Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better
May 2026 · Pan Macmillan
Ebook
304
Pages
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Eligible
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infoThis book will become available on May 7, 2026. You will not be charged until it is released.
About this ebook
How to do more with less and use limits to stimulate creativity, innovation and collaboration, from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Range.
We live in a world that gives us seemingly infinite choices and values freedom above all else. We have an unprecedented number of options regarding what to do, who to be and how to spend our time. All that choice is wonderful; it is also overwhelming. The irony is that total freedom can be paralyzing, and unlimited resources don’t necessarily lead to the biggest breakthroughs. In fact, overvaluing complete freedom can be disastrous for everything from starting a company to harnessing creativity to finding personal satisfaction.
David Epstein argues that all of us – individuals, businesses, institutions, even societies – can benefit from narrowing our options. He dives into the science and practice of constraints, exploring exactly when and how guardrails can be beneficial, whether we’re working with limited resources or using self-imposed boundaries to tap unexpected wells of focus and innovation.
Original, galvanizing and deeply researched, Inside the Box tells absorbing stories of people and organizations that embraced constraints to transform themselves, and the world – as well as a few that struggled from a lack of limits. Epstein celebrates the surprising potential of hard deadlines, boring goals, and unexpected obstacles. He reveals how boundaries create breakthroughs, and how setting the right constraints can help you become the most creative, productive and satisfied version of yourself.
‘It’s a joy to spend hours in the company of a writer as gifted as David Epstein’
Susan Cain, bestselling author of Quiet, on Range
We live in a world that gives us seemingly infinite choices and values freedom above all else. We have an unprecedented number of options regarding what to do, who to be and how to spend our time. All that choice is wonderful; it is also overwhelming. The irony is that total freedom can be paralyzing, and unlimited resources don’t necessarily lead to the biggest breakthroughs. In fact, overvaluing complete freedom can be disastrous for everything from starting a company to harnessing creativity to finding personal satisfaction.
David Epstein argues that all of us – individuals, businesses, institutions, even societies – can benefit from narrowing our options. He dives into the science and practice of constraints, exploring exactly when and how guardrails can be beneficial, whether we’re working with limited resources or using self-imposed boundaries to tap unexpected wells of focus and innovation.
Original, galvanizing and deeply researched, Inside the Box tells absorbing stories of people and organizations that embraced constraints to transform themselves, and the world – as well as a few that struggled from a lack of limits. Epstein celebrates the surprising potential of hard deadlines, boring goals, and unexpected obstacles. He reveals how boundaries create breakthroughs, and how setting the right constraints can help you become the most creative, productive and satisfied version of yourself.
‘It’s a joy to spend hours in the company of a writer as gifted as David Epstein’
Susan Cain, bestselling author of Quiet, on Range
About the author
David Epstein is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Sports Gene and Range. He has previously worked as a science and investigative reporter for ProPublica, and as a senior writer for Sports Illustrated. David has master’s degrees in environmental science and journalism, and is an avid runner. Inside the Box is his third book.
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