Three Undesirable Clues You are On the Verge of a Breakthrough

There is a road that I travel on quite frequently between my home and the beach I enjoy down in Malibu. I’ve gotten to know this journey quite well…

As I get about half way between my home and Malibu there is a dark tunnel I have to pass through. I always see it as my “marker” that I’m on my way to peace, harmony and beauty (I have a real love affair with the ocean.)

The trees are greener once I get through the tunnel.

I can see the ocean and the sunlight dancing on the deep blue waves.

I smell the water and it instantly transcends me to a happier place.

But that tunnel….we’ll that’s another story!

In the tunnel it’s very dark which can be a bit scary at times.

I lose cell reception so I feel a bit disconnected.

And of course there are THOSE people who have to honk through the tunnel which is always a bit jolting.

But once I get to the other side….ahhhh. I feel totally alive and excited to experience the bliss of beach life for the day.

When you are on the verge of a breakthrough, you can feel like you are in a dark tunnel. Most of us resist being in the tunnel – heck, it can suck being in the tunnel. Even though we rationally know that huge breakthroughs are often accompanied by trying times, when we are in it it can completely derail our progress.

What if there is a more constructive way to use the time in the tunnel as a clue gathering process for your breakthrough? Your first step is to actually recognize what these undesirable “tunnel” clues are so you can stop seeing them as bad.

Here are three that I think you can relate to:

1. Confusion – when your head is swirling with random ideas and a general sense of muddled thinking, you may misinterpret this experience as a bad thing. Another more powerful way to interpret confusion is a knowing that the old paradigm approach you’ve used up to now isn’t working but you haven’t totally synced up with a more aligned approach yet. When you have clarity on the most aligned approach it’s easy to be focused and feel momentum.

2. Constriction – when your cash flow is shrinking, clients are quitting and resources seem scarce, it’s easy to slip into doom and gloom thinking. What if you saw constriction as a sign that you have somehow created a block that you need to clear? Constriction is a clue that something you are pursuing is not right for you. When you are pursuing a goal that is in total alignment, you will feel expanded and powerful. Knowing the difference can save you a lot of wasted money, time and energy!

3. Tension – when a part of you is out of sync with your truth you will feel a general sense of uneasiness. You may worry or feel a pressure to perform but not know why. Tension is actually a sign that you are using force or pushing against a current to achieve something that isn’t in sync with your desired outcomes. Imagine what could happen if you recognized tension as a clue and you stopped dead in your tracks and found a better approach that was used leverage and “being in flow?”

As a fast paced entrepreneur, each of these clues can be interpreted as a problem in your life. Something to fix. But what if you didn’t try to fix them but simply get present to the information that is trying to be revealed to you?

When you recognize these undesirable experiences as clues to a breakthrough, you can put them to work for you! Here’s a simple exercise I do with my clients to help transform confusion, constriction and tension into a breakthrough. You can try it out for yourself too.

First, get clear on what you are really feeling. Write out all of the emotions and feelings that are surfacing for you.

Second, ask yourself, where do I feel this in my body? By connecting to the feeling in your body you can get more information to help you move through it faster.

Third, ask the part of your body that is holding this feeling, what do you need to me to know? You may have to ask it a few times to get to the core of the real information.

I do this work on a regular basis – every time I feel one of these feelings I check in and find the source of the clues. I’ve found it’s the fastest to get to shift into a breakthrough and turn confusion, constriction or tension into clarity, expansion and ease.

Do you have other clues you are on the edge of a breakthrough? Love to have you share them in the comments below.