How often have you heard someone described as an “out of
the box thinker” or heard someone praised for “thinking outside the box”. This
is usually considered a compliment.
However in a recent conversation with one of my clients
(who happens to be a world renowned plastic surgeon) I made the statement that
forms the title for this article.
THERE IS A REASON THERE IS A BOX.
I went on to say that I thought most people would do well
to really familiarize themselves with the inside of the box.
I like to think that the coaches I admire could be
described as someone who knows the subject matter “inside and out”
vs someone who thinks outside the box.
Coach John Wooden has a great quote :
“if you spend too much time learning the tricks of the
trade you may not learn the trade”.
Coach Wooden was a brilliant man and the way he coached
basketball was amazingly simple.
In fact, he began every year with a detailed explanation
of how to put on your socks to avoid blisters. This could be described as very
“inside the box” thinking .
In fact, some coaches might view something as mundane as
this as a waste of time. Wooden viewed players missing practice from blisters
caused by not putting socks on correctly (no wrinkles inside the shoes) as the
real waste of time and he was correct.
Wooden drilled fundamentals. Very inside the box.
To be honest, most of the best coaches I know talk about
simplicity more than complexity.
Athletes Performance founder Mark Verstegen often uses the phrase
“simple things done savagely well” in his talks while Dewey Neilsen of Impact
Sports Performance implores us to be Brilliant at the Basics.
There is a Buddhist
quote that says “in the beginners mind there are many choices, in the
experts mind there are few”.
I think there is a reason why I so often agree with so
many of the people I consider to be good coaches. Those who have attained the
expert level seem to think very much alike and react in very similar ways to
new information. The experts are open to
change and have great mental filters. As a result the best coaches seem to end
up at the same places even when coming from different paths.
People might view me as an “out of the box thinker” but
that may be based on thirty years in the box.
The truth is I can’t tell you how often I give the same
answer to a different question.
People ask questions. I tell them to KISS it (and I don’t
mean my rear end).
I tell them Keep It Simple Stupid. Stay in the box. Out
of the box thinking should be reserved for those who know the inside of the box
like the literal back of their hand.
Next time you hear someone described as an “out of the
box thinker” ask yourself if the person being referred to is also the “master
of the box”. The key for us as coaches is to b ecome “masters of the box” well
before we become “out of the box thinkers”.
To your success,
Mike Boyle
Functional Strength 4
Body By Boyle - Online Resource
SportSpecific.com
