Interest Is the Key to Doing Work That Truly Matters

When we chase greatness, whether that’s in business, art, science, or any other activity, sometimes we lose sight of an important truth: For our work to matter, we need to be deeply interested in it. This might seem obvious, but it bears repeating. Rarely is anything truly great accomplished by those who lack interest in what they’re doing or trying to build. 

Back in 2017, I started writing a book called Creator’s Mindset. While it’s still a work in progress, the big idea was to make a compelling argument based on six key points:

1. We all need to matter.
2. To matter, we need to add value.
3. To add value, we need to create.
4. Thus, we’re all creators.
5. How we create evolves over time.
6. How we evolve depends on the type of impact we want to make.

My writing journey has led me down some interesting rabbit holes, including the topic of “interest” — the feeling that motivates us to learn more and dig deeper into a subject or activity. In this piece, I want to discuss why interest isn’t just a factor but a foundation for creating meaningful work (or as I like to say, Work with a capital W).

In my view, at least four elements contribute to us developing interest in our lives and Work. When we combine them, we create the potential to build enduring legacies that leave massive impacts on ourselves, our communities, and society overall.

Curiosity as the Catalyst

Interest begins with curiosity — in other words, a desire to explore, understand, and engage with a particular subject or problem. But this curiosity isn't a passive state. It's a dynamic and powerful force that drives us to dig deeper, push further, and persist longer. It's the spark that powers the journey all the way from the first hesitant steps to the finish line.

In the business world, interest should lead us to our Compelling Why. Without interest, our work becomes repetitive, lacks passion, and falls short of its potential.

Interest as the Foundation of Motivation

Motivation is the fuel that powers the long, often challenging journey to mastery and success. While external motivators like recognition, financial rewards, or pressure can drive us forward, they don’t replace the natural motivation that comes from genuine interest. When we’re deeply interested in our work, motivation flows more naturally and sustainably. This unlocks the flow state where we can get even smarter things done by stretching to reach obtainable but still difficult goals. As a result, interest carries us through challenges, setbacks, and the inevitable stalls of progress.

The Role of Interest in Innovation and Creativity

Great achievements and breakthroughs aren’t born in a vacuum. They come from intense focus and an eagerness to question, experiment, and take risks. Interest drives this focus, leading us to explore uncharted territories, connect different ideas, and come up with answers that aren’t as easy to find if we’re just going through the motions.

When equally motivated people — I like to split us all into Thinkers, Feelers, Doers, and Guardians based on our complementary skill sets — work together, we create a lot of opportunities to collaborate and build enduring, innovative companies that would be impossible otherwise. It's hard to imagine groundbreaking works happening in any field without a deep interest in pushing boundaries and exploring possibilities in a high-trust environment.

Interest and the Depth of Understanding

Depth of understanding is another important component of great Work. To truly succeed, we should dive deep into our subjects and gain a complex and full understanding of them. Interest compels us to take this deep dive. It makes us curious about the "why" and "how," not just the "what." This depth of understanding helps experts make connections that most of us don’t see. It also helps experts apply their knowledge in innovative ways.

How to Foster and Sustain Interest in Ourselves and Our Teams

Recognizing the importance of interest raises the question: How can we foster and sustain interest in ourselves and others? The answer lies in seeking alignment between our Work and our natural curiosities and passions. It involves giving ourselves the freedom to explore, question, and engage with our subjects in ways that resonate with us personally. For leaders and educators, it means creating environments that encourage curiosity, promote autonomy, and reward exploration.

At Ninety, “Inquisitive” is one of our Core Values because we deeply understand how interest often leads to greatness. When all our Ideal Stakeholders feel the need to ask questions, learn, and seek mastery, the entire organization grows stronger, and our vision gets that much closer to becoming reality.

The Extraordinary Power of Interest

Without interest, the journey toward greatness is more grueling, less fulfilling, and unlikely to lead to remarkable results. Interest not only makes the journey possible but also enjoyable and deeply rewarding. It transforms challenges into puzzles to be solved, work into a form of play, and goals into achievable realities.

While skills, knowledge, and discipline are also important, we shouldn’t underestimate the power of interest. Interest breathes life into our efforts, fuels our creativity, and drives us toward excellence. People who are truly interested — who deeply engage, question, and explore — are usually behind the great achievements that inspire us and move humanity forward.