I remember as a child spending many enjoyable hours with my siblings playing with LEGO. Whenever it was a rainy day, we’d whip out our box of LEGO and transport ourselves to another world. That was the gift LEGO gave us – the ability to step away from whatever reality we were in to create a new one.

The name LEGO is an abbreviation of two Danish words – “leg godt”, meaning to “play well”. LEGO is beautiful in its simplicity – colourful plastic building blocks that interlock. But in its simplicity lies a rich world of possibilities, perspective and potential.

Inside a bucket of LEGO are endless, wonderful creations yet to be realised. These little blocks represent the ultimate opportunity to create anything you want. You are only limited by your imagination.

My own children also grew up with LEGO. With each child and each moment, something new and amazing was created. And although LEGO can come in sets with predetermined designs, all the blocks usually end up in the one bucket where you can create your own unique masterpiece.

But as we get older, we forget to think with a LEGO mindset. We forget to play. We forget that we can use everything around us and inside us as building blocks to create and innovate. We get bogged down in detail and our thinking becomes rigid. Losing our childlike way of thinking, exploring and imagining means we can fail to realise our true personal and professional potential.

I recently watched a movie called Tag. It is the true story of a group of childhood friends who meet every year as adults to play a game of tag. There is a great line in the film: “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” It’s the same with LEGO. Thinking with a LEGO mindset allows you to stay young, fresh and full of potential.

There are 10 characteristics of LEGO, which are useful to keep in mind when thinking about the way you approach challenges and tasks in business and life:

1. Unlimited play potential.
2. Not gender biased – it’s for girls and boys.
3. It’s fun for all ages.
4. Provides year-round play.
5. Promotes healthy, quiet play.
6. Encourages long hours of play.
7. Nurtures development, imagination and creativity.
8. The more LEGO you have, the greater the value.
9. Extra sets are available.
10. Quality is in every detail.

So, next time you are faced with a challenge, how can you bring your bucket of LEGO to the situation? What building blocks can you play with to create and problem solve? By rediscovering your LEGO way of thinking, you will gain a different perspective, one that allows you to be creative, innovative and realise your true potential.