think outside the box

think outside the box

to develop ideas that are different and unusual. We need to think outside the box if we are going to come up with something really new. These guys are incredibly creative — they really know how to think out of the box.

Usage notes: sometimes used with verbs other than think: You need to look outside the box and see what you can come up with.

Etymology: based on the idea that limiting your thoughts is like thinking inside a box which can contain only a certain number of ideas

See also: box, outside, think