Thinking outside the box (also thinking out of the box or thinking beyond the box and, especially in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, thinking outside the square
) is an
idiom
An idiom is a phrase or expression that largely or exclusively carries a Literal and figurative language, figurative or non-literal meaning (linguistic), meaning, rather than making any literal sense. Categorized as formulaic speech, formulaic ...
that means to think differently, unconventionally, or from a new perspective. The phrase also often refers to novel or creative thinking.
History
The origin of the phrase is unclear. "Think beyond the boundary"-metaphors, that is, metaphors that allude to think differently or with less constraints, seem to have an old history. For example, in 1888,
The Annual Register
''The Annual Register'' (originally subtitled "A View of the History, Politicks and Literature of the Year ...") is a long-established reference work, written and published each year, which records and analyses the year's major events, developmen ...
records the phrase ''think outside the lines''.
Since at least 1954, the
nine dots puzzle
The nine dots puzzle is a mathematical puzzle whose task is to connect nine squarely arranged points with a pen by four (or fewer) straight lines without lifting the pen or retracing any lines.
The puzzle has appeared under various other names ov ...
has been used as a metaphor of the type "think beyond the boundary". Early phrasings include ''go outside the dots'' (1954),
''breakthrough thinking that gets outside the nine-dot square'' (1959), and ''what are the actual boundaries of the problem?'' (1963).
Norman Vincent Peale
Norman Vincent Peale (May 31, 1898 – December 24, 1993) was an American Protestant clergyman, and an author best known for popularizing the concept of positive thinking, especially through his best-selling book '' The Power of Positiv ...
writes about this puzzle in a 1969 article for the
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
, quote:
In 1970, the phrase ''think outside the dots'' appears without mentioning the nine dots puzzle.
Finally, in 1971, the specific phrase ''think outside the box'' is attested, again appearing together with the nine dots puzzle. In 1976, the phrase is used in England and 1978 in the USA, both without mentioning the nine dots puzzle.
Beyond the above attestations, there are several unconfirmed accounts of how the phrase got introduced. According to
Martin Kihn, it goes back to management consultants in the 1970s and 1980s challenging their clients to solve the "nine dots" puzzle.
[Kihn, Martin]
"'Outside the Box': the Inside Story,"
''FastCompany'' 1995 According to
John Adair
John Adair (January 9, 1757 – May 19, 1840) was an American pioneer, slave trader, soldier, and politician. He was the List of Governors of Kentucky, eighth Governor of Kentucky and represented the state in both the United States House of Re ...
, he introduced the nine dots puzzle in 1969, from which the saying comes.
It is claimed that the use of the nine-dot puzzle in consultancy circles stems from the
corporate culture
Organizational culture encompasses the shared norms, values, corporate language and behaviors - observed in schools, universities, not-for-profit groups, government agencies, and businesses - reflecting their core values and strategic direction. ...
of the
Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
, where the puzzle was used in-house.
See also
*
Egg of Columbus
*
Einstellung effect
*
Eureka effect
The eureka effect (also known as the Aha! moment or eureka moment) refers to the common human experience of suddenly understanding a previously incomprehensible problem or concept. Some research describes the Aha! effect (also known as insight or ...
*
Functional fixedness
Functional fixedness is a cognitive bias that limits a person to use an object only in the way it is traditionally used. The concept of functional fixedness originated in Gestalt psychology, a movement in psychology that emphasizes holistic proces ...
*
Gordian Knot
The cutting of the Gordian Knot is an Ancient Greek legend associated with Alexander the Great in Gordium in Phrygia, regarding a complex knot that tied an oxcart. Reputedly, whoever could untie it would be destined to rule all of Asia. In 33 ...
*
Kobayashi Maru
*
Lateral thinking
Lateral thinking is a manner of Problem solving, solving problems using an indirect and creativity, creative approach via reasoning that is not immediately obvious. Synonymous to thinking outside the box, it involves ideas that may not be obtai ...
References
Further reading
* (more solutions to the nine dots problem - with less than 4 lines!)
*
*
External links
{{Wiktionary, outside the box
Out-of-the-box vs. outside the boxciting Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary (OALD), Word of the Month
Creativity
Problem solving skills
Systems thinking