Thinking Outside the Box: The What and The How

The box. That big box of thoughts we often get caught within. The limitation to our imagination, to our growth, to our potential.

That cloudy vision we sometimes fall into, just because we are limited, by that imaginary box that our brains fall into.

What is it really?

The box is actually a representation of thinking in a specific way, in a manner that prevents you from defying rules and boundaries. Often leading to loss of creativity.

We often find ourselves unable to cope with life's challenges, unable to progress at work, deal with friends, family, or other issues due to limited thinking and inability to come up with innovative solutions/ideas.

Are you familiar with the 9 dots challenge? the challenge requires that you connect the box shaped 9 dots without removing the pen off the paper. The only solution for that challenge is via thinking "outside the box" and moving the pen to draw as depicted in the image below.

It really entices activating your brain in ways different than the standard ones you have learnt, so as to come up with original ideas.

Basically, thinking outside the box requires activity in your prefrontal cortex located behind your forehead. The more connected and "trained" your brain neurons the better they would be able to assist with resolving mind challenging exercises, and hence helping you succeeding at whatever challenges you are faced with!

How to train yourself for thinking outside the box?

• Read, read, and read. Try reading some challenging topics, scientific research, new ideas, or even novels! Reading opens up your brain to new ideas, and allows you to defy your existing biases.
• Draw. I, for one, am not the best artist. Heck sometimes drawing a small cat to my 2 year old can be challenging lol, yet drawing does open up the artistic part of your brain to creativity even without being a professional Picasso!
• Write. Blog. Write something useful to share, your diaries, a poem, preferably on Steemit (no not really a requirement, but why not!). Try to make it something useful to you and/or to the others (that's my purpose). The more you write, the more your brain can "work out" and be more creative.
• Play creative games. Chess for one needs no introduction as to its usefulness in creativity and out of the box thinking. Not a fan? there are even many brain challenging mobile apps you can play on your phone, some of the ones i've tried include Neuronation (link to their site), and Elevate. Feel free to check them out!
• Scratch your head. With puzzles, riddles, memorizing things (even songs), math and number problems, learning a new language...

The bottom line is, the more you keep your brain muscle active, the more it can deliver you with outside the box and creative thinking.

To a better, smarter you!
-- MCF

References:

• https://www.thenakedscientists.com/get-naked/experiments/nine-dot-challenge
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brain-workout/200903/the-original-thinking-outside-the-box-puzzle
• http://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/11-ways-to-think-outside-the-box.html

Photo Credits:
First image: Sun Valley Community Church - Vimeo
Second image: Nine Dot Challenge