, however, the explorers who move us forwards. They discover & innovate; they invent & add meaning to the world in ways that are unimaginable. They make a profound difference and leave a lasting legacy. All because they were curious and didn’t know when to stop.

In the world that we live in today, both survivors and explorers are necessary. The question becomes though — who would you have to guide us into the future?

Do we want a nation of people who are content on just getting by or people who are willing to take a leap of faith and make an impact in the world?

Do we want a nation of people who are zombies working 9–5 in jobs they hate just for a paycheck or do we want people who aren’t afraid to go against the status quo and create jobs and careers that we haven’t even considered yet?

Do we want a nation of people who follow the rules and do exactly what they’re told or do we want a nation who think outside of the box, who question things and who are willing to take initiative and discover solutions for problems that we haven’t even seen yet?

What’s more valuable to us as a society and where do we think the world will be in ten years time?

If that’s the case, do we want our kids to be survivors or explorers?