---

Guest post by: Jim Stovall Become an Author

Tweet

---

---

The current buzz phrase among business and creative types is, "Thinking out of the box." This means that you think in non-orthodox, non-traditional ways that lead you to new and creative conclusions. This is a powerful tool, as far as it goes, because it allows you to use your entire creative mind without limiting yourself to the way things have always been done. However, while you're thinking in the new "out of the box" way, don't forget that there are some pretty great concepts in that old box. Traditional thinking at one time was someone's creative "out of the box" thinking. Because it was successful, that thought became traditional or "in the box."

Recently, I heard about a lady who was interested in bringing her kitchen into the computer age. She bought a computer program for storing all of her recipes. Then she took her old, laminated recipe cards out of her old wooden recipe box. She went to the computer in her home office and spent many hours entering all of her recipes into her personal computer. After completing the monumental task, she was ready to start cooking with her new 21st century recipe system.

She selected a dish she wanted to prepare, and her computer instantly retrieved the recipe and displayed it on the screen. She went into the kitchen and began cooking. Very quickly she realized that she was wasting all of her time running back and forth between the kitchen and her computer down the hall in her home office. Her solution to this problem was to print the recipe on a piece of computer paper so she could bring the recipe into the kitchen. Before long, as often happens in an active kitchen, the countertop became a mess and the computer printout containing her recipe became

soaked, stained, and illegible.

In utter frustration, she said, "It would be great if I had all of my recipes printed out on waterproof, stain proof cards." If you're following the progression, you will realize her new wish looks an awful lot like where she started-with laminated recipe cards in a wooden box.

Don't think about whether it's a new idea or an old idea. Don't worry about whether it is "in or out of the box." Remove the box and implement the best idea.

Today's the day!

Related Articles

  REFLECTION NOTE
  Positive Thinking
  Bill Gates' Secret Weapon: Stop to Think
  Strategic Thinking What Does It Really Mean
  Playing The Game
  The 10 Most Common Words You Should Stop Using Now
  Is Your Thinking Bigger Than This?
  The Most Important Rule of Business
  Are You Thinking Too Small?
  Formula to Just Do It
  Do you invite thinking or evict thinking?
  The Power of Critical Thinking
  THE ART OF THINKING
  Focus on Deliberate Creation Through Active Thought Processes
  How to Exercise Your Right to choose your thoughts-The Science of Results Oriented Thinking
  Business Coaching As A Valuable Asset For You and Your Business
  Autosuggestion-Be a Success By Just Thinking It!
  Clearing Up The Myths About Strategic Thinking and Planning
  More On Strategic Thinking
  The Value and Benefits of Strategic Thinking

Related Forum Posts

Re: THE SECRET TO SUCCESS IS ALL IN YOUR HEAD...RIGHT NOW!!!
Hiring introverts vs. extroverts
Re: Essential Leadership skills
Re: Marketing is a trial and error game; test everything
Re: Getting ready to sell by childhood baseball card collection.

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

How to Write Your Compelling Vision Statement

Three Common Recruiting Mistakes to Avoid

International Employment Background Checks

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.