A monster forcefully switches places with you. You become a horrible creature, and the monster assumes your form. Unfortunately for the monster, your life absolutely sucks—and you have no intention of swapping back.
1. Introduction
In the world of innovation, the phrase "think outside the box" has become a popular mantra. While it encourages creativity and unconventional thinking, merely stepping outside the boundaries set by others isn’t always enough. To truly innovate, you need to create your own box—a unique framework shaped by your personal experiences, insights, and perspectives. This blog post will explore the limitations of conventional thinking, the benefits of creating your own box, and how you can build a custom framework to drive innovation and creativity in your life and work.
2. Breaking the Mold: Why Conventional Thinking Falls Short
The concept of "the box" represents conventional wisdom and established norms. While these guidelines provide a foundation, they can also constrain our thinking. History is replete with examples of how conventional thinking has held back progress. For instance, the belief that the Earth was flat prevented early explorers from venturing too far from shore. Similarly, in business, sticking rigidly to traditional methods can stifle innovation. To break free from these constraints, we need to challenge and redefine these boundaries.
3. Crafting Your Own Box: A New Approach to Innovation
Creating your own box means developing a personalized framework for thinking and problem-solving. This unique box is shaped by your experiences, knowledge, and perspectives, allowing you to approach challenges in novel ways. The process involves questioning established norms, seeking new viewpoints, and integrating diverse ideas. By doing so, you can unlock creative solutions that are uniquely suited to your circumstances.
4. Trailblazers: Innovators Who Defined Their Own Boundaries
Several renowned innovators have exemplified the concept of creating their own box. Take Elon Musk, for example. Musk's ventures—ranging from SpaceX to Tesla—are products of his willingness to defy conventional wisdom. Similarly, Steve Jobs revolutionized the tech industry by embracing a design-centric approach at Apple, moving away from the standard engineering-focused mindset. Marie Curie's groundbreaking work in radioactivity is another testament to the power of unique thinking. These individuals show that by creating their own box, they were able to achieve extraordinary success.
5. From Concept to Reality: Building and Refining Your Box
Step 1: Identifying Limitations in Current Thinking To start creating your own box, you need to recognize the limitations in existing frameworks. This involves critically assessing the norms and questioning their relevance and effectiveness.
Step 2: Exploring New Perspectives and Ideas Seek out diverse viewpoints and be open to unconventional ideas. This could involve engaging with different cultures, industries, or disciplines to gain a broader perspective.
Step 3: Building a Unique Framework for Problem-Solving Based on the insights gained, develop a custom approach to problem-solving. This framework should be flexible, adaptable, and reflective of your unique insights and experiences.
Step 4: Testing and Refining Your New Box Implement your new approach in real-world scenarios, assess its effectiveness, and refine it based on feedback and results. This iterative process ensures that your framework remains relevant and effective.
6. Think Like a Maverick: Tools for Creative Problem-Solving
Innovation requires the right tools and techniques. Here are some methods to help you create your own box:
Brainstorming Techniques
Mind Mapping: Visualize ideas and their connections to uncover new relationships.
SCAMPER: Use this technique to spark creativity by prompting questions about your ideas (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Rearrange).
Creative Exercises Engage in activities that push you out of your comfort zone, like improvisational theatre, to break free from conventional thinking patterns.
Collaboration and Diverse Input Work with individuals from different backgrounds and disciplines. Their unique perspectives can inspire fresh ideas and approaches.
7. Defying Doubt: Overcoming Challenges in Your Innovative Journey
Creating your own box isn’t without challenges. You may face skepticism, resistance, or self-doubt. Here are some strategies to overcome these obstacles:
Embrace Failure: View setbacks as learning opportunities and stay resilient.
Seek Support: Surround yourself with a supportive network that encourages innovative thinking.
Stay Confident: Believe in your unique approach and remain persistent in the face of adversity.
8. Conclusion
In conclusion, while thinking outside the box encourages creativity, it’s not enough to drive true innovation. By creating your own box, you develop a personalized framework that leverages your unique insights and experiences. This approach not only fosters innovative thinking but also empowers you to tackle challenges in novel ways. Embrace the journey of building your own box, and unlock your full creative potential.
Call to Action: We'd love to hear your thoughts! Have you created your own box? Share your experiences or frameworks in the comments section below or join the conversation on social media using #CreateYourBox.
Source: Don't Just Think Outside the Box, Create Your Own Box
I was a bit shy at first because yep that's kinda embarrassing to leave a comment but I realised the depression when you post something and no-one shows appreciation ( TДT) So I now leave kudos and a comment on the most cringe or filthy fic I read every time ✨
I make a post about how smut writers shouldn't be discouraged if their smut has a low hits to kudos ratio, because people are just afraid to kudos smut.
I get told in response that AKTUALLY smut has a low kudos to hits ratio because people are re-reading that smut.
I make a post about how if you're re-reading a fic a lot you should tell the author because they won't know that and will think no one likes their fic.
I get told that authors should just ASSUME that it's re-reads without needing to be told.
I post a smut fic that gets 100+ hits in its first 24 hours of posting (therefor no re-reads counted) and this smut fic with 100+ hits gets zero kudos.
I make a post about how if you read a fic on AO3 it creates a 'hit' and if the author gets a lot of hits without kudos or comments or response, the author will assume no one liked their fic.
I get told that authors should just ASSUME that everyone who clicks their fic likes it, without needing to be told that.
I make a post reminding people that fanfiction authors are not mind readers and that there's no way for them to tell a hit from a person who clicked a fic by mistake, or hated the fic, from a hit from a person who liked it, and if you don't tell the author you liked their fic they will assume you didn't.
I get told that authors aren't entitled to comments or kudos, or to a certain ratio of kudos to hits.
NO SHIT.
But if they don't get comments or kudos, they're gonna assume ya'll didn't like the fic!
Maybe my writer block will go away with that who knows? :3
This is the magic lucky word count. Reblog for creativity juice. It might even work, who knows.
Wattpad and Webtoon are in a relationship.
Then, they became parents and had ao3 (archive of our own).
But then, Webtoon cheated on Wattpad with Duolingo (because Duo had a huge glow up) so Wattpad decided to take revenge on her lover and cheated with her exe Twitter/X. (they broke up because X was toxic obviously)
While the parents have a rather complicated relationship BUT still working out somehow, their kid found joy in dating Tumblr.
I'm telling you chat, grandma naver is enjoying the drama!!!
*me looking at all the degenerate that liked my fic*
*sigh* Is there anything more satisfying and motivating than looking at this to write another chapter?
Nah I don't think so.
I'm waiting till it's dark outside, my motivations is like a vampire 🍷
"Why don't you give up?"
"Oh, I gave up years ago! You should've seen me before!"
Reblog if you’re grateful for your commenters <3
↳ If your character’s arc isn’t making you slightly emotional or existential, it’s probably not finished. If they start and end the story the same person, that’s not a character arc—it’s a flatline. Make them squirm, learn, lose, grow. Bonus points if they make you question your own moral compass in the process.
↳ Worldbuilding is not a license to drown your reader in lore like it’s Game of Thrones on steroids. If you have to write a wiki page to understand your own plot, fine...but that doesn’t mean your reader has to read it. Give us breadcrumbs, not a 12-course feast on page one.
↳ If the theme of your story can’t be summed up in one slightly aggressive sticky note, you’re probably overcomplicating it. (“This book is about choosing yourself even when no one else does”—boom, theme. Now go make your characters suffer for it.)
↳ You will hate your manuscript somewhere between 30k and 50k words. That’s your cue to keep going, not quit. It’s like the literary version of hitting mile 18 in a marathon. Everything hurts, but that means you're doing it right.
↳ That “genius idea” you had at 2 a.m.? Save it. Write it down. But don’t drop everything for it. New ideas are seductive chaos demons. Your current project deserves monogamy… at least until the second draft.
↳ A character’s greatest fear is a shortcut to their heart. Forget favorite color or coffee order...what keeps them up at night? What would destroy them if it came true?
↳ If you don’t know how to end your story, figure out what question it’s been asking the whole time. Once you know the question, the ending becomes the answer. Maybe not a happy answer, but a satisfying one.
↳ No one’s going to write your weird little story the way you will. That’s your superpower. So go ahead and write the morally gray necromancer love triangle in space. Your people are out there. And they’re hungry for it.
↳ You are allowed to be a slow writer. You are allowed to be a fast writer. You are not allowed to be a cruel writer—to yourself. The world will criticize your art for free. Don’t do their job for them inside your own head.
↳ Some stories just aren’t meant to be novels. And that’s okay. Maybe it's a short story. A play. A fever dream disguised as a poem. The shape doesn’t matter. The story does. Let it tell you what it wants to be.
They/them | I'm just a wanna be author and binge every korean/chinese novel I can :D
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