Thinking Outside of
"Outside The Box"
Where do we go now that everyone is outside the box?
Joyce Wycoff wants to replace the box in the tired old saying about how to come up with ideas that aren't old and tired. She's even holding a survey and contest to give the old saw some new teeth.

Although I didn't think much of most of the selection available on the survey, I did manage to find one to select (since it was required to complete the survey) before adding my own two suggestions to the growing collection.

The one I've been using for several years is: "Blow the box to bits!" This allows comfortable familiarity with the "think outside the box" meme, but 'explosively' describes that simply being outside the box isn't enough.

My second (and less violent) suggestion was "Beyond The Box". A little less dramatic, but a little more poetic. In my opinion, it has the ring of choosing "the road less traveled" -- a subtle suggestion to avoid 'boxes' altogether.

Joyce is announcing results next week, so you have a little (very little!) time left to add your own suggestions to help choose a new creative-thinking cliche... which, when you think about it -- is the antithesis of being creative!

Joyce Wycoff is co-founder of the InnovationNetwork and author of the "Good Morning Thinkers!" blog.