What is this about?

• Why curiosity is central to growth, learning, and building meaningful relationships.

• How Eik’s five “F’s” create harmony in life.

• How purpose, education, and resilience shape clinical excellence and leadership.

Curiosity as the foundation of growth

Professor Dr. Dr. Eik Schiegnitz’s shares how curiosity fuels his personal and professional journey. For him, curiosity begins with listening – understanding people deeply before speaking. He believes genuine learning happens only through asking smart questions and seeking mentors across different areas of life. By approaching every situation with an open mind, whether at a congress or in private life, he builds benchmarks for his five life pillars and constantly strives for progress. This mindset, he explains, transforms relationships, drives learning, and ultimately nurtures happiness.

Balancing the five pillars of life

Schiegnitz introduces his “five F’s”: family and friends, fitness, firm, finance, and fueling the mind. Each pillar strengthens the others, creating a synergy rather than competition for time or energy. He emphasizes harmony, aiming to avoid the trap of excelling in one area while neglecting others. Sports, like his Ironman races, are not just physical challenges but lessons in resilience, focus, and finding one’s deeper “why.” He applies the same discipline and mindfulness to his professional and personal life, showing how balance can drive long-term fulfillment and success.

Purpose, leadership, and impact

For Schiegnitz, true fulfillment lies in impact rather than material success. Inspired by mentors and grounded in the Japanese philosophy of Ikigai, he discovered his purpose at the intersection of passion, talent, and service to the world. This vision fuels his work as a surgeon, educator, and leader. He values flat hierarchies, feedback culture, and systems that encourage curiosity and resilience over ego-driven leadership. By cultivating purpose and fostering growth in others, he sees himself not just as a clinician, but as a mentor, visionary, and contributor to shaping the future of dentistry.

Main take-aways

• Curiosity begins with listening and asking the right questions.

• Harmony across life’s five pillars (family, fitness, firm, finance, and fueling the mind) creates resilience and fulfillment.

• Purpose-driven leadership focuses on impact, education, and growth.

The Straumann ProTalk hosts