Getting Out of the Box by Stirling

Getting Out of the Box by Stirling - October 2018 Scholarship Essay

The phrase “thinking outside the box” is a metaphor for thinking differently or unconventionally. In this phrase the “box” would be ideas and thoughts that are commonly used in society, so to “think outside the box” prompts the individual to come up with ideas or thoughts that are not used frequently. To me, this phrase means using the individuals creativity, being unique, and having a personality.
“Thinking outside the box”, allows us exercise our creative cognition and to think abstractly. Creativity is important when thinking outside the box because it enables you to use your imagination and come up with contemporary ideas. This type of thinking takes an artistic approach to the problem and allows the individual to think in ways that they may not have thought before.
It’s important to stand out from society and go against societal norms. This phrase helps us be unique individuals. “Thinking outside the box” does not always apply to problem solving but everyday life. We can apply this phrase to how we act, dress, or do everyday tasks. For example the clothes an individual wears may be different from fashion trends,such as styling a shirt a way no one has done before, and can be seen as “thinking outside the box”, or create a new dish using whatever leftovers are in the refrigerator. These can all be classified as unique since it is different and unlike anything else people are used to seeing.
Today, people want to follow the latest trends, which leads to everyone dressing or acting the same. It’s important for every individual to have a personality of their own. If everyone was the same there would be no variety or difference in the world. I correlate “thinking outside the box” with a person who has a character of their own. They don’t follow societal norms, the box, but instead show their personality through everyday tasks.
These three concepts are linked to “thinking outside the box” because creativity inhibits unique outcomes, which in turn adds personality and character to the individual. If everyone thought the same way there would be no advancement or invention in the world. Everything invented in the world started with an imaginative idea that was turned into reality.