How to Take Your Curiosity from What? to Wow!

Matthew Murrie
4 min readAug 29, 2024
A caterpillar crawling on a smartphone looking at a butterfly with great curiosity.
A Butterfly Smartphone (Generated with Gemini)

Curiosity isn’t just an emotion; it’s the compass that guides us through the the unknown of learning, innovation, and discovery.

What? to Wow! is a Curiosity-Based Thinking framework that takes you on transformative journeys where every question you have is another step closer you take towards unveiling the extraordinary in the ordinary.

What? to Wow! simply makes the complex simple.

How to What? to Wow!:

Whether making a statement or asking a question, each response should be expressed in a single sentence.

  • What: Begin by identifying your subject of interest. Whether it’s the mechanics of a smartphone or the lifecycle of a butterfly, start here.
  • Who: Who interacts with or is affected by this subject? This could range from users of technology to ecosystems affected by a species.
  • When: Contextualize the timing. When did this become significant? Is there a historical or future relevance?
  • Where: Locate where this subject has the most impact or origin. Geography often adds depth to understanding.
  • How: Delve into the mechanics or process. How does it function or how did it evolve?
  • Why: Explore the significance. Why does this…

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Matthew Murrie

Author of The Book of What If…?, Founder of What If Curiosity, and Creator of Curiosity-Based Thinking and Curiosity-Based Learning, turning ideas into actions.