Short Summary
HOW TO NURTURE OUT OF THE BOX THINKING?
BY: ANKITA SHARMA, VIDHYARTHI DARPAN
Why should you think differently?
Companies desire creative, unique, mind-staggering business techniques to lure in potential clients; to keep themselves at an edge over others. It is why a whole branch dedicated to counseling and consultation exists. In life also, a person encounters a plethora of hurdles. To overcome those, one ought to have a broad-minded approach rather than the conventional ones. It is intimately what “thinking-out-of-the-box” suggests.
How to Think Out of the Box?
Well, start with introspection and analytically examining what you have on your plate presently – the current problem.
Below are some of the stuff you can practice to get those neurons running in an atypical creative direction!
Question Everything!
We are accustomed to accepting what is thrown at us, barely questioning the system of how and why. The cycle of doing the same thing only results in the same result. But we don’t want that, do we? Asking genuine questions with yourself (and others) will give you the answer of how’s and why’s. Questioning keeps the kid in us growing and learning. Remember, innovative inventions occurred because someone didn’t give in to the monotonous lifestyle and chose to change things for the better. Furthermore, when you know why and how something happens the way it does, you will waste less time pondering on the past and more on improving the situation at hand.
Think different. Think beyond.
Gain Different Perspective
Ask a child, a teenager, an adult, and an old couple – what is happiness? & you will know four different viewpoints of “happiness.” The 6-9 issue always happens in any situation. It is, therefore, imperative to be open-minded to welcome varying points of view. Break the problem into parts. Scan each fragment from all the sides. As done in an anagram, join two or more concepts to come to multiple solutions. When you consider and focus on one problem at a time, you’ll see, solutions have been in front of your eyes all along!
Be Creative
Professionalism pays, but it is the imaginative, artistic, and out-of-the-box thinking that advances the company to the top. Out-of-the-box thinking is all about conceiving the impossible by creating it, by bringing thoughts into action, by pulling an idea out and make it a reality. By inculcation of a positive mindset, you liberate your creative side. Keep exploring ideas and possibilities. Get your neurons to wander until they stumble upon a useful piece of information. Creativity precedes productivity.
Read Books, Write Your Thoughts
Reading not only elevate your vocabulary knowledge, but you gain entry into the mind of another person, feeling what he felt while sewing those phrases. It is said that by reading ten books, you gain insights into ten different perspectives. Read books, articles, magazines, novels of diverse genres to upgrade your skills. Another way to boost your thought process is to write. Writing helps in disintegrating emotional turmoil by granting us a clearer view of our thoughts.
Start with the end in mind.
It may sound absurd, but practicing this has a profound effect on how we identify ourselves. In its best-selling book “7 Habits of a Highly Effective People”, Stephen Covey elaborated methods to lead an effective and proactive life. It suggests relishing the idea before conceiving it. Have far-sightedness of your end goal to know the outcomes (or how you want it to end.) It warrants constant motivation for the future and a positive approach to solving complex problems. The process of rational thinking makes room for creativity, self-discipline, self-awareness, clear vision, enhanced cognitive ability, and more.
Brainstorm Ideas
Put every plausible or non-plausible idea in a box and pick one of them to work on. Discover new (however ridiculous) methods to carry the subject. Conference with the team members and encourage even the laughable inputs. Brainstorming is the core of out-of-the-box thinking. It is a candid group (or individual) conversation on an intense topic to find workable solutions.
Brainstorming is a creative approach that bridges the gap between lateral and rational thinking.
Stop Worrying!
Sometimes we find ourselves in a bottomless pit with no way out. In such difficult times, we worry about the impact it’s going to have on our work. It clouds our thought process, often leading to a loss in productivity and self-confidence. To nurture unique ideas, it is necessary to eradicate worry. In its best-selling book “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living” renowned self-improvement author Dale Carnegie mentioned a quote by American Minister Norman Vincent Peale – you are not what you think you; but what you think, you are. Hence, worrying cost us health, sanity, and happiness.
“I need to go to my mind palace.”
The construction of a Mind palace also called the Method of Loci or Mind Map, aids in memory retention and retrieval. There is no limitation to one’s imagination and power of interrelatedness of things that may, under usual circumstances, seem poles apart. That is precisely how building a ‘mind palace’ works – creating rooms and stores designating each event, place, name, or anything, all in the form of memory. Connect archeology with bakery, tobacco ashes with eye color, religion with world economy; I am sure you will find one or the other relatedness in obscurity and then bring them together at one place by allotting a unique room.
“Do Your Research!”
Re-search. Searching what is already there. A simple sentence can be a structure in hundreds of ways. Likewise, a person can grasp the same piece of information in many different ways. It is paramount to know your facts before concluding. How hard is it to go into the depth of the matter? Look for similar ideas published on authentic sites, explore related books, go out meet people who work in the same field, analyze differences, make your complacent notes, find relations, and lastly, ponder on the conclusion.
Don’t be an Anderson when you can be Sherlock. Always do your research.
Play Video Games!
Well, if this doesn’t put a smile on your face, then you are probably not a fan of video games. Mostly used as a stress-buster or a break in the routine, playing virtual or manual games comes with numerous cognitive benefits. A few of them include increased problem-solving ability, enhanced audio-visual reception, multitasking, mental stimulation, improved concentration, and rational thinking.
Believe it or not, reading (& replying) to fellow mate’s texts while sub-consciously killing enemies on the forefront heightens your brain speed, thus, helping you handle other life decisions. So, next time you find yourself in a dilemma, hop on to the chair and play Counterstrike or Mario!
Conclusion
Above is not an exhaustive list of stuff you can do to elevate your thinking process. While creativity comes naturally to some people, it is not wrong to look for options elsewhere. Inculcating out-of-the-box thinking is not only helpful in getting a decent job but also in inspiring life-changing decisions.
