Outside The Box? What Does That Even Mean?

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We’ve all heard the expression, “Think outside the box.”

Some of us have had teachers instruct us to think outside the box whenever we were assigned to write an essay for class. We’ve had bosses tell us that when tasking us with finding a solution to a business problem. We've all read articles, been to webinars where our gurus and workshop leaders, life coaches and mentors all tell us to "think outside the box".

But, after all these years of people slinging that expression around like a sack of potatoes, what do folks really mean by that? What is the origin of the expression “Think outside the box”?

It actually started out as a simple brain teaser in a newspaper.

According to an article published in Psychology Today Magazine by Marcel Danes in the March 9, 2009 issue, the original 9 dot version of the puzzle could be traced to the first edition of Sam Loyd's “Cyclopedia of Puzzles” in 1914.

The premise of the puzzle is simple. You have nine dots arranged to form a square. To solve the puzzle, you simply have to draw four lines that connect all of the dots without lifting your pencil from the paper.


The normal human tendency is to stay within the confines of the square, but alas, it is just not possible.

The solution is to draw a straight line that goes beyond the boundaries of the square, so you’re basically solving this puzzle by literally going “outside the box” as you can plainly see below.


Similar puzzles were created with more dots, however, once you know how to think outside the box, it becomes easier to solve similar problems such as 16 or 25 dot version.

In true entrepreneurial spirit, “thinking outside the box” has come to mean a lot more than learning to solve brain twizzlers. Today, “think outside the box means to dig deep into your creative spirit; tap into your own originality - as deep as you dare.

Once you really understand what “outside the box” box is, you can go as far beyond the universe as you dare.

I think.

Inspired by a post by MIchael (aka Ultimateless)...
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Recent Comments

27

Great post. There is a bar soap company whose tag line, slogan thing is " think outside the bottle. " I thought it pretty cute.

I'm glad it wasn't the other wsy around...
Some of us do our best thinking inside the bar.
:-)

Well, that can be fun too, just not all th time.

I agree. You can have no boundaries when you can think outside the box.

I think I am going to go the other way just to be different. Euston, I'm going inside the box, it's looking pretty dusty in there.

Thanks for the credit, Hal. :)

That's a great history lesson, Hal - I appreciate it!
For me, thinking outside the box simply means removing the constraints of precedent, habit and convention. That is, thinking the way others like you, and the "you" of the past could not think.

Generally, the nonconformity that "outside the box" thinking represents inspires ones peers and supervisors to shove one back in the box, and tape it up tight.

Thanks for the nudge - reminding me that nobody can stop me from thinking and trying WAY outside that damn box...
Steve

You're welcome, Stephen... BTW, I think your interpretation is spot on!

Thanks for sharing, Hal.

You're welcome, Roger!

For me, the saying "thinking outside the box "means to accept that 1 plus 1 can be three, four, eight, open your mind. Accept things that do not make sense. Think around the corner, and as colorful as you like. Black and white are gone out of fashion.My Dad used to say Logic takes you from A to B but your Imagination will take you everywhere ..... even to the stars.

Your dad was a very wise man.

Many scientists have thought well outside the globe Hal Some physicists have even used string theory to connect the dots outside the universe!

Thanks! I think I'll just wait until you elaborate on a future post of your own, Michael. That's too far out there, even for me! LOL

I have a fun Site on the horizon for this Hal. I have a lot of content stored I just don't know if I want it Google tagged under Site Rubix or not!

Looking forward to it. Whatever and whenever you decide to build it.

It's shelled name is "world breaking" on my profile!

Didn't Sheldon lose his job over string theory? :) Oh no, he was downgraded to string theory. LOL !

I always wonder about that outside the box stuff. What if you aren't speaking inside the box in the first place?
I guess a box is confining or restrictive.

It doesn't matter where you're standing... What matters is how you're thinking. The places you allow your MIND to take you.

Something new I learned today. Thanks for the post Hal.

Excellent Hal! I've never known the true meaning of this expression other than to perhaps be creative. If one has a problem with creativity, well that leads to remaining within the walls of a box. Now, seeing that there is an escape route through those nine dots, makes life much more exciting. I'm just about to write a new post, so rather than worrying about getting my fingers slapped I'll step outside those dots and go for it!

Yes! Go for it, Valerie... by all means necessary!

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