The Perfect Recipe for a Breakthrough
We think of breakthroughs as something that comes to us, a freebie from the muse. It’s something we can’t control — we just need to be ready when it hits.
But you can create breakthroughs on demand.
Breakthroughs are moments when we see a problem from a new angle, and suddenly get the answer to the problem. It really is a psychological state, relying on that perfect soup of neurotransmitters. Luckily, a lot of people have thought long and hard about this, and have figured it out.
So what’s the recipe? Two cups of a problem and a dash of bolt from the blue? Not quite. The trick to creating a breakthrough is getting yourself in the right headspace.
The Breath
I know what you're thinking, “Oh great, you're gonna tell me to meditate again.”
And, well, that’s kind of true. If you are looking to make a breakthrough, you really have to get out of normal thinking routines. Those routines are what got you where you are. They work well for certain things, but if you need a breakthrough, this must be a situation where normal thinking isn’t working.
That’s why you need to try the Wim Hof Breathing Method. Wim Hof is known around the world as the crazy guy who loves the cold. But he has also popularized a breathing technique that boosts dopamine. You can read a full account of it here, but I’ve outlined the basics below.
Sit comfortably with straight posture or lie down.
Close your eyes.
Take 30 to 40 deep breaths in, exhaling without force.
After your last exhale, hold your breath until you feel the urge to breathe.
Deeply inhale and hold the breath in for 15 seconds.
You can repeat this process three or four times.
Notice how much energy and relaxation you feel. This sets your brain up to make new discoveries and see things from a new angle.
Get a Group
Groups provide you with the ultimate superpower: other people’s talents and experiences. Even two people with the same background and similar life experiences come to an issue with different perspectives. And when you get a diverse group to tackle a problem, the new perspectives are even more profound.
Also, when a group tackles a problem, there is a group energy that keeps us going and encourages us.
Scene Change
One of the best ways to get a breakthrough is by changing your surroundings, particularly if you go somewhere that inspires you. Art museums, concerts, roller coasters — whatever gets you going.
Engaging with something entirely new lets the problem cook in our subconscious. There, our brains can still chip away at the issue, but without the sometimes limiting tools of language and logic. Free to explore all possibilities, our subconscious can often come up with a breakthrough when our conscious mind can’t.
These three methods, especially when used together, put our brains in breakthrough mode. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find that you can generate great ideas and solutions when you need them.
