Escape the Rut: Tips for Thinking Outside the Box

As we get older, it’s easy to become set in our ways. When you’ve done something one way for so long, it becomes second nature. After doing something a certain way countless times, we can often develop an idea that our way is the “right” way.

An open mind often leads to more creative results and solutions. If we only entertain one way of thinking, how many solutions are we leaving on the table? Creativity requires loose, flexible, and unhindered thinking.

There is nothing wrong with establishing a certain way of doing things. The trouble comes when we perceive our way as the only way to do things. Curiosity is at the core of creativity. Curiosity requires humility. If we think our way is the only way of doing something, we shut down the idea of learning from other people. If we refuse to learn from other people and experiences, we run the risk of becoming stagnant in our growth.