Sidhartha Guatama was able to discover the Middle Way and enlightenment by:
1. Renouncing his luxurious lifestyle as a prince and leaving his palace to seek a deeper understanding of life and suffering.
2. Engaging in severe ascetic practices, such as fasting and self-mortification, for several years.
3. Realizing the limitations of extreme asceticism and deciding to follow a path of moderation instead.
4. Sitting under a Bodhi tree and entering into deep meditation, vowing not to rise until he had attained enlightenment.
5. Facing and overcoming various temptations and distractions that arose during his meditation.
6. Finally, experiencing a profound insight into the nature of existence, the causes of suffering, and the path to liberation.
7. Returning to society as the Buddha, or the awakened one, to teach and guide others towards enlightenment.