THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX: IS IT ALLOWED?

#Thinkoutsidethebox #Breakingdownbarriers #breakingdownwalls #humanresources
Think outside the box.
Many have gone to job-related meetings and seminars in which they were encouraged to think outside the box.
Others have gone through job interviews in which the interviewer may have said something like: I’m looking for a candidate that’s going to break through that wall and show me he or she is transformational.
These rather bold concepts have been normalized in the human resources/ employment world.
But here’s the rub: After being motivated to think outside of boxes and break down walls, one may go back to his or her job and actually be DISCOURAGED from doing those things. Perhaps, he or she would even be PROHIBITED from doing those things.
You see, employers have boxes and walls for a reason – to keep employees in line and to pigeon-hole employees into categories. After all, there are products to be made, quotas to be met, operations to preserve and, of course, executives to be protected.
Very few employers want a whole staff of out-of-the-box thinkers and wall breakers.
In fairness, this does not describe EVERY employer. There are some companies that not only encourage, but also reward, such rebels. These are the companies usually voted among the best places to work among employees.
But, as we all know, not everyone can work for such a company. In fact, not every company can become such a company because, in certain industries, certain rules have to be followed. Certain ways of doing things have proved to be optimal over time, in some industries.
So, where does that leave the out-of-the-box thinker and wall breaker who happens to work in one of these confining industries?
There is good news here. There are several programs out there through which, by devoting a couple, non-work hours a week to start, can allow you to earn extra income without being confined, pigeon-holed or otherwise trapped. Full disclosure: some of these programs have routines and systems to follow that have proved successful for many others doing the same thing.
But, you have to think outside the box to check them out. To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
Certainly, the boxes at work of which you need to think outside are made of steel – welded shut. They are tough to escape. If being in such a box is treating you well, by all means stay in it.
If it is not, then you may have to look at other ways out.
At the same time, if you work for a company that values and rewards outside thinking and wall-breaking, take full advantage of that.
What you do may not necessarily be your entire self, but it may be part of you.
What you do may not satisfy all your needs and wants, but it may be a step toward getting what you need and want.
What you do may not be a part of your dreams, but it can give you a jumping-off point that will get you toward your dreams.
In summary, thinking outside the box and breaking down walls may not be part of your JOB – but it may be part of you. It may be time to find an outlet that will allow more of you to shine and get you closer to the kind of life you envision.
Peter

NO SECRET TO SUCCESS

#success #WantingVsWishing #PersonalGrowth #WorkEthic
Many books talk about the “secret” to success.
Despite the title of the Earl Nightingale’s book, “The Strangest Secret,” there is no secret to success.
It’s all about desire, dedication and doing whatever it takes to be successful.
It’s simple, but not easy.
It has to start with WANTING something. That’s not just WISHING for something. The difference is the willingness to do what you need to do to get it. If you are willing to do what you need to do, you WANT something. Otherwise, you are just wishing for something.
Yes, there are things you may not be able to do. For instance, without the God-given talent and training, you may never become part of the Metropolitan Opera, no matter how badly you want to or how hard you are willing to work.
But there are other forms of success that are achievable. After you decide you want something, and that want is powerful enough for you to do whatever it takes to get it, you have to be willing to look for the right way to get it.
That requires an open mind. You may not be able to get what you want, doing what you are doing now. You may have to look outside your current box.
It’s like planning a big trip. You have to first decide where you want to go, figure out the best way to get there, then decide what you are going to do once you arrive.
Now that you want something, and you’ve decided to look for the best way to get it, then you have to commit to the right vehicle once you find it.
There are many vehicles out there that will get you to success. You just have to know where to look for them. To check out one of the best, message me.
Along with the wanting, looking and doing comes the growing.
Success is tangible, but achieving it also involves working on YOU.
It’s been said by many experts that if you grow as a person, through reading the right things, hanging around and listening to the right people and doing things that will improve you personally, success will find you.
Certainly, the path to success does not ascend in a straight line. There will be setbacks, there will be failures and there will be bad circumstances along the way.
That’s why the path to success may seem simple, but very likely will not be easy.
Your personal growth and the desire to get what you want will enable you to deal with those setbacks, because you are dedicated to the big prize.
So how do you define success for you? It shouldn’t be money alone. It should be based on what you can do with money, presuming money is in the equation.
If you have the talent and training to excel in the arts, music etc., money may just be a byproduct of your success.
Whatever you call success, much of your shot at getting it is how you train your mind. Desire, tenacity and work ethic are all part of your mental well-being.
So work on you as you work your success plan. A better you can be the difference between achieving success and not.
Peter

RESULTS VS. PROCESS: THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

#ThinkingOutsideTheBox #task #process #PaperAirplane
Some kids in a class are asked to each make a paper airplane.
After each made his or her airplane, they would compete to see which one flew the farthest.
One kid waited forever, then, at contest time, never made his plane.
Instead, he took his piece of paper, crumpled it in a ball and threw it. It went farther than any of his classmates’ planes.
This story is the premise for the book, “Paper Airplane: A Lesson in Flying Outside the Box,” by Michael McMillan.
If you were the teacher in the class, would you applaud the crumpled-ball boy for thinking outside the box? After all, school is based on rules, process etc. In school, one learns to follow a process, perhaps to the letter, even if his or her results might be better going a different route.
“Maps (or processes) simply explain the territory you’ve yet to explore,” McMillan writes. “They are based on information and understanding gained by earlier travelers. (But), they can also be detrimental to creative thinking. If you follow them too closely, you can miss information not yet seen or understood by the map’s creator,” he writes.
The boy’s crumpled ball, in McMillan’s mind, was seen as a “breakthrough idea,” or “paradigm shifter.”
Certainly, when we send children to school, we expect them to follow the rules, obey the teachers and not misbehave.
We have also seen school settings in which children were allowed to “express themselves” in ways they see fit. We sometimes look upon those settings as unruly.
But what if children were taught to think of ways, on their own, to solve problems, while, at the same time, not hurting others or interfering with others? How can we discover “breakthrough” thinkers, or paradigm shifters at a young age? How will they show themselves in a forum governed strictly by rules and process?
Perhaps it depends on the teacher – how he or she was trained, what the school administration encourages, or discourages, etc.
We’ve all, at one time or another, have been told that following the rules was the best course of action. There was security in following the rules. You were less likely to get in trouble. You will get what you need in life by following the rules.
Yet, so many brilliant people have made their mark by NOT following the rules. In fact, all, or nearly all, of us may have to, at some turning point in life, be put in a position to think outside the box. Our following of the rules did not pay off. What we thought was safe has been suddenly taken away. We get kicked in the teeth for being good boys and girls, and following the rules.
If you are in that position, there are many different ways to get out of it. But, you HAVE to be willing to think outside the box. To check out one of the best ways out, message me.
With less and less security looming for most of us, it will likely become necessary to think of different ways, from what we know, to live, and to make a living. Instead of getting angry about what has happened, crumple up a piece of paper and throw it as far as you can. Then, go about thinking about which Plan B is going to help you the most.
Peter