Like everyone, you may struggle from time to time with a personal or professional roadblock. You might feel like you are stuck, stumbling, sinking or grasping at straws when you run up against it. Do you have a successful process in place to help you breakthrough your roadblocks when you encounter them? Or do you "wing it" and try to make it through the best way you can?
The keyword in breakthrough process is "process". The importance of having a process is simple: it can make the difference between struggle and success. The secret to success is not to just look for the "answer" but to create the best journey that will guide you to your desired destination. In situations where you are hit suddenly with an obstacle, the mind and emotions may go on automatic pilot and get you caught up in the momentum of habitual reactions until things settle down—whenever that is. Having a process helps to minimize and even eliminate shock or panic. It allows you to focus and connect to what you need to do now, so you can prepare for what you need to do next.
Apply these four keys to help you develop your own breakthrough process. (And remember to apply your process when trouble rears its ugly head!)
- Pinpoint the root cause of the problem not just the symptom
Whatever your obstacle, the root cause of it is the real problem that creates a destabilizing factor. That's what you want to address. Focus on the cause, not just the effect of the challenge you're facing. - Use the right "ammunition" to resolve the issue
The saying goes, "Don't bring a knife to a gunfight." To make a breakthrough and resolve an issue, identify the single most important change that will let you turn things around, and effectively deal with the root problem. It might be very gentle ammunition, or it might be very radical, but it should go straight to the heart of the problem. - Set and sustain your focus
Don't stop at the "Aha Moment." Many people underestimate how on top of themselves they need to be to make a complete and successful breakthrough, and not fall back into old patterns. Yes, it is possible to make an instantaneously shift if your initial breakthrough happens at a deep enough level of awareness. But in most instances, you'll need to make your breakthroughs in layers. Incorporate this into your processes.