How do you know when you are 'thinking outside the box'?

Question

It says like everything thinks that they are always 'thinking outside the box', but if everyone is always doing that, then they actually aren't thinking outside the box, right? How do I know when I'm actually thinking outside the box?

Answer 1

You know you are thinking outside the box when you can step back and see this metaphorical box. You cannot see it if you are in it, but once you realize it exists (once you can see it)... then you are out of it.
Once you truly are out of it, you will be able to see all the people that are confined by this metaphorical box. You can see the fibre of the box: the social structure which confines truly creative thinking.
Maybe you can help me out fo the box if you think you're actually out of it!

Answer 2

Now that is a good question. Bob Lutz (auto exec) said that "being able to think outside the box presupposes you were able to think inside the box." It's like abstract art--you have to know how to do it "realistically" before you can experiment with techniques to evoke something in the viewer. Thinking outside the box requires critical thinking--that is recognizing the consensus for what it is on any issue, and then coming forward with your own spin on that consensus. There is no possible way to think like everyone else--we all have our own perspectives, some of them more thoughtful than others. Critical thinking-- thinking in a way that involves analysis of every word, innuendo, suggestion, context, etc.--can be said to be what people used to call common sense. It also involves asking questions rather than answering them. How do you know when you're outside the box? When people start to look at you funny. There is a reason academics are the first ones targeted in every revolution: they question mainstream thinking and suggest alternative ways of running things--always a dangerous act in societies that require conformity.

Answer 3

Unless if you are asking what everyone else is thinking, you won't know for sure that you are thinking outside of the box. In a practical sense, thinking outside of the box is to invent novel ideas or to thinking critically.

Answer 4

I think, that one is 'thinking outside the box' when you don't stop at 'usual solutions or ideas' - the ones that immediately come to your mind. You try to think some more, looking for creative solutions or ideas. You put some effort into thinking beyond what is obvious to anyone.

Ofcourse, a natural creative thinker would always think outside the box :).

Hope I made sense.

Answer 5

When you think of something and then share it with someone and they give you that look where you can't tell if they think you're the smartest person on the planet or whether they need to take you to the nearest mental hospital... THEN you're thinking outside the box.

Answer 6

I don't think there is a box to think outside of.

Answer 7

One way to examine it is see if there's many people agreeing with you on critical issues. If yes, i would be worrying. The trap though is, that, if noone is agreeing with you on anything this also doesn't mean you're thinking outside the box.

Answer 8

When everybody keeps telling you "You are wrong",BUTT!! you know you are absolutely right. When you aren't afraid to wear a sandal on one foot and a hiking boot on the other foot to the grocery store ;because you like both and wanted to wear one of each at the same time. When you can honestly say "I don't care what other think about me" and just do what you want. It's also when you can go against what you think and listen to somebody elses' opinion and give it a try.

Answer 9

U know when ur thinking outside of the box when.. u stand up, step outside of the box u were sitting in and think.. easy aint it! *wink*

Answer 10

You take thoughts out of the BOX .