The Net and the Butterfly

Breakthroughs come in four types: “eureka,” “metaphorical,” “intuitive” and “paradigm.”

Breakthroughs change how you consider or understand a situation, and they move you past previous barriers to a new perspective or solution. While the content and context of each breakthrough are unique, breakthroughs manifest in one of four general types.

Eureka breakthroughs arrive suddenly, and fully formed. After his legendary bathtub discovery, the ancient Greek Archimedes yelled “Eureka” (“I’ve got it”), and ran naked down the street.

A metaphorical breakthrough comes from visual and analogical thinking. You must interpret the metaphor so it applies to the problem at hand. A dream’s vivid images may reveal an underlying pattern that offers a solution. 

Intuitive breakthroughs arrive without any obvious reason or experience. You know you’ve got the answer, with no clear idea why it’s right. An intuitive breakthrough is the first step of the process. It brings calm confidence.

Paradigm breakthroughs rewrite the rules of a complex system. They connect and explain multiple phenomena...