To think outside the box... Little did I know when I heard this praise, which we hear so often, that I had already totally understood what that meant.
First of all, where in the world did this saying come from?
Evidently, management consulting groups in the 1960's and 1970's began using a puzzle from a 1914 book by Sam Lloyd called Encyclopedia of Puzzles - it was the 9 dot puzzle. The challenge was to connect 9 dots - 3 lines of 3 dots evenly spaced across forming a "box"- and connect them all together without retracing or lifting the pen from the paper! You can watch The 9 dots video on youtube if you need help.
The point of the 9 Dots exercise was to encourage people to think in ways beyond the norm and spark their imagination. I totally get it! But that being said, let's not get into the box in the first place!
Every time this phrase comes up, I look at my life and ask myself "Am I in the box?” It is refreshing to always be thinking of new things, new places, new techniques, well everything new!
So those of you who like to color outside the lines, march to a different drum, and want to be open to and meet all possibilities, all the time…