Curiosity to Mastery | #65

By Armaan Athwal

Today's Overview:

• How Leonardo da Vinci asked questions no one else did

• Curiosity and questions are the engine of growth

• Quote of the day

Build Your System, Expand Your Mind

Leonardo da Vinci, the quintessential Renaissance man, wasn’t born a genius. He became one by developing a framework that turned curiosity into mastery. His life teaches us something profound, that growth isn’t about innate talent, but rather the system you build to harness your curiosity and consistently improve.

Leonardo carried notebooks everywhere, filling them with observations, questions, and sketches.

He’d study the flow of water, dissect corpses to understand anatomy, and even design flying machines centuries ahead of his time. But what’s fascinating is how he connected seemingly unrelated fields. Anatomy informed his art. Engineering shaped his understanding of motion.

Curiosity wasn’t random for Leonardo, it was deliberate. He built a system that allowed ideas to cross-pollinate, creating breakthroughs others couldn’t see.

Here’s some of the frameworks he used, and how you can apply it today:

1. Ask better questions: Leonardo’s notebooks are full of questions like, “Why is the sky blue?” or “How do birds fly?” Simple on the surface, but they pushed him to dive deeper. Adopt this mindset: when you encounter something interesting or challenging, ask, “Why?” or “How does this work?” Let questions guide your growth.

2. Experiment relentlessly: Leonardo didn’t just ask, he acted. He dissected over 30 cadavers to map the human body. He studied water’s movement by watching rivers. The takeaway? Don’t stop at theory. Get your hands dirty. Test, tinker, and explore. Growth isn’t passive, it’s active.

3. Connect the dots: This is where the magic happens. Leonardo believed that no knowledge was useless. By learning across disciplines, he unlocked insights that others missed. What if you approached learning this way? Study something outside your field. Find parallels between your passions. Use one skill to inform another.

This isn’t abstract advice. For example, say you’re trying to improve your career. Start by questioning how your industry works. Why do certain companies dominate? What skills make the biggest impact?

Then, experiment. Take on side projects, shadow a mentor, or create something new. Finally, look for connections—how could a hobby like photography improve your marketing skills? How could lessons from sports enhance your leadership?

Leonardo’s system wasn’t about achieving perfection, it was about embracing progress. He didn’t finish many of his projects. The Mona Lisa took years and some works were abandoned entirely, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was the process of curiosity, experimentation, and connection.

Becoming driven by curiosity allows for a system designed for discovery. So, the next time you’re stuck, don’t just work harder. Step back. Ask better questions. Experiment. And connect the dots.

Because that’s how you turn curiosity into mastery and create something extraordinary in the process.

Quote of the Day

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.” - Albert Einstein