Breakthrough is defined as “a sudden, dramatic, and important discovery or development.”

A lot of things have to come together for a serious breakthrough to occur.

However, here are three barriers to witnessing breakthroughs

1. Lack of heterogeneous networks

When your network is homogeneous, there is a good chance that the backgrounds, beliefs, values and interests are aligned. The conversations will rarely deviate from the invisible knowledge boundaries set by the group.

With the above structure in place, it would be hard to imagine a sudden, dramatic, and important discovery or development.

2. Passive Resistance to Change

When you publicly engage in discussing new ideas, but privately resist change, nothing major happens.

On the surface, everything seems just fine as you are actively engaged with new ideas.

In reality, all you are doing is being busy without a commitment to truly change.

Fail.

3. Ineffective Structure to Follow Through

No idea has much value without brilliant execution. A breakthrough cannot happen if the idea remains as an idea. Without execution, at best you are looking at a breakthrough-in-the-making.

Ideas are important, so is the need for a structure for a follow through.

Remember that bigger the idea, the need for a stronger structure to follow through. This means long before you go after a breakthrough, you need to lay the foundation by investing in building a network of competent people.

Photo Courtesy: Cultura de Red on Flickr