How good is your thinking game? Think outside the box is one of the most worn-out businesses in the personal development process. You’ve probably encountered several blogs, books, and speakers who always tell you to think outside the box. But how many people do it? Researches show that there is an evident disconnect between what people say and what they do.
In simple terms, thinking outside the box means thinking beyond the norm. It means that you need to be innovative with your ideas and solution. We will be telling you some tips that you can use to be an outstanding thinker both in business and beyond.
1. How to Question the Status Quo Regularly
Since childhood, we are bombarded with systems of doing things. We are told that we should go to school, work hard, get good grades, go the college, and get that dream job. However, as over the years, it became evident that this system doesn’t work for everyone. Education is essential, but what’s more important is that sometimes you need to question the norm.
You need to think smartly and learn to ask why? Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard and quit his degree, and he is now a multibillionaire. He’s not alone either. Bill gates also dropped out of college to create Microsoft. If you don’t understand the information that someone told you, you should read more and question more. Ask why do you have certain traditions at your workplace.
2. Expand Your Knowledge
You need to know more to expose your brain to different ideas. There are several ways to do this. You can choose to take classes, for example, if you are a banker you can try learning how to write. It will give you a new skill that you can use to discover an original career path. Such as writing in the blogger section of the newspaper.
By this, you also open up the opportunity to become a better banker. You can also try learning a new culture. It will help you to relate to different people around the world. Lastly, you can read books or novels outside your usual genre to stimulate your mind. Instead of going for your typical romantic novels, try picking up a little classic today and get a better grasp of world politics. Successful people like Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey read, so should you.
3. Mind mapping
Mind mapping is a technique that allows you to map out an idea. Fundamentally, you have the “central concept” in the middle of the map and then expand the idea outwards in different boxes. It will help you to think of all the possibilities along with their outcomes. For example, I need to create a blog about social media since it was the main idea, so I put it in the main box.
Then, I drew other boxes connected to the main idea and wrote different branches of it. I then broke down each element into smaller branches and started thinking about all the possible outcomes. With my simple mind map, I discovered an easy way to expand an idea.
4. Drawing Images
Visualize the problem you are facing and bring images to help you solve it. With a model, you can map out all the aspects of your issues and write down solutions to each element. For instance, you have different bills to pay, and all have different deadlines. You can draw a box for all the bills you have to pay along with the dates.
Then, have another table with all the income you have coming on specific dates. As you will look at those boxes, you will find it easier to remember everything you need to pay and match to the time when you have enough income to afford the bill. You can also create a visual image of what the box means for you.
For example, if you are planning on starting a business and don’t have enough capital, make a box and think of all sources of money. It can either be from friends, family, or investors. You can then detail all the pros and cons of each money source in another box. After short-listing all the sources by reviewing all the sources, you will find the right one for you.
5. Think Like a Competitor
Thinking like a competitor in a business is extremely beneficial. For this exercise, ask yourself to feel like a competitor. By pointing out some of the weaknesses you see in the company and possible solutions for the problems. You can also get ideas for new trends in the industry. This technique also works on one’s personal life.
Now you must have an idea of how to think out of the box. So, where should you start? Start today by practicing the skills discussed above and observe your progress. Practicing these skills will bring a change in your lives!
