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Can curiosity be cultivated? Wes Yoder thinks it can. Raised in an Amish and Mennonite community, it wasn’t until Wes was in his twenties that he realized that he could learn anything he wanted if he pointed his curiosity in the right direction. Now a successful author and founder of a prominent faith-based company, Wes encourages others to connect with their God-given curiosity through reading and relationships.

Who is Wes Yoder? Wes Yoder is a the president of Ambassador Speakers Bureau & Literary Agency, the largest faith-based speakers bureau in the country. As a literary agent, Wes has represented several New York Times best sellers, including The Shack and Bonhoeffer. His client roster includes Scott Hamilton, Donald Miller, and many more household names. Wes has been featured on The TODAY Show, NBC, Dateline NBC, CNN Headline News, TIME Magazine, and more. Wes is also the author of Bond of Brothers: Connecting with Other Men beyond Work, Weather and Sports.

Recognizing that the curiosity we experience as children is a God-given desire to learn about the world which God created, Wes Yoder encourages adults to get back in touch with their creativity. He wants people everywhere to stop saying “I could never do that” and to start living life with an intentional curiosity toward the world and others.

Quotes:

“If God bothered to create it, I’d sure like to see it.” — Wes

“The difficulty of a technological society is that it is there to produce efficiency. No one is trained to think independently.” — Wes

“To cultivate a culture of curiosity, make a list of things that you know that you don’t know. Ask yourself: am I interested in this?” — Wes

“I think wisdom is the foundation of poetry and song and all the narratives that happen. It is the foundation of the imagination.” — Wes

“Curiosity is the beginning of a life of joy, beauty and adventure.” — Wes

Action steps:

  • Your curiosity is worth the risk. Don’t hesitate to ask questions even if people might poke fun at you for them.
  • Curiosity isn’t just for research of topics and things, it’s for people and relationships, too. Being actively interested in people, engaging them in conversation, and learning from them is one of the best ways to exercise curiosity.
  • Make a list of things you know nothing about: do any of them interest you enough to pursue learning more about them?

Resources mentioned:

Ways to get involved:

We look forward to hearing from you!