Why do few think outside the “BOX”?
While going through some of the stories, I found an interesting one today — “Why Telling Someone to “Think Outside of the Box” Never Works”. Although Hiroshi Mikitani starts out with academia, it applies in general as well.
Why is it that very few of us do what others term as “outside the box”?
I have been intrigued with this for a very long time and believe each one of us think “outside the box” for something or the other, but just not for the same thing. There are some, which makes a difference for many while others being more focused and localized.
I believe the act of “outside the box” or “lack of a box” as Hiroshi Mikitani suggests has to do a lot with past experiences. Past experiences in terms of success or failure or even the realization of further learning have a huge role to play when we choose one path over the other. No matter what others tell you, very few are born to be risk takers (though there are many studies to prove me wrong). This is purely on the basis of my self-reflection and looking back at some of my childhood friends who came up with such innovative thinking making me wonder why I underestimated them earlier.
Leap of faith — Calculated risks are risks well taken.
Taking the path less taken or trying out something new is hard. It is even harder to take the decision to try that in the first place and keep up with it to see it through.
It is not ONLY about getting those ideas or solutions, but what it leads to and whether you are willing to bet on it. This makes “removing the box” very challenging.
I believe many of us share a fear of bad investment (in terms of time or otherwise) while making all the “wrong” choices in life and then many are just lazy to not do what the idea leads to.
References
- Hiroshi Mikitani, Why Telling Someone to “Think Outside of the Box” Never Works. [Online]. Available: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-telling-someone-think-outside-box-never-works-hiroshi-mikitani/
- Economists Study Birth Order and Risk Taking. [Online]. Available: https://www.newswise.com/articles/university-of-south-carolina-darla-moore-school-economists-study-birth-order-and-risk-taking
- Nishant Rao, Are risk-takers born or made? [Online]. Available: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141107100252-1828966-are-risk-takers-born-or-made
