Life in nature is cyclical. Last time we talked about cycles of communication and how it can affect our relationships.
A cycle is complete the moment we can say we are done with something and we don’t keep reviewing or thinking about it repeatedly like being on a treadmill. If you have a plan of action for a project, there may be a certain number of steps to complete that project. The project itself is the big cycle and the steps to complete it are cycles in and of themselves. Meaning each task represents a cycle, however short or long. Often times we make lists in order to remember and plot out these steps. As we check them off it signifies that we are done and we no longer have to think about it and we can move on to the next. I’m using steps and cycles here synonymously as they are cycles of action to completing something bigger. As you can see, there are cycles within cycles.
Completing cycles of action clears our mind and creates space for new ideas and concepts to enter. This process can also enable us to see how the project is evolving and make whatever changes might be needed.
What can get in the way of completing a project or a task? Two things actually go hand in hand, perfection and satisfaction. Perfection is elusive because we can never seem to define it. And, if it can never be defined, we can never be satisfied. Therein is the knot that can keep us spinning and chasing our tails for eternity. Perfection is an itch that cannot be scratched.
Satisfaction is a primary factor in completing cycles. What does satisfaction look like to you? It is a great question to contemplate. This is a very deep question and can lead to a profound experience of one’s own feeling of being enough. However, that is another topic altogether. When is something good enough in the moment? It doesn’t mean that we cannot go back and revisit and refine. Nevertheless, if we never arrive at a point of completion in any given moment it can literally drive us insane. There are times when we should let something go, however, if we are constantly seeking perfection and/or are never satisfied, how can we see clearly enough to be able to let it go? How can we possibly know what to let go of and what to continue? All we do is riddle ourselves with guilt and shame, which creates a cycle of insanity of its own. It is ok to say I started something but it is no longer the right thing for me so I’m done. As long as you truly feel done with it, no matter what anyone else says, then it is a completed cycle.
Completion of cycles is the key to enduring creativity.