Not only the Chinese invented the compass, they also happen to have five points on it. We do too by the way but we are just too busy to mention.

This however is bad form.

Quite a few times in your life, you have probably been told “to think outside the box.” And you might have been thinking this was “all good and all”, but left the room even more puzzled, blaming yourself for being a subpar professional.

Well, unlike us Westerners, the Chinese consider the “middle” (zhong, point of origin) as the most important compass point and virtuous place to stand at. Might seem trivial and dubious at first, but try and relate this to that “box” saying.

Now try this. The next time someone urges you to think outside the box, pass them this simple request: “so, in your opinion, what would that box be?”

Things flow so much easier when you know what box it is you need to think outside of – as much as creativity flows from well identified constraints.