The Thinking Box: Are you in or out?
Have you noticed the conflicting messages we receive on what we are supposed to do to live a fulfilled life?
One message is to think “outside the box” and step “outside of our comfort zone.” Seems reasonable enough. Growth wouldn’t seem to be possible without moving in some way.
The other message, though, is to listen “to our inner voice” and to play “to our strengths.” Once again, seems reasonable because our unique soul print is there for a purpose.
How can we know when we should be “inside” and when we should be going “outside”?
The better question could be about where we should begin.
Let’s face it. We all struggle from time to time to recognize who we are and the gifts we have inside of us just waiting for us to claim them. It’s like having a secret lottery ticket guaranteed for the big win, but we leave it in our pocket because we don’t realize its worth.
There is tremendous pressure to look outward and go immediately to thinking “outside the box” in pursuit of a “better you.” However, we will only be propelled into our true purpose when the launching pad is within. Everything outside of us leaves us open to comparison traps and secondhand living.
When working as a volunteer coach at a local career center, I developed a successful exercise based on an inventory of knowledge and skills. The exercise challenged those I worked with to take their age and identify at least that many items of knowledge or skill they had developed throughout their life. The difference was that it included ALL knowledge and skill, not just what might show up on their resume under the EXPERIENCE section.
We found that the first half of the list was typically straightforward to compile. The following 25% might take some thought, but we could generally come up with it. However, that last group, the final 25%, nearly always stumped them.
And that’s why it was so important to finish the list. In almost every case, even if unpolished, the real gems came from that group.
Since this pattern proved out time and time again, it intrigued me. So, I began to look deeper at why this might be true. It seems that what we have most enjoyed in life about ourselves we tend to think of as less important because it may not be associated with our professional life and endeavors.
We operate from the misconception that what we most enjoy must remain a sideline or hobby, something we do just for fun. In truth, it could often become more central in our lives, even be the secret ingredient for creating our most purpose-driven work.
When we start from where we are with the idea that we already have abundance within ourselves, exploring “inside the box” takes on new meaning.
What about you? If you are dissatisfied with your life, perhaps it’s because you’re focusing on what you think you don’t have – what is “outside your box.” Try a new approach. Take inventory “inside your box.” Re-focus on what you have and what it can mean to you for building a richer, more satisfying life.
Of this, I am sure: You are going to love what is already there “inside your box.” The future will look quite different because of the possibilities you discover that are now in view.
Ready to go in? Great! It’s a beautiful place to begin. Then you can take all those gifts out to the world!
