How to Unlock Your Creative Potential?

The Art of Thinking Inside and Outside the Box

Photo by Erda Estremera on Unsplash

Like me, you may have often found yourself receiving regular counsel, typically unasked for, encouraging you to venture outside the box. Undoubtedly, this advice is well-intentioned, stemming from the same individuals who, on different occasions, urge you to abandon daydreaming and concentrate on your duties — in other words, persuading you to remain firmly within the boundaries of the box.

I have always believed that I have a creative side, or at least strive to do so. It’s a common misconception that we aren’t creative, but all possess creativity. That is why I am intrigued to explore the connection, if any, between the idea of this “box” and creativity. This inside/outside-the-box paradox of creativity is something that many people struggle with.

Let us explore if there is a way out.

What is This Box, Anyways?

What does this box symbolize, after all? What’s the nature of the box that supposedly constrains me? Which box are they referring to exactly? I’ve often questioned whether they genuinely understand the box they’re alluding to. Do they merely presume that I am trapped in some box?

The box is, perhaps — the so-called status quo. It feels like home, where everything is recognizable, habitual, and filled with unresolvable issues.

The concept of a “box” is often used as a metaphor for the constraints within which we think and operate. It includes our knowledge, experiences, the rules or norms we follow, and our comfort zones.

The Paradox of Creativity

Once upon a time, in the bustling city of Genipura, there lived two unique inhabitants named Inside-the-Box Arvind and Outside-the-Box Arzoo. Each had a different approach to life, representing the two sides of our creative brain, often seen in conflict but, in reality, they were the perfect partners in the dance of creativity.

Arvind was a stickler for rules. He thrived on structure, loved order, and saw the world in clear, sharp lines. His “box” was a realm of knowledge, past experiences, and tested strategies. He wasn’t opposed to creativity, but it had to work within the confines of what was known and proven.

On the other hand, Arzoo was a free spirit. She loved exploring new ideas, challenging norms, and breaking boundaries. Her “box” was expansive, borderless, and filled with wild dreams and innovative ideas that often took her to uncharted territories.

Both Arvind and Arzoo were creative in their ways, but they represented the duality of the creative process, a dance between thinking inside and outside the box. Together, they personify the “paradox of creativity,” which refers to the conflicting characteristics and tendencies often involved in the creative process or the perception of creativity.

The notion of creativity itself is very subjective, but for an output to be considered creative, it should meet at least the following two criteria:

1. Originality: The work must be novel, unique, and something that hasn’t been done or seen before. An example would be an artist creating a new style of painting that deviates significantly from established norms.
2. Value: The work must serve some purpose or have some use. In other words, it must apply or appeal to some part of society. The idea must not only be new but also have relevance and meaning. For instance, a scientist who develops a new technology that solves a major societal problem is being creative.

Unleashing Inside the Box Creativity

Arvind was a master at creating beautiful symphonies within his box. He understood that constraints could actually fuel creativity. For example, consider a poet who decides to write a sonnet. A sonnet has a rigid structure — 14 lines, a specific rhyme scheme, and a meter. These constraints, rather than stifling the poet’s creativity, can actually enhance it. The poet must find a way to express their thoughts and feelings within this tight structure, and the result can be a beautiful and profoundly moving piece of work.

In the same way, inside-the-box thinking can lead to innovation. Suppose you’re a chef in a high-end restaurant and suddenly run out of an essential ingredient. Rather than panicking, you use this constraint to get creative. You devise a new dish using what you have, which turns out to be a hit.

The limitations of the box can force us to think more deeply and come up with innovative solutions while not spilling outside of the box. This often involves finding new associations between existing ideas or concepts within the box.

Embracing Outside-the-Box Creativity

Meanwhile, Arzoo had a knack for venturing outside her box, exploring the world of endless possibilities. She was like an artist who starts with a blank canvas and creates a piece that’s never been seen before.

Consider the iconic work of architect Frank Gehry. His Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is a masterpiece of innovative design that challenges the traditional aesthetics of buildings. Gehry stepped outside the conventional “box” of architectural design, resulting in a structure that is as much a work of art as the exhibits it houses.

Similarly, let’s take Steve Jobs and his journey with Apple. Jobs didn’t just improve existing technology; he envisioned what wasn’t there and brought it to life — like creating the iPhone, which revolutionized the way we communicate and interact with the world.

Unlocking Your Creative Potential

“Creativity is forcing yourself to get out of the home, wander in the wilderness, and finding your way back” -Anonymous.

The sensation of hitting a roadblock hampers creativity. It’s not simply about being trapped within the box's confines — you can also find yourself stranded outside the box.

Arzoo is known for her unconventional art styles that have always defied the norm — she thinks outside the box. One day, she decides to create a piece that will completely depart from any existing art form, something so radical that it defies all traditional classifications of art.

She spends weeks, then months, exploring wildly abstract concepts. She starts numerous pieces only to abandon them halfway because they still seem too conventional. She’s stuck in the wilderness of infinite possibilities, not inside her familiar box of known art forms but outside the box. She’s struggling to give shape to her ideas because they’re so novel and undefined.

In her pursuit of something completely original, she’s paralyzed by the sheer number of options and directions she could take, and the pressure to create something groundbreakingly unique. She has, in a sense, become stranded outside the box. This is an instance where too much freedom — in this case, freedom from conventions or norms — can become overwhelming and stifle creativity rather than foster it.

Finding ways to break free when you feel ensnared is the key to unlocking your creative potential.

Feeling trapped or stuck can be challenging, especially when fostering creativity. Here are some steps to rekindle your creative spirit:

1. Always Know Your Box: The initial requirement is to understand the constraints and features of your box clearly. Remember that even when you venture beyond the limits of your current ‘box,’ you are merely stepping into a larger ‘box’ — it’s a shift, not an escape.
2. Discover your “Getting Stuck” Indicators: It’s relatively frequent for the state of feeling stuck to slip under the radar, unnoticed. Conversely, there may be instances where you perceive yourself as trapped, even when you’re not in reality. Thus, it would be best to establish a few indicators for yourself. Examples of indicators include “lack of progress,” “going in circles,” “procrastination,” and “loss of enthusiasm.”
3. Acknowledge the Trap without Delay: Regularly watch for indicators identified in step 2. Recognize and accept the situation that you are stuck. Denying the situation may only lead to further frustration.
4. Analyze the Trap: Once acknowledged, analyze the trap to develop a strategy to unstuck yourself.
5. Take a Break: Sometimes, stepping away for a bit is the best thing to do when you’re stuck. Engage in activities that relax and rejuvenate you — such as reading a book, going for a walk, or listening to music. This break can help clear your mind and provide a fresh perspective when you return to your task.
6. Broaden Your Box: The underlying assumption of this approach is that a larger ‘box,’ or frame of reference, could potentially foster greater creativity. However, this assumption doesn’t always stand up to scrutiny. Therefore, this tactic should only be employed after you have thoroughly explored all options within your existing ‘box.’ This would require relaxing constraints and assumptions of your current ‘box’ and tapping into new sources of knowledge.
7. Narrow Your Box: Rather than expanding your box — that is, thinking outside the box — the appropriate strategy might involve constricting your Box. This could mean reshaping the boundaries of the problem at hand and realigning expectations.
8. Iterate: Go back to step 2 and repeat as often as necessary.

The Dance of Creativity

Creativity isn’t about choosing between thinking inside or outside the box; it’s about knowing when to do which. It’s a dance where Arvind and Arzoo move together, each leading and following in turn.

Think of the Wright Brothers. They used their knowledge of physics and engineering (inside-the-box thinking) to understand the principles of flight. But they also had to think outside the box to imagine a machine that could fly like a bird. They dared to dream and challenge the norm, changing the world forever.

As inhabitants of our own Genipura, we all have an Arvind and Arzoo within us. Sometimes we need structure and constraints to guide our creativity. At other times, we need to challenge norms and break boundaries. The dance between these two approaches is the essence of the creative process.

So, the next time you’re faced with a problem or an opportunity, invite both Arvind and Arzoo to the party. Use the tools of thinking both inside and outside the box to unleash your creativity and make your unique mark on the world.