Think outside the box

You have probably heard the phrase “Think outside the box!” or came across the phrase in literature at least once in your lifetime. The expression has become a mantra frequently quoted in various institutions with the intention to encourage imaginative thinking, creativity and innovation.

We have been subjected to a comfort zone characterized by familiar and linear routines which “boxes” our minds.

I have always wondered, why think outside the box? Then I came across a quote that read “there are many ways to kill a cat” and then I thought to myself “that’s it.” We have to realize the importance of breaking through the status quo and the decades-old approaches to life, problem solving and strategizing thus this article’s primary intention.


Resolved, one has to think outside the box because there are many ways to kill a cat. Inside the box which are the different societies we live in, there are set norms for us to believe from a tender age such that we cannot act or think contrary to popular belief. This means that too often we are given answers to remember rather than problems to solve and this barricades our minds and clip our wings. People have a tendency to follow suit or go along with popular beliefs as propounded by Psychologist Solomon Asch’s conformity experiments which showed that people jump on a bandwagon either because they prefer to conform or because they derive information from others, thus the perceptual bias referred to as the “Bandwagon Effect” or “Gundamusairira” in Shona.


Socialization is to blame for every unsuccessful person that exists on planet earth as much as it is to attribute for every successful person thereof. Most great or successful people are those who went contrary to popular beliefs, those that went against all odds, thought outside the box and figured out there are many ways to kill a cat. Thomas Edison, the man who reached great pinnacles by inventing the light bulb was once told by his teachers that he was “too stupid to learn anything” but who do we know now? The teachers or Thomas Edison? That should tell us something right? Thinking outside the box empowers us to get rewards that seem to be out of our reach.

All we have to do is change our thinking if we desire a future different from our present.

Just because people do not approve of your dreams or just because nobody has ever done what you want to do now, doesn’t mean you cannot or shouldn’t do it. Thinking outside the box forces the creativity and innovation out of you, for your benefit and those around you. Psychology studies realized the tendency of people to not see objects past their obvious use and termed it "Functional fixedness." This explains the perceptual bias that limits us to see an object only in the way it is traditionally used. A good example is that people see a hammer as an object for hitting in nails but can’t see the hammer as a potential paperweight. Resultantly, creativity is killed and there is no innovation since everyone is doing things the way they were traditionally done.


I came to the realization that the belief that there is only one way of doing things not only numbs the mind but also results in emotional and physical stagnation. Nobody likes to be treated as a donkey thus the negative effect of close supervision, tight control and strictness in workplace relations. Growing up, we don’t learn a lot through coercion, but through motivation bearing in mind that “only the learner can learn.” As much as one can force a donkey to go to the river, one cannot however force it to drink water.


The world would be a better place if we respected each other’s beliefs, opinions and decisions. Just because something is pleasant to you or seems rational to you doesn’t mean everyone shares your interests or views. Just because someone was successful in a particular field doesn’t mean everyone else is guaranteed success in that field as well. Someone once told me that no job is useless and then my study of sociology enhanced this quote when I came to understand that there is what is called “Functionalism” which argues that society is like a human body where every organ is functional and works for the good of the whole body.


We cannot all be engineers, doctors or lawyers as much as we know how well-paying these jobs are due to their complexity. I however comprehended that not all highly rewarded positions are difficult or socially imperative for example air hostesses, singers or movie stars and also that not all jobs are rewarded statuses similarly in all societies. Parents however attach great importance on money when choosing careers for their children. The first mistake being made is choosing a career for somebody who might not be even interested in such a career. Based on culture, norms and how they were brought up, parents fail to embrace the fact that the world has changed and is ever changing thus what is the deal today might not be the deal tomorrow. It is therefore important for one to choose a career he/she has passion for because it will be for a lifetime. 


I strongly believe that people should be left to make decisions concerning things that affect their life for the simple reason that it is much more easier to be committed to achieving goals one sets on his/her own than striving to achieve another person’s goals. Is every rich person an engineer, doctor, lawyer or pilot? Definitely not. This implies that success is a matter of opportunity and chance as well as time and circumstances.


Don’t be afraid to try something new just because it has never been done but rather think outside the box and remember as there are many ways to kill a cat, there are also many ways to be successful and many roads that leads to paradise. Metaphorically, the phrase “thinking outside the box” encourages us to think unconventionally, differently and creatively from a new perspective.