Curiosity Can Shift Everything

What freezes faster: hot or cold water? That was the trivia question on the board at my PT’s office the other day.Instinctively, most people say cold, right?

But under certain conditions, hot water can freeze faster than cold. It’s called the Mpemba Effect, and scientists are still debating exactly why.

But it got me thinking…

What if your speed to growth—in life, in business, in leadership—has less to do with where you start, and more to do with how well you understand your current conditions?

Some people are in “hot” environments—full of change, discomfort, or even pressure—and paradoxically, that may create the perfect conditions for a breakthrough.

Others are in “cold” states—slowed down, stuck, or playing it safe—where transformation may take longer unless something shifts.

The point isn’t to label one as better than the other. It’s to ask:

• Are you aware of the stage or state you’re in?

• Are you building the right environment for the kind of change you want?

• Are you assuming someone ahead of you had a “better” starting point—or just different conditions?

Curiosity can shift everything. Your next leap forward might not be about working harder—but about understanding the heat (or chill) around you and how to harness it.