Some wicked tunes are created by shifting patterns. Play a chord, have a synthesizer chop it up and then rearrange it. Outcome; hit single. Obviously, a lot more is required to reach the top of the billboard charts, but pattern shifting plays its role within compositions.
In an attempt to save energy, our brains try to unify separate actions into patterns. For instance, driving a car is no longer, crank the engine, pop the clutch, hit the gas, shift into gear… We simply draw from our pattern library and pull up the one for driving a car. Notice that when you first started driving, these actions weren’t a pattern yet. Just a few weeks later, you’re driving on (human) autopilot.
Breaking patterns is very hard. The neural pathways become eroded over time. Depending on the pattern’s age and how frequently it has been used, it becomes increasingly difficult to crawl out of the neural pathway ditch.
If, for some reason, a pattern must be broken, try rearranging or shifting it first.