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531: Why Everything Falls Apart Before a Breakthrough: The Chaos Behind Leveling Up

Ever felt like everything fell apart right after you made progress?

In this episode, let's explore the reasons why personal growth often triggers temporary chaos. I'm sharing insights from George Leonard’s book "Mastery" and my own journey as an entrepreneur.

Let’s talk about how setbacks can be signs you’re on the right path—and how to get through the mess.

Here are 3 Key Takeaways:

1. Progress Can Look Like Chaos: Growth isn’t always smooth—sometimes making big moves in your career or business can trigger upheaval. When things appear to “fall apart,” it might actually be a sign you’re moving in the right direction and entering a new stage of mastery.

2. The Power of Instruction and Learning Order: Picking the right way to learn—whether it’s self-paced, guided, or individualized—matters. But more important is understanding the order in which you need to learn things. Having a coach or mentor can help you avoid learning things out of sequence and maximize your progress.

3. When to Pivot and Let Go: Losing resources, time, or money hurts, but these moments can serve as powerful signals that it’s time to shift your focus or reinvent your approach. Success means knowing when to double down and when to step back, then strategically move forward.

Ready to Master Your Mindset, Mission, and Message?

If today’s episode spoke to you, don’t just listen—step behind the curtain and join the Journey Feed.

Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll get:

  1. Unfiltered Mentorship Notes – Straight talk, “Elzisms,” and faith-driven insights to help you align purpose and profit.
  2. Backstage Access – Go behind the scenes of the Journey to Mastery movement with raw lessons, unseen stories, and deeper context.
  3. Focus Prompts & Reflections – Practical tools to help you lead with intention and master your week.
  4. Private Invites – Be first to join Fix Your Focus challenges, workshops, and live experiences.
  5. Exclusive Content – Access behind-the-scenes stories and lessons from my journey of building Kingdom-first ventures.

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About the Podcast

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About your host

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Elzie Flenard III

Elzie D. Flenard, III—Elzie The Entrepreneur is a purpose-driven mentor, visionary communicator, and faith-led creator on a mission to help others live in purpose, on purpose. Raised in the small town of Mounds, Illinois, Elzie’s journey from humble beginnings to entrepreneurial leadership is proof that your starting point doesn’t define your destiny.