Think Inside the Box? NO! Think Inside the Triangle!

Look ... I KNOW you’re used to people telling you to "think outside the box" but science has proven that doing so doesn’t work and gives us some incredibly bad ideas! So why do we constantly hear that phrase or even advise our friends to think outside the box? Stop it! It's really dumb advice!

Instead of thinking outside the box, I'm suggesting you do something strange ... something off the beaten path. And definitely something un-cliche.

Think Inside the Triangle

The WHAT? Yes, the triangle! It's a much better parameter to give your brain the certainty it craves while also opening it up for creativity. And to add more to this strange cocktail of problem solving, be B.A.D.

No, not THAT kind of bad! This kind: Bizarre, A Little Different, and Daring. See what I did there? In acronym form, those three categories spell B.A.D. in the B.A.D Triangle, and is the easiest way to remember how to use this tool when you must make a decision. Check out my company's amazing graphic below, and you'll get the idea before I move on to a deeper explanation:

This, by the way, is Step 3 in our Instant Problem Solving checklist, and you can get the full checklist in our latest course on Udemy for Problem Solving.

As I already mentioned, let's start telling everyone to Think Inside the Triangle, since our brain is built to work most effectively inside boundaries. (Because, science!)

And when you Think Inside the (B.A.D.) Triangle, it gives you 3 very useful B.A.D. solutions, or in other words, three very different solutions: some creative, some innovative, some disruptive, and some conservative and traditional. You suddenly have more choices! 

So now, let's take a further look at B.A.D., shall we?

When Thinking Inside the Triangle, come up with 3 solutions, one after the other: a solution that's Bizarre or strange, then a solution that’s just A Little Different from the norm, and finally, a very Daring solution that scares you just thinking about it!  

How exactly do you think of a Bizarre solution? When you want something bizarre, think of a solution that’s weird, or strange, or wacky, or unusual, or odd, or unconventional. Start by telling yourself, “I push my boundaries to the extreme now to get a bizarre solution.” Most people who falsely believe they’re not creative get stuck because they don’t have a clear step to get creative. Giving ourselves permission to allow a bizarre solution is the way to get unstuck and unleash our creative juices. It’s really that easy!

And how do you know if the solution is bizarre enough? A simple answer, and that’s when we can say, “That’s a really weird, strange, odd and bizarre solution.” If we can’t say that, then it’s not bizarre enough, so come up with a few more bizarre ideas. Got it?

Moving on, let’s talk about the A in B.A.D., which is a solution that’s just A Little Different. This is the easy one! When we solve problems, we often quickly think of something that’s a little different. It’s what comes normally in a sequence that our brain easily thinks of. It’s like Plan B, or Step 2, or even Plan A+ or step 1.2. Make sense? It’s just a little different from what we would normally do and it’s a logical next step. This is what I mean by the A in B.A.D.: a solution that’s just a little different.

Great! Now let’s turn our attention to the D in B.A.D., which is a Daring solution. When we want daring, think of a solution that’s scary, or audacious, or brave, or cheeky, or even reckless. 

And how do we know our solution is daring enough? As always, a simple answer, and that’s when you can say to yourself, “Wow, my solution is cheeky, brave, reckless and daring!” If you can’t say that, then it’s not daring enough, so think of more. Got it?

Below is our Instant Problem Solving Checklist, which has just 5 easy steps in order to instantly solve problems. If you want the extended version of this checklist for FREE, DO message me. Be bold! Be brave! Be social! I'm really nice, promise! And I'll send you the checklist to get you started the easy way with solving problems and making FEARLESS decisions!

Got some problem solving tips to share? Leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you!