“Fall in love with some activity, and do it! Nobody ever figures out what life is all about, and it doesn’t matter. Explore the world. Nearly everything is really interesting if you go into it deeply enough. Work as hard and as much as you want to on the things you like to do the best. Don’t think about what you want to be, but what you want to do. Keep up some kind of a minimum with other things so that society doesn’t stop you from doing anything at all.”— Richard Phillips Feynman

Richard Feynman, one of the most brilliant minds in history, is reminding us that the ONE BIG ANSWER probably isn’t coming and that’s okay. It doesn’t matter. There’s something deeply freeing in accepting that, because it opens a different door: permission to stop searching for certainty and start participating more fully in our lives as they’re happening.

I think he’s advocating for a life driven by curiosity over certainty, engagement over identity, and doing over overthinking. Fall in love with something, go deep, stay curious. Then let everything else follow.

That idea aligns with so much of what I’ve learned over the last few years: being present, choosing experiences that stretch and engage us, and letting time feel full rather than forced. Not because I have figured it all out, but because I have showed up, stayed curious, and went deep into what mattered to me.

I hope to find more of that in 2026. And on that note, here’s this week’s Four Pillar Friday.

Physical Wellness

Kílian Jornet, widely regarded as one of the greatest mountain athletes and ultrarunners of all time, continues to redefine what it means to pursue something simply because it’s worth doing. In his recent States of Elevation project, he connected all 72 of the contiguous U.S. fourteen-thousand-foot peaks by running and cycling between them, not for records or recognition, but for the love of movement, wilderness, and exploration itself.

In many ways, Jornet embodies Richard Feynman’s idea that no one ever figures out what life is all about and that’s okay. Instead of chasing a final answer, he falls in love with the process, goes deep into the craft, and lets meaning emerge from curiosity, effort, and presence. It’s a powerful reminder that physical wellness isn’t just about performance, it’s about choosing pursuits that make us feel alive.

Mental Wellness

“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” — Albert Einstein

There’s a well-known story about Einstein that I’ve always loved. When asked how he was able to make discoveries that changed the world, he didn’t point to intelligence or genius. He talked about staying with questions longer than most people. About following his curiosity even when there was no obvious payoff. He simply refused to stop being interested.

I believe this idea matters more than ever right now.

One of the most overlooked contributors to mental wellness isn’t calm, control, or having everything figured out. It is that word we keep talking about…Curiousity. Research in psychology consistently shows that people who approach life with curiosity, especially active curiosity that pulls them into learning and effort, report greater life satisfaction, stronger relationships, and lower levels of anxiety.

Curiosity changes how we experience life. It shifts our mindset from judging to engaging in most circumstances. From “Is this working?” to “What’s here to explore?” When we’re curious, uncertainty becomes interesting instead of threatening. It allows us to stay mentally flexible.

In the book, Curious?: Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life, Todd Kashdan and Patti Breen, share how curiosity helps us engage rather than escape, expand time in experience, and remain psychologically alive.

A theme that shows up everywhere when you look for it. Feynman spoke openly about never finding the “final answer,” and how freeing that was. Jornet continues to pursue mountains not for accolades, but for the love of exploration itself. In each case, the pursuit isn’t certainty, but engagement.

Wellness doesn’t come from knowing everything. It comes from staying interested enough to keep going.

The best part? It’s a superpower we can all develop, no lab accident or radioactive spider required.

Financial Wellness

Curiosity might matter more in retirement planning than in any other phase of life.

Most advisors begin with the same question: “What do you want to do in retirement?” Not because it’s some philosophical prompt, but because it drives the numbers. Income needs. Withdrawal rates. Flexibility. Risk. Timeline assumptions.

But what’s often missed is the scale of the transition.

For many people, retirement frees up roughly 40 hours a week. That’s about 170 hours a month. Over 2,000 hours a year. And over a decade, more than 20,000 hours of newly available time.

That’s not a small lifestyle change. That’s an entirely new life.

Without curiosity, those hours can quietly collapse into routines that feel empty or uninspiring. Days blur. Time speeds up. People find themselves restless, bored, or wondering why something they worked so hard for doesn’t feel the way they expected.

Curiosity changes the equation.

When people get curious, the questions deepen:

• How do I want my days to feel with this time?
• What pulls me in enough to lose track of hours?
• What experiences do I want to front-load while my health allows it?
• What’s worth exploring now that I finally have the space?

Those questions don’t just shape a richer life. They shape a better plan. They lead to more realistic assumptions, more intentional spending, and more flexible strategies that evolve as interests evolve.

Retirement isn’t a finish line. It’s a phase where time becomes an abundant asset. Curiosity is what helps you use it well.

And in the end, financial planning isn’t just about making sure the money lasts. It’s about making sure the time does, too.

Spiritual Wellness

Spiritual growth rarely comes from certainty. More often, it begins with curiosity.

One of the simplest ways to cultivate spiritual wellness is to read with an open mind. Explore ideas, traditions, and perspectives that stretch how you see the world and your place in it. Not to adopt someone else’s answers, but to ask better questions of your own life.

Reading helps us understand. Helps us slow down. It creates space and knowledge for reflection. Providing us new ways of thinking about meaning, presence, awe, and purpose that we may not encounter in our daily routines. And when we read outside of what’s familiar, something important happens: Our perspectives grow.

You don’t need to agree with everything you read for it to be valuable. In fact, some of the most meaningful growth comes from engaging with ideas that challenge us, unsettle us a bit, or invite us to sit with uncertainty.

In 2026, consider letting curiosity guide part of your reading. Pick up books that explore consciousness, time, nature, spirituality, philosophy, or the inner life. Read slowly. Notice what resonates. Take notes. Let the questions you have hang around.

Spiritual wellness isn’t about finding the final answer. It’s about accepting that we are part of something much bigger and letting curiosity guide how we engage with it.

And if you’d like help getting started, we’re here. We’re always happy to share recommendations from the 9:03 reading list or point you toward books that align with where you are right now.

And In The End

From all of us at The 9:03 Collective: thanks for reading. Keep showing up. Stay curious. And never forget that the clock is running, so make it count.

If you’ve been enjoying Four Pillar Friday, the best way to support is simple: share it with a friend, forward it to someone who might need it, or subscribe if you haven’t already. The more people we reach, the more conversations we can spark about living with intention.

Until next week…

The Journey Team & The 9:03