Making a Breakthrough

I’ve been working on a new project.

Lots of threads to weave and clarity to find.

After days of doodling, unpicking and re-combination, it finally fell in to place.

From conflict and frustration came calm.

From clunkiness and confusion came flow.

I’d made a break-through into understanding and eloquence.

A proper foundation of substance to build from and… start bringing in the style!

Reflecting back on the process and progress, I realised my breakthrough came thanks to a combination of…

• breaking it up,
• breaking it down,
• breaking convention, and
• breaking away

Positively and proactively putting the brakes (sorry for the pun) on the build.

Everyone has their own preferences and ways of working. And this is not a prescriptive post.

My point is, doing something different can bring a whole fresh perspective.

In this case, the ‘breaks’ helped me move forward.

Breaking it up. Why are you doing it? Aims, motivation and purpose. Once you’ve got your initial answers, break it up some more!

Breaking it down. What are the component parts? What’s important and fits with your aims? Take your first longer list and break it down some more. What’s important; what can be discarded?

Breaking convention. You can become attached to your first ‘build’. It can blind you and bind you. Temporarily channel your critic persona and find the faults. Use these positively to motivate, create and improve your next ‘build’ phase.

Breaking away. And regardless of your usual approach, factor in time to ‘break away’. Sever the ties with your ‘build’. Cast it aside (emotionally, mentally, physically) and do something else instead.

So, if you’re in the midst of a challenge or conundrum; feeling frustrated and trapped in a time warp, why not do a bit of ‘breaking’. It might be what you need.

Header image courtesy of Stoica Ionela on unsplash