Andreea Roșca
on Insatiable Curiosity
”We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.”
T.S. Eliott’s words have been a companion in Andreea Rosca’s journey for quite some years now. They reflect the essence of her self-discovery. Again and again. Writing has been the red thread in her life. From crafting poetry rhymes during school days to embarking on the most diverse career paths, eventually, her calling became crystal clear.
Andreea Rosca is a renowned journalist, author, entrepreneur and co-founder of the Romanian Business Leaders Foundation.
Most importantly, she is the visionary mind behind „The Vast&The Curious”, an interview series that showcases the humane side of the entrepreneurial landscape in Romania. She brings into the spotlight hundreds of voices of change-makers entrepreneurs, innovators, academics, philosophers, sociologists, artists or psychologists, in an attempt to decode the mindset that leads to a meaningful and fulfilled life.
A master storyteller who knows that the element that fosters genuine conversations is not the question itself, but the way you listen. Actively, purely, wholeheartedly: “Find the voices that deeply resonate with you. Not the most popular, not the ones pushing you, not the smartest ones, not the ones telling you what you should do. Find the ones that touch you in a hard-to-explain manner. The ones that inspire you. The ones that awaken something deep in you. Then, try to understand what is it all about: what is this part of you telling you?”
Regeneration, as Andreea sees it and lives it, is “a continuous process of reflection and improvement, valuing simplicity and authenticity in personal and professional endeavours.” No wonder, after the burnout moment that hit her hard in 2020: “Each journey starts from dissatisfaction with a current state. If it is bearable, nothing will change.”
Andreea learned something from every human she interviewed, but she can confess that her path emerged from deep pain, suffering and the feeling of living somebody else’s life. The cure? One that can be a panacea for us all: “The courage to ask hard questions, the honesty to face unpleasant answers and the humbleness to admit our mistakes to ourselves and others.”
Discover Andreea Rosca’s answers for Inspirators and maybe give her definition of regeneration a try and see how it makes you feel: “A constant reflection and inquiry into how we live and our power to improve our lives and the lives of others.”
Thank you, Andreea, for being a Curious Mind!
#INSPIRATORS QUESTIONNAIRE
Name: Andreea Roșca
Company / Institution: The Vast&The Curious
Title: Founder; Author; Journalist; Podcast Host
Website: www.andreearosca.ro
LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreearosca/
Country of origin: Romania
Country you currently live in: Romania
Your personal definition of Regeneration: A constant reflection and inquiry into how we live and our power to improve our lives and the lives of other people.
Main business challenge you face: Simplification and authenticity. Cultivating an attitude that is more attuned to personal values and the basics of a good life, and less to the noise of the modern world.
Main driver that keeps you going: The belief that this world is a beautiful place, full of interesting people and ideas.
The trait you are most proud of in yourself: Curiosity and the spirit of exploration.
The trait you most value in others: Self-reflection and humbleness.
Passions & little things that bring you joy: A walk in the forest, the smell of a scented candle, a good book, a deep conversation.
The Inspirators who determined you to take the regenerative path: I’ve learned something from every human I’ve interviewed, but my path emerged from deep pain, suffering, and the feeling of living somebody else’s life.
A hint or starting point for companies or professionals that are taking the first steps in the regeneration journey: I do not know about companies, but I do not think it is different: each journey starts from dissatisfaction with a current state.
If it is bearable, nothing will change. If it is not, the first step is having the courage to ask hard questions, the honesty to face unpleasant answers and the humbleness to admit our mistakes to ourselves and others.
Most used and abused clichés in sustainability that bother you: “We care about the world.”
An honest piece of advice for young people who lose hope: Hope is not a passive thing, like in “I hope things will turn out well”. Hope is active and grows from our ability to set meaningful goals and find realistic paths, and also from the belief that we can do that.
When we lose hope, it happens because we make mistakes in one of these three areas: we either set the wrong goals or are unable to see the path or we do not trust ourselves. So, go back and find the reason and fix it. And find a good friend who can care enough to ask intelligent questions.
Books that had a great impact on you:
Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
Self Compassion by Kristin Neff
Re-Think by Adam Grant
Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke
Letters to Lucilius by Seneca
Must-reads for any regenerative professional: A Therapeutic Journey by Alain de Botton.
Movies or Documentaries you would watch all over again: The Power of Myth, a series of six conversations with Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell.
Blogs / Websites / Podcasts you visit frequently: I listen to podcasts a lot!
The Knowledge Project, Tim Ferriss Show, Hidden Brain, Revisionist History, Philosophize This and many others.
Music that makes you (and your heart) sing: It depends on the moment.
Places you travelled to that left a mark on you: Namibia, the Pacific Coast of Portugal, Sicily, Maramures, The Danube Delta.
Global Regenerative Voices you recommend us to follow: There are a lot of remarkable people out there and my recommendations will change depending on my mood, and my season in life.
I would say find the voices that deeply resonate with you, not the most popular, not the ones pushing you, not the smartest ones, not the ones telling you what you “should”. Find the ones that touch you in a hard-to-explain manner, that make you cry and be inspired. The voices that awake something deep in you. And then try to understand what is it all about: what is this part of you telling you?
Trends in Regeneration we should keep an eye on: Regenerative Agriculture, the move towards a more human approach in the business culture, and rediscovering deep relations and conversations as an antidote to loneliness.
Best places for business networking (online or offline): I do not do networking. I would recommend communities you resonate with. If in Romania: The Romanian Business Leaders Foundation, Community Dinners, Bravva Community.
Events we should attend: I prefer small gatherings to events, so I am not a good source! There are a few I like that take place in Romania: Unfinished, the food festivals in Colinele Transilvaniei, and How to Web for technology lovers.
Associations, business clubs, tribes you belong to – and why:
I am a member of the Romanian Business Leaders Foundation, which is a place where entrepreneurs and executives come together to create, lead and grow specific projects that could make a change.
Community Dinners is a place of interesting conversations, deep questions and great fun.
Womanity, a place for incredibly smart, accomplished and authentic women.
Bravva is an investment community dedicated to financing and supporting startups with female founders.
Reasons to feel optimistic about our future in 2030: We live in an era of great change, uncertainty, and turmoil. Looking back, our history teaches us that the human spirit and ingenuity prevailed despite incredible hard times. Today, we have more means, more knowledge, more resources and more access than at any other time in history. I see the incredible people around me and I know that change is always starting in critical small communities and slowly spreading.
I also know that things tend to be worse before improving. So, I am optimistic about the fact that this present situation is what we have to face in order to learn.
Reasons to feel pessimistic about our future in 2030: I do not believe in pessimism. But I see some dangerous signs and everybody sees them: our mindless consumption is killing us and the environment, we are more and more disconnected from the living world, from each other and ourselves. Unsolvable war. It seems we are constantly very, very close to disaster.
Regenerative Leadership qualities much needed today: Self-reflection, optimism, creativity, self-care, humbleness and a healthy dose of self-trust.
The Inspirator you are endorsing for a future edition of the newsletter is: Cosmin Alexandru
The quote that inspires you:
“We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.” (T. S. Eliot, "Little Gidding")
Your own quote that will inspire us:
