In my neighborhood, the kids lived for the day when someone bought a washer, dryer, or refrigerator so we could play with and decorate the box that the appliance came in. Limited only by the boundaries of our imagination, that box represented anything we wanted it to be: a race car, an army fort, a spaceship. We would decorate the box. Our imagination would transport us from where we were to someplace better. Someplace new.

Then, we grew up. We begin pruning that kid out of our life, stunting our creativity, and leaving ourselves inside the box that we live and do business in.

The older we got, the more confined, conformed, and defined we became by the box we were living in.

The box is nothing more than the rules of the game. It’s the policies, procedures, systems, and people that make up our world. Every arena of endeavor has its rules: a box where the players reside and the game is played. For some, it’s a field or a court. For others, an office or a cube. For some, it’s their home or the open road.

Regardless of the box, heroes show up every day, limited only by their imagination. They decorate their box. They paint with broad strokes of talent and ability to create a masterpiece on the canvas of their life. They play the same game as everyone else, but when they show up to do what they do, it looks special. It looks different than the game everyone else is playing, even though they are subject to the same rules as everyone else.

Heroes don’t conform to the box, instead they transform the box.

They bend, shape, twist, and color the box in a way that makes it into something new. The box becomes a canvas upon which to paint their next masterpiece.

Heroes live by the rules but maintain their imagination and creativity to transform their ordinary, mundane box into a brilliant, fun, productive use of the box that they have been given.

What box are you living in that is restricting your creativity and growth?

Maybe it is time for you to take the box that you are living in and transform it!

This post includes excerpts from Kevin’s newest book The Hero Effect®: Being Your Best When it Matters the Most!

The Hero Effect® is a personal revelation that also holds profound implications for business. It’s an insightful narrative that challenges conventional thinking and reveals a brand-new paradigm in the world of everyday heroes. After reading, your team will be motivated to reach beyond what is required and do something remarkable! This book is designed to help individuals and organizations achieve greater results by eliminating “ordinary" thinking and mastering the habit of excellence.

Purchase Your Copy Here.

Photo credits (in order of appearance): Antoine Petitteville on Unsplash, Pixabay on Pexels, Chuttersnap on Unsplash, and Antoine Petitteville on Unsplash