To get outside the box, first define it

I hear people talking about thinking outside the box all the time, but it seems to be easier said than done.

My theory is that one of the reasons getting "outside the box" is so challenging for people is that they don't really have any idea what that box even looks like. It's hard to get beyond the box when you don't know where the walls of that box are, how high they are, or what they're made of.

We all bring a pile of assumptions to our view of the world around us. Sometimes those assumptions lubricate the gears of day to day life, but sometimes they just plain get in the way. The walls of our boxes are often made with assumptions we don't even realize we're making.

Next time you're trying to come up with an idea or a solution that doesn't follow the lemming hordes, try asking yourself this simple question..."What assumptions am I making?"

Once you identify your "assumed truth," ask yourself if there might be other ways of looking at it. You may just find that doing that not only helps you get outside the box, it dismantles the box altogether.

Pursuing your passion in your career is definitely an outside the box endeavor. What do the walls of your box look like?

Comments

[Alicia]

Once I stopped putting restrictions on what I was "allowed" to do as a job, opportunities opened up for me.

This (defining The Box) is great advice for non-career decisions also. Thanks.

[Wena]

one way to think about the box is to ask one's peers for their views. who knows? they might see something we can't see. then the thinking process can start. after all, we're all human and limited in our capacity to account for everything.

[Annedien]

I like to think out of the thinking out of the box box.

Works like a Zen Koan for most people, that one does :)