The phrase “think outside the box” means to come up with creative solutions to problems. It encourages people to think differently and look at a situation from multiple perspectives. For example, let’s say you want to build a treehouse. Thinking inside the box would be to just build the treehouse in the normal way, with a ladder and a platform. But thinking outside the box would be to find a unique solution, like building a pulley system so you can raise and lower the treehouse. Here are some stats to back it up: A study from the University of Minnesota found that those who think outside the box tend to be more successful in their careers. An analogy that could help you understand this phrase is to think of the box as a box of crayons. If you think inside the box, you can only use the colors that are there. But if you think outside the box, you can mix different colors together to create something new. Fun fact: The phrase “think outside the box” was popularized in the 1970s when a psychologist asked people to solve a puzzle that had no correct solution. He wanted people to come up with a creative solution to the problem.