Breakthroughs Come From Doing New Things

Breakthroughs come from doing new things. The same things we have always done, will give us the same results that we have always seen.

In many cases along the path of mastery, the path forwards is a gradual plodding forwards, accumulating skills, precision, technique, knowledge, and mastery as we go. There is no other way forwards, but to walk the path, refining our abilities with care, dedication, and patience.

For many skills, knowledge, and paths of development, there is no easy way out. Nothing to do different but continue practicing our craft, and getting better by degrees. However, there are many times where doing new things — even things that are completely unrelated on the surface — are exactly what we need to make a breakthrough to a new level.

Seeing Things Differently, In A New Light

While I have found that breakthroughs often come from hyperfocus on a problem, I have also found that breakthroughs come from doing new things. New knowledge or skills within your discipline — or even things that are completely unrelated on the surface.

When I am stuck, I find that doing something new, something foreign that doesn’t remind me of anything, can force the mind into different patterns, modes of thinking, and perspectives that can often illuminate answers in our primary work.

Learning chess helped me think competitively and strategically again, increasing my ability to think long-term lines of action, and multiple steps ahead. Solitaire helped with pattern recognition, and even organizing actions. Archery and hunting helped me with being quiet, waiting, listening, and patience in the time when you know exactly what you are waiting for, just finding your moment.

All of these little tangents over the years have led me to insights in my work. A breakthrough in one of my hobbies often led to a breakthrough in my work. On a scientific level, this is the neuroplasticity of the brain. You are forming new neuronal connections, literally creating new patterns in the brain, which in my experience change how you think, see, and feel by degrees.

That is the technical foundation. In practice, I have found that these breakthroughs can be leverage in breakthroughs in other areas. As Einstein said,

“You cannot solve a problem with the same thinking that created it.”

Sometimes, we need to think I’m dramatically new ways, in order to solve old problems. Sometimes time away to clear our heads and refocus is all we need. Whatever the case, doing new things is the literal pathway to thinking differently. To break free from set patterns.

Liberate Yourself From Set Patterns and Static Prisons

There are few things as demoralizing as failing at a challenge again, and again … and again. Made even worse when your approach remains unchanged.

Deep focus — truly elevated intent and awareness — works miracles. Yet at certain stages of the path, we are required to change dramatically, to elevate our consciousness to a new level.

Sometimes we cannot proceed forwards, make any further growth, with the same patterns that led us here. This says nothing about the value of what we have learned and done in the past, because all of that has its place, and has led us here. It just means that it cannot lead us beyond.

Adaptation is a rule for the evolution of living beings. It only makes sense that adaptation is key in the paths of mastery, learning, success, and conscious evolution too. Adaptation to the specific requirements of the problem or situation that you face. Adaptation to the new level of competition, stress, pressure, stakes that you find yourself at.

People historically experience a limit in their lives that they do not exceed, which is usually because they didn’t adapt — or figure out how to do so, or what to do — to elevate themselves to that next level.

But we know that breakthroughs come from doing new things. Whether that is taking the next step in acquiring knowledge, skills, and credentials you need to move forwards. Or else the next step is paradoxical. Choosing to focus on passion within ourselves, even if it appears tangential, in order to discover different parts of ourselves, growing and evolving laterally, when the pathway forwards is unclear.

There is no single path forwards, and rarely is their a road map. Accept that you don’t know for sure what the difference will be between success and failure, so choose instead to amplify passion, curiosity, learning, growth, and evolution itself. Maybe the pathway forwards will resolve itself. Maybe a new doorway will open.

It doesn’t matter. All that you need to do is adapt, which can often mean to grow laterally in response to what you face. Tackle your problems from many angles, and learn to see from multiple different perspectives, and you will increase your chances of seeing a path forwards.