Follow up Friday: How Can You Set Yourself Up for Breakthroughs?

Monday’s reflection questions were: What additional supports or resources do you need to get yourself set up to shift your mindset and/or achieve a breakthrough? Where do you need to be more committed?

The second question implies that if you are more committed, you will achieve a breakthrough. Sometimes this is the case. Sometimes it’s how we hold that commitment.

As I reflected on these questions this week, what I discovered through my experience in interacting with others and doing my own work is, when I am committed to an outcome, I will put in extra effort to try and make it happen. However, when I am attached to expectations of how things “should go” – how to get there or what others should do to get there – then I can run into problems – at best be disappointed, at worst alienate or frustrate others.

I also saw that when I am more focused and disciplined in my actions in striving for the outcome, I experience a breakthrough. I am able to get beyond where I have felt stuck, or there hasn’t been as much progress made in the past. When I stick to pursuing the right actions or step back and get perspective on a situation, this is when I set myself up for things to shift.

I am writing a book and lately have been approaching it from the perspective of willing myself to be disciplined with the numbers of hours and focus I am giving it. After getting feedback from trusted colleagues this week, I was able to crystallize a certain aspect of my target audience that allowed the ideas to flow more easily. Seems obvious, but being willing to be vulnerable and risk inviting others into my process is ultimately what led to my breakthrough.

My writing is now coming from a place of excitement versus “work.” I was reminded to make sure to focus on where the “work” is fun and not just focus on the push to get it done or the fear if it’s not done. It’s all about how I manage myself and my perspective – how I hold the intention of commitment and achievement.

What did you discover this week?

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