“Creative geniuses” share one common trait—curiosity. They don’t limit themselves to one discipline or field of study. They throw themselves into many and find the connections between them. While the vast majority of us, myself included, will not be declared a “creative genius” or have a biography written about us, we can benefit from being more curious. Curiosity and creativity are deeply related.

Walter Isaacson has extensively studied people known as “geniuses,” distinct from those around us who are just “super smart,” which Isaacson says are a dime a dozen. Isaacson has written biographies on both Steve Jobs and Leonardo da Vinci. And the one trait that stands out in all the geniuses he has studied is their creative curiosity.

Steve Jobs believed art and science and humanities were connected and refused to only focus on one discipline. For example, after dropping out of college, he audited classes on calligraphy and dance. Leonardo da Vinci was both artist and scientist. He painted the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper but also developed illustrations and concepts in geography, geometry, and anatomy. 

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