Do you know what a pyrotechnician is?

 

It’s okay; I didn’t know either. (Unless you do know, then just pretend so it flows) 

 

Pyrotechnicians are trained professionals who handle, set up, and ignite special effects and fireworks, 

 

We have my nightly routine of doomscrolling to thank for the new information. Long story short,  I came across a Twitch streamer who hosts the “Fortnite Talk Show,” where the host interviews players mid-game. In this particular episode, the contestant mentioned they were a pyrotechnician……. and that’s really all it took. 

 

Within seconds, I was knee-deep in a pyrotechnic rabbit hole, looking up what they do, how much they make, and watching videos of their day-to-day. You truly would’ve thought I was considering a career change. 

 

This isn’t unusual for me. Give me one mildly interesting detail or ask me a question you thought was rhetorical, and I will investigate. But I’ve realized that these random spirals aren’t a waste of time; they’re actually how I learn the most.

 

Staying curious, even in the smallest moments, allows for turning something insignificant into something worth understanding – and professionally, that instinct is everything. 

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Curiosity Doesn’t Feel Like Learning (But It Is)

Working with kids (especially toddlers) makes me no stranger to the three-letter question, “why?” 

 

As we know, kids are stubborn and won’t move on until their question is answered, so the “just because” answer really won’t cut it for them. I understand the frustration of parents and adults when, at the end of the day, it seems like “why?” is the only thing coming out of their kids’ mouths, but this phase truly never bothered me as a caregiver - mostly because I never left that phase.

 

The same curiosity that causes me to fall down random rabbit holes trying to understand something new is the same curiosity that helps in understanding people - what they care about, what they respond to, and why something resonates with them. 

 

Curiosity Turns a Spreadsheet Into a Strategy 

With three PR internships under my belt, I am quite familiar with making media lists.  When I first started, I questioned why we needed to make different media lists for different stories and clients. Couldn’t we just use the same one?

 

(To those not in PR: a media list is essentially a spreadsheet of journalists and reporters that PR practitioners hope will care about whatever we’re pitching.)

 

I could’ve taken the “that’s just what we do” answer and moved on. But that same nosiness that sent me down a pyrotechnician rabbit hole wasn’t about to let a spreadsheet go unquestioned. So, I continued to dig.

 

I found journalists are receiving hundreds, if not thousands, of these pitch emails a day. If I am sending out a cocktail pitch, there is no point in reaching out to a sports journalist - they're not covering it, and I’ve just added noise to their already overflowing inbox. 

 

Frankly, if I were that sports journalist, I’d be offended and immediately have disdain toward any other email Carlie or anyone from XYZ Agency sends me.

 

I continued to dig deeper to really perfect my media lists as an intern.  It’s not just the content of the journalist that needs to relate; it's the tone, the story, their audience. There is so much that can and should go into curating a media list. 

 

The nosier you are, the more you learn about the journalists, audience, client, and the easier it is to cultivate those relationships.  

 

Curiosity Isn’t Cute Once You’re an Adult - It’s Strategic

My motivation to write on this topic stems a lot from frustration. Frustration that we have access to information more than ever, yet people are becoming less curious because of how easy it is to consume information. You can literally have an answer to a majority of questions almost instantly!!! And we’re not using it!!

 

There’s a lot of pressure in the workforce to know every answer, but trust me, asking “why do we do it this way?” can lead to a smoother and better process for everyone involved. Also, how are you going to be a member of the team if you aren’t fully aware of the practices that you are partaking in? 

 

Staying curious doesn’t just make you better at your job; you also become a better listener and communicator. Instead of assuming what people want, whether it's your client, coworker, or even just a friend, ask them! It leaves room for honest and clear communication from both ends.

 

The same applies to work and PR. It’s easy to carry on after a pitch doesn’t land, especially when there are ten other things on your plate. But there’s a reason it didn’t work. Why? Did the pitch itself miss the mark? Was the story not right for the journalist? Was the timing off? And vice versa! What made your pitch successful? Was it the tone of the pitch, the type of journalist, or something else? 

 

Curiosity is what makes you stop and ask why. 

 

To me, that’s when curiosity becomes strategic. It’s truly just about wanting to understand more, not just wanting to know more. Your audience, client, friends, colleagues, work, and even the things you didn’t think mattered. 

 

Because curiosity doesn’t always look like learning. Sometimes it is a toddler asking “why?” for the tenth time, or a spreadsheet you refuse to take at face value, and apparently, sometimes it looks like being stuck in a pyrotechnic rabbit hole for 20 minutes. 

 

No career change, by the way, but glad I wondered.