Why think outside the box? Somehow, over the last 20 years, it has been instilled in people that ‘thinking outside the box’ is a good thing. Why is that? And what is this ‘box’ we are supposed to think outside? And why are we within it in the first place?

The last question is the key. Thinking outside the box is associated with creative thinking, developing novel solutions to problems, and generally coming up with new ideas. The ability to do all of these things is considered valuable. So why would anyone bother to think within the box?

As I see it, the box defines a system, one which comprises a set of rules, allowable actions, etc. People that work within the box are working within the limitations imposed by the system, as they see it. So people who think outside the box are going beyond the accepted limitations of the system, and that allows them to introduce new elements and different rules to their solution.

A lot of times, the ‘new’ element that the creative thinker introduces is really not new to the system. Rather, they have either analyzed or stumbled upon some facet of their box that has not been fully explored or utilized. Sometimes introspection and some critical analysis of your system can reveal many new things, whether components or concepts, that can be utilized. I would suggest that someone who has a well-developed understanding of their system will have a bigger box then someone who doesn’t.

So again, why think with the box? New and creative solutions are required in order to be progressive and to develop. I look at it this way: We think within our own box. As soon as we come up with a new idea, solution, etc. we have either come to a greater understanding of the system we are working with, or maybe we have introduced something new to the system, thus expanding our box.

Great thinkers are both creative and analytical. Visualize what you want to do, then figure out how to accomplish it within your system. If you can’t, then its time to make a bigger box.