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16 Ways to Think Outside the Box - The secret sauce to Success

If you learn how to do this, you can do anything.

There is one difference between those who are successful, and those who are not. The successful people have that secret sauce. You're about to discover this secret sauce. Master what I'm about to show you, and you will be far ahead of everyone else.

Learn to Think Outside the Box, or You'll be out of business very soon

I must be candid and outspoken about this because it's so important to your future. You'll thank me for it later.

For years, the one thing that has frustrated me is, having a question about a business matter, Googling it, and seeing the same answers over and over again.

For example, the most Googled question about building an online business is, "How do I Get More Website Traffic?" You'll see the same results, over and over again: Comment on blogs; Post to social media; Do guest posts.

I can't go on with this because it's too painful. Do you see the point? Where's the originality? Most bloggers write about what they've read, and not what they've done. I don't know if I can believe them anymore. Many of them know nothing about getting website traffic, and they write the same things that they read in other blog posts. Unfortunately, the few who are experts in the area are not going to give away their secret sauce, and, they're not going to help you. I'm going to prove this to you, right now.

A few days ago, I decided to do an experiment. I Googled the phrase, "How to Think Outside the Box with Website Traffic." One of the first results was an article entitled, "Think Outside The Box: 5 Additional Ways To Generate Traffic Without Google." Again, this article covers what other articles have covered again and again - Social Media, Email, YouTube, Blog Commenting and Television and Print. This article left me hanging, because it has nothing to do with how to Think Outside the Box, and is not very convincing.

What does it mean to Think Outside the Box?

Simply stated, it means to think differently, unconventionally, with a new perspective, and come up with new and unique ideas.

If you have an online business, and have your heart set on making a million dollars selling Amazon products, or growing a mailing list, forget it. It's not going to happen. Too many people are doing these things. That's the problem with the information you find on a Google search. You're taking advice from too many followers. And the leaders aren't going to tell you anything, and give away their secrets.

It's  now time for you to stop being a follower.

So what's the solution? There's only one. You have to become one of these leaders. Therefore, you MUST learn to Think Outside the Box. This is crucial to the future of your business.

You have to come up with an idea, or ideas that have never before been done, like the gentleman shown in the above picture.

For example, you must do something similar to what Mark Zuckerberg did when he created Facebook. If the first thing that comes to your mind is, "I'm no Mark Zuckerberg", you're selling yourself short. He did it. If you try to think of one reason why you couldn't do it as well, you will not come up with one. Now that we've eliminated the excuses, let's proceed.

I like to use Facebook as an example. When it comes to unique and creative ideas, there are three people who automatically come to my mind - Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, Jeff Bezos and Amazon, and, Ted Turner and CNN.

Perhaps you're not going to create another Facebook, Amazon or CNN. But keep in mind that these are only three of the many unique and creative ideas that no one had ever thought of before. There are thousands of ideas still hidden, that have never been thought of, even as you are reading this right now.

You're about to learn how to focus your thinking in a way that will help you come up with these many unique and unexplored ideas. They're out there, and I'm going to show you what you have to do to find them. You may not come up with an idea like Facebook, Amazon or CNN. You may think of something that is just as good, or even better. They're out there, and you're going to find them. Keep an open mind, and most important, HAVE CONFIDENCE in YOURSELF.

The three gentlemen above had unique ideas, followed through with them, and became leaders. Why would you ever think that you couldn't do the same? You can do it, and YOU WILL DO IT!

Can the skill, Think Outside the Box, be learned?

You bet it can! 

There are more unexplored ideas out there than you can possibly imagine. I'm talking about ideas that no one has ever thought about before. It's time for you to learn how to find them, and explore them.

Here's the cornerstone of learning to Think Outside the Box. You must focus your thinking in three different directions.

• First, come up with unique and creative ideas and solutions.
• Second, make sure that you're able to do this from now on.
• Finally, you must interact with other people.

These are the three important things you must know how to do when learning how to Think Outside the Box. It's time to put your mind in full gear. Here are 16 ways to master these three things, and Think Outside the Box. Learn them, practice them, and you will be thinking outside the box in less than a week.

16 Ways to Think Outside the Box

1. Change your surroundings and get away from the normal routine

If you're trying desperately to build an online business, and not succeeding, I know exactly what you're doing. Every night, you want to sit down at your computer and hope an idea will come to you. But you keep putting it off. You really don't want to do it, because you subconsciously think that you'll be in for the same frustration that you've endured night after night. When you finally sit down at the computer, you're so beat and frustrated that you can't think straight.

Now is the time to get out of this routine.

Try making a change. Early in the day, do something different. Don't eat the same breakfast you usually eat. Take a drive. Go somewhere you wouldn't normally go, by yourself. If it's during the Summer, drive to the nearest big city and catch a baseball game. If you like the outdoors, go for a hike in the woods. Are you a golfer? If so, go play a round of golf. The golf course is a place where many successful careers have started.

Don't take your computer with you. Now that you're in a different environment, with no computer, you have no reason to get frustrated. Just hang out, relax, enjoy yourself and think. Not being in the same old routine, your mind will start working and focusing in different directions. You're relaxed, and better able to take it in what the mind is throwing at you.

A few weeks ago, I drove from Birmingham, Alabama to Columbus, Georgia just to visit a friend from Facebook I hadn't seen in years. I did this because I wanted a change, and felt like doing something different. As I was driving down Highway 280, new ideas began coming to me like clockwork. I wanted to write them down, but of course,, it's dangerous to write while you're driving. But guess what! The iPhone has a recording App. All I had to do was say, "Hey Siri, open the voice recorder!" That's exactly what she did for me, and all of my ideas were documented, hands-free.

Get away from your normal routine. It doesn't' matter what you do, as long as it is something different from what you normally do. Your mind will be open to new, different and exciting ideas. This will get you away from the daily rut, which you have begun to dread, and put you in a more refreshing environment. Exciting ideas will begin coming into your head automatically. Have your smart phone with the recording app, or, a pen and pad so you can record the ideas that come to you. Otherwise, the great ideas that come to you will be lost forever. Document them all, even if you have to stop what you're doing to do so. If you don't document them, you will never remember them.

2. Think

Another description of this is, brainstorming. There are thousands of ideas that have been proven successful. Even better is the fact that there are thousands more that have never been explored. Many ideas, proven or unexplored, are wild and crazy. Some were originally so ridiculous that the creators were told by other people that they should be in a straight jacket. Just to give you an insider's look at how ridiculous some ideas were, about 25 to 50 years ago, consider these:

• A telephone that talks to you, lets you listen to music, or lets you watch movies.
• Buying anything you want and need from the comforts of your home, and having it delivered to you.
• Turning on the TV at 3 AM and getting the news updated, as it happens.
• Contacting old friends from high school that you never thought you'd see again, on a computer screen.
• A device that will let you watch a TV show that was already shown, over and over again, with perfect High Definition Quality.

These are as common as the day. 50 years ago, if you had mentioned any of these ideas to anyone, they would have called the mental hospital and asked that you be taken away and committed. Today, these are successful ideas that are so much a part of our daily lives, that we can't do without them.

Thinking will get you out of your usual routine, and open your mind to new and different thought patterns.

When you think, deliberate, or brainstorm, don't concern yourself with what is or isn't practical. Remember, there is no such thing as a bad or stupid idea. In my best seller, Don't go for Broke, I make it very clear that many millionaires started with crazy ideas that many people thought would never make it. Did this stop them? Well, they're millionaires!

Avoid saying things like, "This won't work", "I've never done this before", "I can't solve this problem", or, "I don't have enough time." If someone you know says any of these things, get as far away from them as you can, as fast as you can.

Start talking to yourself in a different way. And yes, when you come up with creative ideas, it's perfectly normal to talk to yourself. Start telling yourself, "This WILL work", "I CAN and WILL do this", "There is no problem on this planet that I can't solve", "This is going to be the best thing people have ever seen."

Say these things to yourself every day. Write them down and tape them to the mirror in your bathroom, where you will see them every time you shave, brush your teeth or comb your hair. Don't just say them.. BELIEVE THEM, because they are true.

3. Shower, cut the grass, take long walks

You may think this sounds far fetched, but it really works. Most of the best ideas I've ever had have come to me while doing other things, like taking a shower, cutting the grass, hiking, and even while cooking and baking in the kitchen. Doing something different will cause the brain to re-focus and think in a different direction. Ideas will come to you during a time when you least expect it.

I'm not suggesting you jump into the shower or cut the grass every time you draw a blank, but you can always take a walk on the spur of the moment. Take your pen and pad with you. When you take a shower, or cut the grass, those ideas will start rolling in. The most important thing is that you document every one of them. Have a voice recorder going in the bathroom while you're taking a shower. Stop the lawn mower and write your idea down. It will take you longer to cut the grass, but the time it takes you will definitely pay dividends in the future.

NEVER GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT YOUR PEN AND PAD, or, YOUR VOICE RECORDER.

4. Re-define the problem

Sometimes you will realize that the solution you're looking for is not necessarily what you want to accomplish. It may be something you have never considered. Here is what you do.

Re-format the problem, turn it upside down, or in a different direction, and the brain will begin to focus in a different direction. When you re-define your situation from another perspective, you will see things much differently. Then, you will think of better and more effective ways to achieve the results you want.

Another way to handle this is to forget about what you have to do. Instead, concentrate on the END RESULT - what you want to accomplish. Don't work from the beginning. Work backwards. Approach the project with the end result in mind. This will answer many questions, and give you a different insight on how to reach your goal.

5. Hang out

Sometimes you have to just get away from everything. Turn the computer off. Put your smart phone away. Just relax in your easy chair, or take a walk, and do nothing. Now, the brain is relaxed. There are no distractions. When you're sitting down at the computer doing something, the brain is busy and the mind is preoccupied. That's no time for the brain to come up with new ideas. But when you're hanging out, in the morning, or before bed, doing nothing, the brain will sense the change and begin to work in your advantage. Again, have your pen and paper with you. Don't go anywhere without your pen and paper, or your voice recorder. I don't like to be repetitious, but something this important must be repeated over and over again until it becomes a habit.

YOUR PEN AND PAD, or YOUR VOICE RECORDER IS YOUR LIFEBLOOD FOR THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX.

6. Set a limit

It's better to do one thing good, than 6 things bad.

If you try to do too much, you will put more pressure on yourself than you will be able to handle. You will not be able to think straight. Narrow your scope. Set a limit for yourself. Don't place high expectations on yourself. Set goals that will challenge you, but ones you will be able to achieve with a little effort.

Be careful when setting goals. If you set your goals too high, and will never be able to attain them, you will be frustrated. On the other hand, if you set goals too low, and reach them easily, you will not be able to identify any weaknesses that may exist. Set goals that are attainable, but challenging. As you progress, you will make adjustments to your goals. Always expect surprises, and know how to deal with them. Once you learn how to handle changes, they will not freak you out, and you will continue to be efficient in any situation. Your business will be like a well oiled machine.

7. Consider the worst case scenario

The reason more people are not successful is the fear of failure.

What if you fail? So what? Everyone has failed at some point or another. If a batter hits 400 in the Major Leagues, he will be a starter in the All Star Game. His picture will be on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He will be the new National Superstar. But did you know that this means he got a hit 400 times out of every 1,000 times he went to bat? In other words, he failed at least 600 times.

Failure can be a bad thing, or a good thing. What determines whether failure is bad or good depends on how you handle it, which I'm about to show you.

There are two types of failure. The first type will do you in. I want to mention it one time so you will be aware of it, avoid it, and finally, forget it. This type of failure is, admitting you are a failure. If you come to the conclusion that you are a failure, you're not even going to try. In this case, you are a failure. THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU. GET THIS OUT OF YOUR MIND, forget it and let's move on.

The second type of failure is, just failing occasionally. You're going to come up with some brilliant and creative ideas, and you are going to be successful. But on the way, you will fail, and probably more than once. Everyone who is successful has failed many times. I've failed over and over again. When I fail, I am devastated - FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS. Instead of beating myself to death because I failed, I'm more concerned with finding out WHY I FAILED. When you fail, there is a reason. Look for the answer, It's always there, and you will find it. Then, learn from it, and move on. I promise you, if you spend this time searching for the mistake you made that caused you to fail, you will never make the same mistake again.

Failure means nothing. People who are not successful FEAR IT. People who are successful, WELCOME IT. They know that, Without Failure, there can be no success!

Fear of failure is the most crucial thing that prevents people from Thinking Out of the Box. People tend to get conservative by sticking with conventional methods that don't work. Try considering different methods, and think about the worst that could happen. But this works both ways. Also think about the best that could happen. If you fail, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that you get back up and try again. You might fail 99 times, but you will succeed the hundredth time. Then, the other 99 times mean nothing. To be successful, you only have to be right one time. This is encouraging, because the odds of success are definitely in your favor.

8. Eliminate negativity

Never believe you can't do something, when you know you can. That's a sure way of admitting you're a failure, and as I recall, I told you to forget about this. So block this out of your mind.

Many people will discourage you by telling you, "This won't work." Don't listen to them. What they say is not true. These people are miserable, and they want you to be miserable. Don't listen to anyone who says you can't do something. They don't want you to succeed because it's you who will be successful, and not them.

I want to repeat what I've said. Associate with positive people. Stay away from negative people.

Always tell yourself that it will work. Don't just say it. Believe it. Always think positive. Eliminate the negative.

9. Keep yourself sharp - exercise your brain

As the body needs exercise to stay in shape, so does the brain.

In your spare time, read more. This keeps the brain sharp. Play computer games that require a lot of thinking, like chess. Work crossword puzzles in your spare time. Pick a word while you're reading, and rearrange the letters in alphabetical order, in your mind. These things require thinking, and will stimulate the brain to think and work in your favor.

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Here's a great exercise for the brain. It's very easy to do, and it will fascinate you.

Have you ever journalized? This means, writing down on paper anything that comes to your mind. I do this every day. I started doing this about 25 years ago. And let me tell you, this is very, very powerful. The purpose is to write down whatever comes into your mind, and just keep writing. A lot of the stuff I've written over the years has been garbage. But this doesn't matter, because no one else will read it. In fact, I never read it myself. When you start journalizing, you will discover that it will serve its purpose while you are writing, and therefore, you will have no reason to read it.

No matter how good or bad, vulgar or non vulgar, crazy or sane, WRITE IT DOWN. These are your thoughts, and they are very real to you.  Remember this - When you journalize, you, and only you know what your're thinking and writing. You don't have to worry about grammar. You don't have to clarify or explain what you are writing to anyone. You know what you are saying because you are writing for yourself, and only yourself. You will be absolutely surprised how much this will open your mind to new and different avenues. You will have thoughts that you never, in your wildest imagination, would have believed possible.

Another powerful thing about journalizing is that it will help you come to terms with most issues that you are struggling with, and help you find the answers you've been looking for, to some problems you may have.

This is the best of these 16 ways to Think Outside the Box, and the most effective. As a final note, when you journalize, always use a pen and paper. Don't do this on your computer. There's something magical about the pen. When it starts moving, some very magnificent things begin to happen with the brain. Do this and find out for yourself. You will be amazed.

DO THIS EVERY DAY. IT ONLY TAKES A FEW MINUTES. GET A NOTEBOOK THAT YOU WILL USE ONLY FOR JOURNALIZING, and PROTECT IT AS YOU WOULD A DIARY.

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10. Change your routine habits

Start doing the normal things you do differently.

If you drive home through one particular route, take another route. Order Coke the next time you eat out if you're accustomed to ordering tea. If you jog at the YMCA every day, jog at the track at the local college in your home town. The next time you go somewhere that's on the third floor of a building, take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Have you ever cooked? If not, take the time to prepare a meal from start to finish. If you don't know how, look up some recipes on the internet. You can do it.

If you do what I'm showing you right now, you can do anything.

Cooking will certainly get you out of your normal routine, and will open your mind to other possibilities. I've heard rumors that this is how Colonel Sanders got started when he created Kentucky Fried Chicken. Whether this is true or not doesn't matter. What does matter is, there is the strong possibility that this could open the door to some brilliant and creative ideas. When you change your normal routine, you may be surprised where it will take you.

Be one who does things on the spur of the moment. If you normally plan things, do something that is not planned. Get out of your comfort zone. This will get you out of the rut, and cause you to start thinking very differently and certainly, more creatively.

11. Learn how others do it in another niche

Although someone is in a different niche from the one you're in, perhaps some of the things they do may work in your business. See how they do things. Consider whether or not these are methods that will work in your business.  This will not only focus your thoughts in a different direction, but will also give you inspiration.

Visit your library or browse the web and find a trade magazine in another niche besides your own., Learn how people in another type of business do things. Most likely, the problems they have are similar to your own. See how they deal with them. This could open the door for diversifying, and give you more creative ideas. Again, you may be surprised where it will take you.

12. Learn new things

When I mentioned above about turning on the TV at 3 AM and getting the news updated, as it happens, I was thinking about the time when Ted Turner started Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24/7 news TV station. I remember an interview with him years ago when he said, "I'm interested in everything." And you've seen where this enthusiasm has taken him.

As long as you learn, you will have ideas. As long as you breathe, you will keep learning. This is ongoing, and a life long process. The more you learn, the more you know. The more you know, the more ideas you will have. The more ideas you have, the more successful you will be. This is not fear of the unknown. It's more like aspiration of the unknown.

13. Surround yourself with creative people

Most successful people are that way because they know how to surround themselves with the people who are the best in their field.

Creative people associate with others who are in a different field. Again, this will get you out of your routine, and open the mind to more interesting, creative and inspiring thoughts. And who knows? You may come up with more creative ideas. Is this possible? I know so.

Here's how this could work for you, and actually worked for one man.

You can build a multi-million dollar business in a niche you know nothing about, when you surround yourself with the right people. If you don't believe this, read the story of Don Aronow, who is shown in th picture to the right. It's fascinating. He was the man who built a successful speed boat business in Miami, at a time when he knew nothing about boats. But he knew the people who did, and they were the best in the business. They were the very people who worked for him.

14. Listen to other people's ideas

No matter how smart a person is, no one knows everything. There is more I don't know than there is that I do know. Therefore, I'm always open to listening to ideas that others have. They may be something that I may want to use. Also, if you pay attention to other people's ideas, they will enhance your own.

Ask for someone's opinion who knows nothing about your business. Sometimes, getting the opinion from someone with a different perspective will open your mind. This will help you deal with difficult situations much differently, and more effectively.

15. Learn to be a good listener

Have you ever heard the expression, "You can't fight ignorance"? There's nothing more frustrating that someone constantly interrupting a person when he's talking.

People learn more when they listen than they do when they talk.

The most successful people know how to listen to others. Listening is a skill, and one that must be mastered. Always listen to what people have to say. There's no limit to what you can learn by listening. Again, their thoughts will get your thoughts focusing in the right direction.

16. Remember, you'll come up with some really crazy ideas

That's what Thinking Outside the Box is all about. This is what separates the men from the boys, prince's from the paupers, or put another way, the successful people from the non-successful people.

Not every idea will be a winner. But that's OK. This is why it's so important to consider the worst case scenario in number 7 above. Some will fail. Like I said, SO WHAT? Your idea may fail, but the only way you will fail is if you stop trying.

Don't be surprised if the idea you think is the worst idea you've ever had becomes a winner! This has happened many times, to many people.

Chances are, the one idea you think will be the most ridiculous will be the one that takes off and makes you a millionaire.

Concluding Thoughts

After being in this business for 8 years, and achieving more success than I thought possible, I'm convinced that the only way to be successful is to Think Outside the Box. When you do this, you're trying to create a successful business that you and only you created. What you are about to accomplish, if you master these 16 steps, will make you as unique as your handwriting.

It would be nice to make a fortune selling affiliate products, doing email marketing, or creating mailing lists. But the chances of doing this in these areas today are very slim. Too many people are doing them

Think outside the box and you will be in a class by yourself. It will make you unique, and almost guarantee your success when you come up with the right idea. AND YOU WILL!

      

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