Think outside the box

Think outside the box Think outside the box - this metaphor was originally used by management consultants in the 1970s and 80s, who challenged their clients to solve the “nine-point” puzzle. This advice is also used in dance, encouraging you to move creatively and literally step out of the box to express yourself in more complex range of movements. Later, the phrase became, and still is, popular in the business world, identifying lateral thinking. However, you will definitely agree that it has become a bit of an annoying cliché.

Any individual who wants to be successful in personal and professional terms have already implemented this idea of “thinking outside the box” in their mindset. However, our imagination and ability to think creatively are undoubtedly influenced by the information and impulses that come into our minds. There is a theory that people whose faces we see in dreams - although foreign, are not the fruit of our imagination - what we see in a dream is a mix or interpretation of memories. In other words, our brains do not create completely new images. They only process the information they receive. Thus we can conclude that without new impressions it will be difficult to think creatively.

You also have to get out of the bubble As we try to think more creatively, we come across another metaphor - getting out of the “bubble”. Recently, Latvian President E. Levits in a podcast advised “not to live in a bubble and look for new perspectives”. Boundaries are being crossed every day, distances are becoming easier to overcome, and our eyes are exposed to the never-ending depths of the Internet. However, we hear this reminder again.

We will not talk about purposeful search for information and pursuing new experiences. Let’s talk about what happens to us in everyday life. We all consume social networks, various websites and applications that personalize content (and advertisements). This is a great opportunity for service providers and advertisers to create the perfect offer for each individual.

It is also convenient for the consumer. Whether it’s an Instagram feed, an online store, banner ads between news articles, Netflix or YouTube. Are you interested in clothing, cosmetics, coffee and cakes? Here you go – you see thousands of pictures of beautiful women in adorable clothing, wearing this stunning make-up, drinking that delicious coffee and eating those tasty desserts. So it goes, until we are hit… by an algorithmic bubble. There we are- just from the endless internet jungle into “personalized”…bubble. Getting out of this is just as difficult for a northern Latvian as to start a conversation with a stranger on the street. Brr!

What to do with the bubble? First of all, be aware of it and its limits. Second, try to increase its diameter. The easiest way - by communication with others. Don’t wait for infinity pool application feeds to bring you a new world. Talk, communicate, share ideas, inspire and be inspired. That’s why brainstorming is one of the most effective way of generating ideas - the simplest recipe for any innovation is a combination of two existing things, so even if everything in this world seems to have been invented, two ideas can create the “bingo” you have been waiting for a long time.

We, the BSMS team, also regularly practice to work together in a team, learning to have meaningful and thought-provoking discussions. We are consciously learning and sharing quality information with each other. We collect ideas as puzzle pieces and put them together in the big picture. As you broaden your horizons and fields of interest, creativity also gets a new energy, so let’s expand the boundaries and inspire others to do so!

P.S. If you haven’t done it before - definitely try to solve the 9 point puzzle!