THINK INSIDE THE BOX
IT ONLY SEEMS LIKE IDEAS COME OUT OF NOWHERE
ASKING SOMEONE TO "THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX" is like
asking them to think outside their mind. There is no way to
bring something into existence without drawing from
something, anything, everything in your mind -- consciously or
subconsciously. We can create only from things we know ...
experience ...  remember. Pulling ideas out of thin air is magic,
not creative process.

A basic truth of the creative process is that ideas are new
combinations of existing elements. So, success comes from
continually putting a high volume of high quality “stuff” inside
our box, and practicing identifying, breaking and creating
patterns between those things. That's what allows us to create
new combinations.

In a nutshell: Nothing in = nothing out. Thus, "THINK INSIDE
THE BOX." It's a metaphor for the creative process, the theme
of my presentations and the focus of my
blog. This site is the
place to learn more about all three.

A good starting point is an
introduction to the three principles
and five phases of THINK INSIDE THE BOX.

Through my employer,
Fleishman-Hillard, I'm available for
presentations, trainings and keynotes on THINK INSIDE THE
BOX, and can be booked to facilitate customized half- and full-
day ideation sessions with clients and organizations.
Contact
me to learn more.
All content © Copyright
2007 by John Armato
unless otherwise
indicated. Content may be
freely excerpted with
attribution for nonprofit
use. All other uses by
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THE BOX
INSIDE
THINK