Comments on: Pattern Interrupts in Business, Blogging and Bedsheets

By: Taru Fisher

Taru Fisher — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:13:59 +0000

I love Pattern Interrupts. I learned them when I was in NLP training. I really like using humor as a pattern interrupt. Someone recently said how something bad that had happened couldn’t have happened at a worse time. I responded with the question, “Oh, what would have been a good time?” It really stopped them in their tracks and they burst out laughing.

By: Niels

Niels — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:41:56 +0000

“A pattern interrupt is not a new pattern. It’s only an event that breaks the stranglehold of the old, destructive pattern, giving you a window to introduce a new one.” This is really an excellent definition for pattern interrupt. This idea is really cool, keep updating. I’ll be visiting here more frequently.

By: Heiko

Heiko — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:53:37 +0000

I am currently searching for a new concept for my business thesis and my attention just gotten here on your Pattern Interrupts, Jonathan. Your idea fascinates me in terms cannibalistic theories in business research. I find out that it may be surprising for me to apply your Pattern Interrupts in my thesis and hoping to get more information about this to apply in my thesis documentation and experiments.

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:55:29 +0000

‘…grab a can whipped cream from the fridge, spray a giant happy face across your stomach…”. Awesome Jonathan. I’m going to do this. I promise. And I’ll report back to you.

Especially if my wife throws me out of the house.

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:43:17 +0000

Great post, Jonathan, as always I saw a bumper sticker earlier today that said “You laugh at me because I am different. I laugh at all of you because you are the same.”

By: Renee Phoenix

Renee Phoenix — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:01:14 +0000

John Medina, in his book Brain Rules, has an interesting take on using pattern interrupt (he calls it a “hook”) during presentations and lectures. He developed a model for his lectures based on research that says the brain can handle about 10 minutes of the same thing before drifting off into non-attention land. So about every 10 minutes, he has to finish a core concept and then provide a hook to reinforce the concept or help move the audience into the next 10 minutes. Interesting stuff for anyone in the business of teaching and presenting information.

P.S.- I always figured the fuzzy legs and slippers belonged to you and admired your courage in posing for the photo. I have “killer rabbit” slippers that I’ve worn to class and coaching sessions – they always get a reaction!

By: Dan Holloway

Dan Holloway — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:04:21 +0000

And almost all of these go on to create new patterns. I guess the key is something like Handy’ sigmoid curve – getting out on the up, befiore you’re in a rut and the creativity/freshness has died

By: Ivy

Ivy — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:33:36 +0000

A couple of people mentioned Tony Robbins. I have to give props instead to Tom Robbins. His instruction manuals for pattern interrupt have helped me again and again.

By: Jonathan Fields

Jonathan Fields — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:24:15 +0000

Oh man, you busted us all! We’ve been secretly in cahoots (sp?) for months, coordinating pattern interrupts, lol! It is interesting how nearly every innovation or massive shift in art, culture, science and beyond involve the element of monster pattern interrupts filled shortly after by new offerings.

By: Jonathan Fields

Jonathan Fields — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:21:59 +0000

Jeffrey, really interesting parallel to idea of catharsis, gonna think on that one for a bit