Thinking Inside the Box: The 5 Things Exercise

Imagine you just found out you had to move, and quick. Really quick.

And you only had time to pack one box, and you could only pack five things.

Wait. Not so fast. Let’s think about this, because there’s something else you need to consider.

This is What You Have to Work With

The five things you’re going to pack are the only things you’re ever going to own that will enable you to make meaning. Meaning, in case you didn’t know, is the main thing creative people make. It’s why some of us write, why some of us dance, why some of us start our own businesses. Making meaning is how we express ourselves, make sense of the chaotic world we live in, and share ourselves with others. So I’m sure you can see, these five things are pretty important.

Think outside the box. You’ve heard that, haven’t you? It’s the mantra of modern day creativity. But in this case, I’m asking you to think inside the box. Yes, I’m asking you to put limits on yourself, and here’s why.

The Trouble with Too Many Choices

Unlike our ancestors, we live in a world of almost unlimited choice, and it’s pretty overwhelming. Studies have shown that unlimited options paralyze our decision making capability. We can’t move forward because we’re worried about choosing the wrong path, and the greater the number of paths, the bigger our concerns. Even if we manage to move forward, we have that nagging feeling that we’ve left something behind or that we’re missing out on something big.

This is why it’s actually helpful to impose some limits on yourself. Of course, you still have to pick your options like the five things you’re going to stuff in that box, so you’ll have some thinking to do. But once you’ve done the work of paring down, you’ll find it easier to move on.

For me, the five things I’d pack are a laptop, a pack of colored ink pens, a blank sketchbook, a digital camera, and my library card. Now that I think of it, I could probably get by without the library card if I were willing to read everything on site. Hmm.

Clear Limits. Clear Directions.

Anyway, it’s something to think about. It will help you gain clarity on what’s essential to you. It help you decide what you could do without.

In fact, that’s how you pare things down. You take the time to state your preferences, take note of what really matters to you, and determine what you’d really like to accomplish in this limited lifetime.

If something stands in opposition to any of those things, you can remove it from consideration. If it’s neutral or only marginally helpful, you can probably scratch it off the list too. If, however, it’s vitally important to you and how you make meaning, then in the box it goes. If you come up with more than five things, stick to five anyway. It will clarify your priorities and values that much more.

Constraints Without Complaints

Once you’ve answered this one, try some variations on the theme. Here are some possible limits to explore.

If you could only read five books, what would they be?
If you could only paint in three colors, . . .
If you could only use five computer software programs, . . .
If you could only cook with five ingredients, . . .
If you had to write a song with only five notes, . . .
If you could only tell five stories, . . .
If you could only travel to five locations, . . .

Come up with your own. Try limiting yourself even more, pruning it down to four or three.

It’s a paradox, but it’s true. There’s something freeing about limits when they’re used the right way. So do something different for a change. Try thinking inside the box and see what you find.

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Tagged as: creative exercises