Why an inquisitive mind is a happy mind

Author Sacha Zackariya explores how being curious can improve both your career and mental health

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

In many parts of the UK people desperately want brighter newer futures, they want higher incomes and long term prosperity. They want to feel engaged, fulfilled in their careers, they want to learn new things every day and be excited.

Switching careers can be hard, it means letting go of the past and being prepared to look into a new future. This can involve needing to change some cherished belief systems.

Being curious about the world, wanting to learn about people and cultures is the heart of what has enabled great companies to flourish, and propelled my career and those of so many people I know to great heights.

In my experience of researching for my new book Leading Travel and Tourism Retail, I have found that we are a great country with much to offer tourists from both near and far. The natural beauty of these shores inspire people and help them to see new things in themselves and others. The postcard architecture of villages and towns, the delightful small shops, welcoming B&B’s and hotels, the energetic tour guide or helpful police bobby, the luxury of biting into a fresh crumpet with fresh strawberry jam, the small jeweller creating fantastic new necklaces or the artisanal leather worker creating travel goods inspired by intrepid adventurers from centuries past… these are the things that attract people to our shores.

Today we as a country have a chronic shortage of people who can sell and manage these products and services to the millions of foreign visitors who want to appreciate that unique British style and reputation for outstanding quality.

Unfortunately, most brands, businesses and the country as a whole have not invested in enough training, not enough hands on experience, to enable people to learn what the different dimensions of luxurious experiences are for international shoppers. School leavers and people switching jobs rarely realise that with some assistance, they too could promote, sell and be a part of the aspirational brands touted by influencers on social media.

This is where I encourage you the reader to step in, where people and businesses with energy and desire to learn new skills through organisations such as Walpole, can achieve so much and make sure that delightful and yes, environmentally responsible goods and services are offered at a world class level in this country.

How can you demonstrate to would be employers, would be investors in you, that you have the desire, aptitude and openness to work in travel and tourism retail or hospitality? If you are an entrepreneurs, how can you demonstrate to buyers of your products, people and brands you want to do a strategic partnership with or simply sell your services to, that you have a story?

Travel and tourism and luxury is all about the story telling, how something was dreamt into being, how a product was crafted, how to use it, and how to then tell friends and families and those they want to influence about it.

After Brexit and Covid, hospitality and retail across the UK desperately need great people, from entry level shop sales persons to skilled people managers – but too many people lack the energy, product knowledge, or empathy with international customers to really succeed.

How to go about this? One word: curiosity. It’s what gets me up in the morning, it inspires me to walk down a street I don’t know well and look at products I know little about, or watch a youtube video on, perhaps even pick up a book to learn how I might be better, more understanding of different people from around the world, their tastes and desires. Because with that curiosity, I find you can build connections, and from there you can sell yourself and the products and services you might offer. Just maybe, this will help you to find passion and joy in what you do next at work.

Sacha Zackariya is CEO of ChangeGroup and author of Leading Travel and Tourism Retail.