ThinkingOutof TheBox There is ONE THING that distinguishes

Thinking-Out-of. The-Box

There is ONE THING that distinguishes human beings from the socalled “lower animal forms. ” No, not skateboarding. Not stock options. Not the invention of the disco ball

Thinking is unique to Human Beings Think about it. We’re thinking almost all the time. In the shower. On our feet. In our dreams. Even at the office. But just because we think, it doesn’t mean we’re coming up with anything very extraordinary. For that, something else is required

Creative Thinking It’s what Einstein did. It’s what Picasso did. And it’s what YOU Should DO That is, when you are “out of the box. ”

Ah! The box! THE BOX! That much talked about, habit-forming, mind-crunching, option-limiting, sixsided, culturally repressive thing that keeps the genius within you imprisoned.

Why all this fuss about a box? Boxes aren’t bad. Are they? Chocolates come in boxes. So do birthday gifts. And Scrabble. And diamond rings. Boxes protect. Boxes contain. Boxes convey.

True… But they also confine, constrain, separate, and limit (Especially when what’s contained within them doesn’t want to be there. )

Think cubicle. Think prison cell. Think coffin. Think the closed mind of the person at work who is almost always shut down to your new ideas

Which leads us to the inevitable, existential, frequently asked QUESTION(one you will need to answer if you ever expect to get out. ) What is this so-called “box” actually made of?

Ready for the first time deconstruction of the mythical box? (The mythical box) #1 Limiting Assumptions • False conclusions • Questionable hypotheses • Misinterpretation of data • Artificial lines drawn in the sand

Ready for the first time deconstruction of the mythical box? (The mythical box) #2 Addiction to the Status Quo • Fear of change • Conventionality • Playing it safe • Defaulting to “the way it’s always been. ” “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got. ”

Ready for the first time deconstruction of the mythical box? (The mythical box) #3 Hyper-Rationality • Over-dependence on the left brain • Analysis paralysis • Excessive use of logic and linearity • Premature evaluation

Ready for the first time deconstruction of the mythical box? (The mythical box) #4 Tunnel Vision • Narrow mindedness • Inability to see new connections • Mental isolationism • Silo-itis

Ready for the first time deconstruction of the mythical box? (The mythical box) #6 No Intrinsic Motivation • Out of touch with your own fascination • Lack of inspiration • Inertia and lethargy • Good soldier-itus

Ready for the first time deconstruction of the mythical box? (The mythical box) #5 Intolerance for Ambiguity • Settling for the first ‘right’ idea • Excessive need for certainty • Impatience with “process” • Discomfort with transition and chaos

OK. Now you know the names of the six sides of the box. But maybe you see them differently. If you do, how would you name them? (The mythical box) And so, to get you going, choose the one side that bugs you the most and commit to one thing you will do to go beyond it. 1. Limiting assumptions 2. Addiction to the status quo 3. Hyper-rationality 4. Tunnel vision 5. Intolerance for ambiguity 6. No intrinsic motivation To make this even more real, apply your “out of the box” insight to your hottest, new project

No matter what you name the six sides of the box the challenge is to get out of box (The mythical box) What is your intuition telling you about next steps with your hottest new project? What can you do this week to communicate your hottest new idea to your most likely money source? In what ways can you proceed differently than you normally would with your hottest new project? What is your biggest fear about your biggest creative pursuit? And what can you do to go beyond it? What is it going to take in order for you to really champion your most inspired new idea? Which original idea of yours do you need to honour and express with more boldness and commitment?

Get Going Now! Keep The Impetus up !! Be Winners Always !!