#8: The Art of Experimenting

☀️ Embrace the Experiments

You never really know until you try.

This week, Lifetoon launched on Product Hunt - an experiment in visibility, reach, and curiosity. We weren’t sure if it would click with people. But 24 hours later, 100+ stories were generated, the platform had to be closed temporarily, and the answer was clear: it worked!

On the other hand? We also ran a campaign on Meta that didn’t go anywhere. Budget spent, learnings earned.

It’s the same with this newsletter. Curiosity Saved the Cat started as a side experiment - a small project to write more, share things that make me go “oh, that’s interesting!”, and learn what it takes to run a weekly curiosity capsule. And now? It’s one of my favorite rituals!

That’s the thing about experiments: they can surprise you. Some will flop. Some will click. Some will become part of your identity. But all of them teach you something.

So this week’s edition is about the courage to try things, even if you don’t have a roadmap.

Let’s celebrate the tests, the detours, and the beautifully weird paths that start with “let’s just see what happens.”

📖 3 Articles to Spark Your Curiosity

1. A/B Testing and the Benefits of an Experimentation Culture: A foundational look at why experiments aren’t just for labs - they belong in business too (and, if you ask me, in life in general).

2. A Brief History of the Living Room Sofa: A surprisingly delightful trip through design history, shifting lifestyles, and the cultural meaning of furniture.

3. Mindsets as a Lens for Life: Stanford researchers explore how shifting your mindset can reshape the way you interpret challenges and growth.

🗞️ 3 Headlines Worth Exploring

1. New Bee Species in the UK: A rare win for biodiversity as climate shifts bring in a new native bee species.

2. Reddit Users Unknowingly Part of AI Experiment: A reminder that not all experiments are ethical, and the importance of consent in testing at scale.

3. Adidas’ 3D-Printed Sneaker Gets Reviewed: Innovation meets design in this wearable tech experiment. But… does it actually work?

☀️ 3 Actions to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

1. Record a voice note instead of journaling: Don’t write it down. Say it out loud. It’s a whole different kind of clarity.

2. Explore a tab you’d normally close immediately: An article, a podcast, a YouTube thumbnail you’d usually skip - click it and explore.

3. Use a random prompt generator: For writing, drawing, or decision-making. Let someone (or something) else spark the next move.

⚡ 6 Quick Resources

📺 To watch: Why You Feel Stuck - and How to Get Motivated - A TED-Ed dive into the psychology of momentum and what derails it.

🎧 To think about: The Puzzle of Personality - Brian Little explores how we often stretch beyond our personality “type” and why that matters.

🗺️ To visit (virtually): 10 Museums You Can Explore Right Now - From your couch to the Louvre, instantly.

🗞️ To plan: Modernist Travel Guide - Design lovers, this curated guide will delight you.

📚 To check: Agatha Christie’s Masterclass on Writing Mysteries - Did you know Agatha Christie has her own course on Masterclass now? (obviously, AI)

🎮 To play: Rubber Ducks: It’s not about winning. It’s about enjoying the process of filling the bathtub with rubber ducks.

🎲 This week’s wonderfully random corner of the internet 

 🌀 Path to Philosophy: Click the first link in any Wikipedia article and repeat. Chances are… you’ll end up on the Philosophy page.

📝 Word of the Week

Experior (verb, Latin): To attempt, to try, to test, to put to the test.

It’s the root of the word experiment. Less about control, more about discovery - the doing is the learning.

🧘‍♀️ Question of the Week for Introspection

What have I been curious about lately… but too hesitant to try? What’s one small experiment I could run this week?

See you next Sunday! Until then, keep your eyes open, your questions big, and your sense of wonder alive.

Your curious internet friend,

Ruxandra