Thinking In New Boxes

Bite-Sized Book Notes From → Thinking in New Boxes: A New Paradigm for Business Creativity by Luc de Brabandere, Alan Iny

1. “Boxes” – or mental models – are the core of our cognitive ability; you can’t escape them. Whenever you leave a box, it’s just to find yourself in another one. Mental models – or “boxes” – enable us to process and make sense of our complex reality.

2. Like it or not, inboxes will always be part of your thinking.

3. Periodically stepping out of them is critical if one is not to live his whole life in boxes.

4. The moment we stop developing new boxes, we start becoming victims of tunnel vision—a condition that arises when we lose sight that what each individual sees as the world is just an interpretation based on a few subjective facts

5. Do not forget that all innovative ideas eventually become outdated ones day after another. No matter how properly and thoroughly you may construct your own various “boxes,” you will still have to go back to square one every time anew. The planet keeps moving, so we need to constantly adjust our mindsets about it in order to catch up with or even keep ahead of the altering trends

6. The idea that great innovations are a product of geniuses who find inspiration from within is romantic but false. To think that through our efforts we can make any revolutionary ideas if we let our thoughts run wild is implausible.

7. But it’s very hard for us to have insight beyond our narrow vision. However, in order to be able to think creatively, we must change this fact. Thus, one avenue for creative thinking is by constantly confronting what we know about the world; the set of beliefs within which we believe – this is possible and methods so as not to let ourselves down by our subconscious mind.
   
   

   I hope you found these bite-sized curated notes valuable.