Life Outside The Box: Are You An Outside-The-Box Person
September 17, 2019 - Heather Hennenburg
As a counsellor and life coach, one of my specialties is helping outside-the-box thinkers who look at life and process the world a little differently than others do. Often, they have a strong sense of purpose and drive to make a positive contribution to the world but are raised to believe their big ideas, passions and goals are unrealistic or too risky. They are usually told over and over to “get a real job”.
But these folks are almost never happy with proscribed paths or sticking with just one direction. In fact, they are often incredibly drained by them, and end up appearing to be unmotivated or underachievers. Then the world loses out on the wonderful perspectives and innovations they could be bringing to bear if we just encouraged them to be themselves.
Sometimes, their ingenuity has been so stifled that they have difficulty identifying what specifically they want to do, even though they still have a strong sense of purpose and drive to make a difference. I work with my clients to encourage a new mindset that welcomes and sees the value in their energy and innovative thinking. I help them explore and generate ideas and support them to make different choices and follow new leads. Outside-the-box thinkers often don’t work well with the linear ways of being productive we are typically taught, so I teach people how to identify and leverage the non-linear organizational flow that works naturally for them.
Most importantly, I help my clients take action toward their goals, developing confidence, accountability and sustained commitment along the way. I strive to inspire habits of curiosity, courageous choice and committed action that will serve my clients throughout their lives.
Recommended Reading & Resources:
The Gifted Adult: A Revolutionary Guide for Liberating Everyday Genius by Mary-Elaine Jacobsen
Characteristics Of Gifted Adults: http://giftedservices.com.au/adults.html