Human Behavioral Habits Viewed Through the Tzolkin Energy Cycle
Often, we feel that we aren’t taking the “right” action or that our timing is off. However, from the perspective of the Tzolkin Energy Cycle, the essence of the problem lies elsewhere.
Humans tend to gravitate toward phases where they feel skilled or safe, while unconsciously avoiding the phases they find difficult. The Tzolkin Energy Cycle categorizes action into four distinct phases:
- Beginning
- Wisdom (Insight & Overview)
- Transformation
- Completion
When your energy leans too heavily into one of these, your actions begin to lose their structural integrity.
① The “Beginning” Over-Indexer
— The Type Who Mistakes Starting for Achieving —
- Characteristics: Excellent at generating new ideas; plans come one after another; quick to start but struggles to sustain momentum.
- The Imbalance: The energy of Beginning is about initiation and setting direction. When over-indexed, the act of starting becomes the goal itself.
- Feeling satisfied just by drafting a new project.
- Feeling a sense of accomplishment the moment a course of study begins.
- Losing interest in the “middle work” or the final wrap-up.
- Common Issues: Projects never take physical shape; lack of accumulated trust; a growing sense of self-doubt.
② The “Wisdom” Over-Indexer
— The Type Who Overthinks and Becomes Paralyzed —
- Characteristics: Skilled at information gathering; loves analysis and systematization; prone to feeling “not quite ready yet.”
- What is Wisdom? Wisdom is more than just “practice” or “refinement.” It is the phase of oversight, integration, and meaning. Symbolic of the North, its roles include:
- Viewing the whole picture.
- Integrating past experiences.
- Assigning meaning to actions.
- The Imbalance:
- Searching endlessly for the “correct” answer.
- The “thinking phase” before action becomes excessively long.
- Entering a state of “I can’t move because I’m not fully convinced.”
- Common Issues: Extremely low volume of action; missed opportunities; reality remains unchanged despite “understanding” it in the mind.
③ The “Transformation” Over-Indexer
— The Type Who Changes Everything Too Quickly —
- Characteristics: High awareness of improvement; unafraid of change; quick to spot problems.
- The Imbalance:Transformation is the power to change, break, and rebuild. However, over-indexing leads to:
- Constantly pivoting direction.
- Changing course at the first sign of difficulty.
- Breaking something down before it has had the chance to grow.
- Common Issues: Results never accumulate; others feel “whiplashed” by the constant shifts; losing sight of the original objective.
④ The “Completion” Over-Indexer
— The Type Who Rushes to the Finish Line —
- Characteristics: Fast decision-maker; good at tidying up; prefers “black and white” clarity.
- The Imbalance:Completion is the phase of concluding, setting boundaries, and passing the baton. Over-indexing leads to:
- Ending things before they have fully matured.
- Rushing to a conclusion.
- Failing to experience or appreciate the process.
- Common Issues: Lack of depth in outcomes; fragmented human relationships; the same themes keep returning because they weren’t truly resolved.
Alignment Means “Moving Equitably”
It is important to understand that no single phase is “good” or “bad.” All four are necessary. By viewing your actions through the Tzolkin Energy Cycle, you can see—structurally rather than emotionally:
- Where you tend to over-index.
- Which phase you are currently avoiding.
- What specific action is actually required of you right now.
The Purpose of Using a Calendar
When we act based solely on our subjective feelings, we inevitably:
- Lean into what we want to do.
- Avoid what we dislike.
- Postpone the phases that cause us anxiety.
The calendar is not for predicting the future. It is an external benchmark used to recognize these behavioral imbalances.
In the next article, we will look at specific examples of how to use this cycle for effective self-reflection.
