A cycle is a process that turns back on itself and repeats regularly, in the same order, over time. The seasons of the year, runners running laps on a race track, and the phases of the moon are all types of cycles. Cycles are essential to life.
Cycles affect your life and work in many ways. Most companies track and measure progress according to daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly cycles.
Tracking information in this way allows you to compare how you are doing compared to previous cycles. For example, a company like Amazon typically does very well in the months leading up to Christmas. So comparing 4th quarter results this year vs. the last few years can provide insights about performance.
Because cycles are regularly repeating activities, you can reflect on what you learned from the last cycle and apply those learnings to the next cycle.
What are the most important cycles in your life and work? How do you track your progress over time? Can you find a way to compare cycles over time to see how you are doing?
See also: Doom loop, Virtuous cycle, Flywheel, Clock, Causal loops, Escape velocity, Highs and lows, Snowball effect.
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