Purpose Club Letter #3
Read time: 5 minutes
Topics covered: Your Dormant Kid
Hello!
Think about the last time you felt truly, effortlessly creative. Not for a work project, but just for the joy of it.
For many of us, that memory is from childhood. A time when our primary job was to ask “why,” to imagine, and to explore without a fear of being wrong.
Somewhere on the path to becoming capable adults, we were told to “grow up.” We started believing that competence meant having all the answers and that professionalism meant shielding our curiosity and vulnerability.
But what if the most innovative leaders and fulfilled people are those who have done the opposite? What if they’ve intentionally reawakened what I call their Dormant Kid?
This isn’t about being immature. It’s about reclaiming the innate human superpowers of curiosity, creativity, and courage that we’ve let go dormant. It’s the difference between managing what is and creating what could be.
A book excerpt from Chapter 3 of Unstuck
Every one of us is born to be curious and learn how to make sense of the world through asking questions, but we quickly discover that we should only ask the right one, say things people want to hear, and that we have to look intelligent to avoid judgement from the audience. Our excitement about the world can turn into personal anxiety.
“The real trouble with the world is that too many people grow up.” — Walt Disney
Here are five reminders for you today:
Your Greatest Teacher is Your Younger Self: The qualities you naturally possessed as a child are the foundational skills for modern leadership and fulfillment.
“Growing Up” Often Means “Giving Up”: We trade curiosity for certainty, creativity for conformity, and vulnerability for a protective ego.
Vulnerability is a Strategic Advantage: Showing you don’t have all the answers builds trust, fosters psychological safety, and invites collaborative problem-solving.
Innovation Lives in “Why?”: The most transformative ideas come from questioning assumptions everyone else takes for granted, just as a child would.
Parenting is a Leadership Laboratory: The way we communicate with children (e.g., rewarding effort over outcome) is a masterclass in managing and motivating adults.
A question to reflect on today:
What is one thing you loved to do as a child that you’ve forgotten how to enjoy?
See you in the next letter!
Your positivity alchemist,
Aaron
PS. For deep-dive, you can consider upgrading to be a paid subscriber to access the new episode on the Unstuck Podcast
What is one thing you loved to do as a child that you’ve forgotten how to enjoy? Comment here and let us know!