Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity

Jeff Ikler
  • 5.0 (32)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Weekly

Curiosity sits at the intersection of creativity, effective human interactions, problem-solving and purposeful change. Unfortunately, the pace of life — at home, work, and school — often sidetracks our natural curiosity. So, let's see the familiar from a different angle or something new as a possibility to consider.

  1. 1d ago

    How Do You Thank Those Who Gave Their Lives for Your Freedom?

    Guest Robert M. Edsel is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of five non-fiction books, including Rescuing da Vinci, Saving Italy, and The Monuments Men, which served as the basis for Academy Award recipient George Clooney's 2014 film. His most recent book, Remember Us: American Sacrifice, Dutch Freedom, and a Forever Promise Forged in World War II, was hailed by historian Donald L. Miller as "one of the outstanding works of our time." Mr. Edsel is also the Founder and Chairman of the Monuments Men and Women Foundation, a recipient of the National Humanities Medal, awarded by President George W. Bush. In 2025, coinciding with the release of Remember Us, the Foundation launched The Forever Promise Project to connect American families of fallen service members buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery with the Dutch adopters who have honored their loved ones' graves for generations, continuing Mr. Edsel's commitment to honoring the service and sacrifice of American veterans. Summary In this episode of Getting Unstuck: Cultivating Curiosity, Robert discusses his book Remember Us, which explores the history of the powerful relationship between American sacrifice and Dutch gratitude during and after World War II. Ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference. In the Netherlands, local residents created a grave adoption program to honor American service members who died liberating their country. Within 14 months, volunteers had adopted all 18,000 graves, promising to remember the fallen as their own. That commitment continues across generations. Remembrance must include the full human story. Robert describes the brutal work of burying the dead, including the contributions of segregated Black American troops. Their experiences illuminate both their service and the contradictions that exist within American democracy. Freedom carries obligations. The Dutch have preserved the memory of American sacrifice for more than 80 years. Robert argues that their example challenges us to understand the cost of freedom, honor those who secured it, and take responsibility for preserving democracy. The Takeaway Freedom is not simply inherited; it is secured through sacrifice and preserved through responsibility. Robert's central message is that the Dutch grave adoption program offers a powerful example of how ordinary people can honor those sacrifices, keep history alive, and inspire future generations to protect democracy. Social Media Instagram: @RobertEdsel Facebook: @RobertEdselAuthor LinkedIn: @RobertEdsel X: @RobertEdsel Websites: www.robertedsel.com, www.mmwf.org, www.foreverpromise.org What can you do to help carry out the mission? Become an ambassador. "The Forever Promise Project" and the grave adoption program survive and thrive by raising awareness of the mission. Many of these soldiers' families in the United States are unaware of this unique grave adoption program, having no knowledge that a family in the Netherlands has been caring for their loved one's grave for generations. The Ambassador Toolkit makes it easy to take action that may open doors to reaching families and creating lasting connections—whether by sharing stories on social media, writing op-eds, or pitching and connecting us with local journalists or publications in your area. https://www.foreverpromise.org/support/toolkit Donate. Help support the program's ongoing mission. https://www.foreverpromise.org/support/donate-online

  2. Oct 27

    What Do We Lose When We Lose Our Wilderness?

    Guest David Meier is the Marketing and Communications Manager for Friends of the Boundary Waters, engaging and growing a tremendous community of BWCA enthusiasts who enjoy and protect this wilderness. He also hosts the "Big Red Canoe" podcast and recently returned from a transformative first solo trip in the Boundary Waters.   Summary David explores how wilderness fosters solitude, self-reliance, and a deeper connection to the natural world. Drawing on his first solo canoe trip, he describes how slowing down and observing wildlife helped him reset and reconnect with himself. He also discusses the threats facing Minnesota's Boundary Waters, particularly proposed sulfide mining and climate change, and the organization's efforts to protect public lands and educate young people. David's central message is that wilderness is both a personal source of renewal and a shared natural treasure that demands active protection. Through conservation advocacy and youth education, he hopes to inspire future generations to become wilderness stewards. Social Media Links Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness: https://www.friends-bwca.org Facebook https://www.facebook.com/friendsBWCAW/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/friendsbwcaw/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@friendsbwcaw Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/bwca.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/friends-of-the-boundary-waters-wilderness/

  3. Oct 20

    A Personal Story of Memory and Meaning

    Summary Something different in this episode. No guest with me at the microphone. Instead, I narrate a personal story in three parts:  Part 1: the memory - A canoeing mishap in Canada's Quetico Provincial Park illustrates how innovation often begins with the constraint of using only what's at hand. By repurposing a paddle as a lever, my brother and I escape a submerged tree branch and what could have been a very wet welcome in a river. Part 2: innovating - Later, I use the paddle example to describe the innovation skill of "task unification" in a workshop. And I describe three additional examples of task unification. Part 3: the meaning - My story takes an unexpected turn when my brother doesn't remember the canoeing incident. I go on to explore how memory, family relationships, and the stories we tell ourselves can shape—and perhaps reshape—our understanding of the past.

  4. Oct 13

    What if We Talk More About the Books We're Trying to Ban?

    Guest Katie DeBonville's first book, Grace Notes, a memoir of essays in which music is the throughline, was published in May 2026. A Massachusetts native who has enjoyed a career in fundraising for arts organizations, she holds degrees in music from Bucknell University and New England Conservatory and earned her MFA from Lesley University. When not writing, she enjoys attending concerts, browsing in independent bookstores, and a good glass of wine.  Summary Katie discusses her Banned Book Week Substack series, which examines some of hr favorite books that have been banned or challenged, from Nancy Drew and Judy Blume to Amy Tan and Harry Potter. She finds that many of the reasons books were banned decades ago—discomfort with authority, sexuality, race, trauma, and marginalized identities—remain relevant today. Her essential point: rather than hiding difficult subjects, we should confront them through reading, conversation, and critical thinking.   Social Media & Referenced Overview https://www.ala.org/bbooks/banned Books most often banned https://www.lib.umich.edu/about-us/news/banned-books-week-2026-october-4-10/ Top 10 Most Often Challenged 2026 https://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10 Description of the 10 Most Often Banned Books https://bookresumes.uniteagainstbookbans.org/ The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman   The Librarians film Trailer   Podcast episode on the Nazi book burning on May 10, 1933, and the underground memorial   Grace Notes: A Musical Memoir by Katie DeBonville

  5. Oct 6

    Making the History of the Blitz Come Alive for New Audiences

    Guest Jack Green has been fascinated by history since childhood. That lifelong interest has taken him on a journey across the UK and Europe, exploring places connected to 20th-century history. He is particularly drawn to locations where the past is still visible today, especially those that bear the scars and traces of the Blitz, a key part of British History during the Second World War. Summary The Blitz was a sustained strategic bombing campaign by Nazi Germany against the U.K. during World War II, lasting from September 7, 1940, to May 16, 1941. It was intended to break British morale. In this conversation, Jack Green explores the Blitz through the physical remnants still visible across London and other cities—from bomb-damaged churches and a surviving fireplace to air-raid shelters and memorials. Jack explains how he uses short-form social-media videos to bring these stories to younger audiences. His essential point is that history becomes more meaningful when we connect with the actual places and firsthand experiences of the people who lived through it. Links Tiktok - The Past Brought to Life Instagram - The Past Brought to Life The Blitz: The British Under Attack by Juliet Gardiner Forgotten Voices of the Blitz and the Battle of Britain by Joshua Levine     Referenced (images at https://www.queticocoaching.com/blog) St Dunstan in the East Church Garden St. Mary le Strand church Vincent Street fireplace in Westminster The Vincent Street Fireplace (click on this link)

  6. Sep 29

    What is Wolf Conservation Really About – Wolves or People?

    Guest Diane Boyd began working with wolves in Minnesota in 1976 and continues to do so today. She has authored more than 50 publications on wolves, including her recent memoir, A Woman Among Wolves. Her work has focused on wolf ecology, conservation, and resolving wolf-human conflict. Summary Diane Boyd's lifelong study of wolves has taken her from a young, "starry-eyed" researcher tracking and collaring wolves to a scientist focused on the human dimensions of wolf conservation. She argues that wolves are neither demons nor angels, but simply another remarkable wildlife species. Boyd emphasized the importance of understanding wolves' social behavior and how human actions affect their populations. Her essential point is that wolf recovery and management are ultimately about people: changing perceptions, challenging myths, understanding fear, and helping the public engage with the science. Our conversation discusses several questions: • What Do We Really Understand About Wolves? • Are Wolves Really the Animals We Think They Are?• What Can Wolves Teach Us About Ourselves? • Why Do People Fear Wolves? • Can Science Change the Way We See Wolves? • How Do We Open Minds About Wolves? Social Media https://www.dianekboyd.com/home Referenced Lone Wolf by Adam Weymouth A Woman Among Wolves by Diane Boyd Research • Noxon Elk Study: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5ce8pKyGRMQ Key Findings & Data According to recent annual project updates from Montana FWP: Herd Stability: Despite hunter concerns, data indicates that the elk population in the area is stable to slightly increasing. Primary Predators: While wolves get significant attention, the data shows that mountain lions and black bears actually account for the highest predation rates on both adult elk and newborn calves. Wolves account for a smaller fraction of the kills. Calf Survival: Elk calf survival rates have averaged around 32% over a longer span, but recent years have shown spikes closer to 50%, which is strong enough to maintain or slowly grow the herd. Non-Predatory Mortality: Predation isn't the only pressure; a notable portion of monitored calf mortality is also attributed to malnutrition and starvation during tough winter months. The "Private Land" Shift: The tracking data reveals that elk alter their behavior to avoid heavy threat environments, often shifting their seasonal distribution away from heavily hunted public lands onto secure, private land pockets. • Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: https://rmef.org/media/scientists-students-study-a-changing-montana-elk-population/

  7. Sep 22

    What Happens When Young Women Stop Counting Themselves Out?

    Summary Sarah Jakle teaches high school girls practical civic and public-policy skills, along with neuroscience-based tools for confidence, resilience, and leadership. Her central point is that young women often "count themselves out" at critical moments because of imposter syndrome, anxiety, and social pressures. By learning to recognize their inner critic, engage their "inner best friend," and regulate their nervous systems, they can move toward opportunity rather than away from it. Guest Sarah Jakle is the Founder and Executive Director of DemocraShe, a nonpartisan national nonprofit empowering historically underserved high school girls to be our future leaders, voters, civically engaged citizens, and elected officials. Previously, Sarah served as the Get Out the Vote Director for the California National Organization for Women and as the National Outreach Director for Field Team 6, leading efforts to mobilize women and innovative voter registration. Sarah has a Bachelor's from Yale (Phi Beta Kappa), a Master's in Social Work from USC, and a Master's in Public Policy from UCLA.  She was a 2025 Movement Builder Fellow with How Women Lead and was a Fellow with Obama's Organizing For Action. Social Media & Referenced info@democrashe.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-jakle-535617240?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios https://www.facebook.com/sarah.jakle.3?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr https://www.instagram.com/sarahjakle?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr Learn more about the "Inner Best Friend," which is one of the main DemocraShe skills. https://www.instagram.com/innerbestfriend?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== The Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes. For more about Grounding

  8. Sep 15

    What If Curiosity Is the Most Important Thing We Can Teach?

    Guest Amirah Cummings is the founder of KIO: Kids In Orbit™ and the creator of Kionaut, a learning ecosystem that helps young people cultivate curiosity, think like innovators, and develop the mindset to shape the future through STEM, storytelling, and meaningful exploration. Summary Amirah Cummings is building KIO: Kids in Orbit™, an educational ecosystem designed to help children learn how to think, not just what to think. Rooted in multilingualism, storytelling, technology, and curiosity, KIO aims to help young people become capable, curious, compassionate problem-solvers who can navigate an unpredictable future. Rather than asking children what they want to be when they grow up, Amirah believes education should cultivate who they are becoming right now, giving them agency and encouraging them to ask bigger questions. Her approach combines story-driven learning, augmented reality, literacy, STEM, and mission-based activities in which students must apply what they have learned to solve problems or create something. She is particularly interested in using AI as a thinking partner rather than an answer machine. Kio's "Think with AI" feature prompts AI to guide exploration, encourage deeper questioning, and help learners discover questions they have not yet considered. Amirah argues that traditional educational structures and metrics often fail to cultivate this mindset. In a rapidly changing world, she believes curiosity, adaptability, self-knowledge, and the ability to think differently will be more important than simply mastering a prescribed curriculum. The Essential Point Education should prepare children not for a particular future career, but to become the kind of thinkers who can create and navigate an unknowable future. Curiosity and agency, she argues, are more valuable than simply accumulating knowledge. Social Media kiolearning.com kionaut.com @kiospaceforce @kionaut Amirah's email: amirah.cummings@gmail.com About Jeff Jeff Ikler is the Director of Quetico Leadership and Career Coaching. "Quetico" (KWEH-teh-co). He works with leaders in all aspects of life to identify and overcome obstacles in their desired future. He came to the field of coaching after a 35-year career in educational publishing. Prior to his career in educational publishing, Jeff taught high school U.S. history and government. Jeff has hosted the "Getting Unstuck—Cultivating Curiosity" podcast for 5 years. The guests and topics he explores are designed to help listeners think differently about the familiar and welcome the new as something to consider. He is also the co-host of the Cultivating Resilience – A Whole Community Approach to Alleviating Trauma in Schools, which promotes mental health and overall wellness. Jeff co-authored Shifting: How School Leaders Can Create a Culture of Change. Shifting integrates leadership development and change mechanics in a three-part change framework to help guide school leaders and their teams toward productive change.

See All (460)

5
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

Curiosity sits at the intersection of creativity, effective human interactions, problem-solving and purposeful change. Unfortunately, the pace of life — at home, work, and school — often sidetracks our natural curiosity. So, let's see the familiar from a different angle or something new as a possibility to consider.

Information

More From Education Podcast Network