Closing Open Loops: Mental Power Clarity and Energy

Feeling drained? Discover why it's not your workload, but the open loops in your mind that are sapping your energy. In this enlightening episode, we delve into the concept of "open loops"—the unfinished tasks and unresolved issues that linger in our minds—and how they impact mental health. Drawing from experts like Peter Levine and Robert Greene, we explore strategies to close these loops and reclaim your vitality.

Key Takeaways:
- Understand how unresolved tasks create mental clutter more exhausting than physical work.
- Learn practical steps to implement daily non-negotiables for a healthier mindset.
- Discover why consistency in small actions can lead to significant life changes.

Tune in now to learn how closing those lingering open loops can transform your energy levels and overall well-being!

Just came across this post on X by Scott D. Clary and I think it's extremely pertinent for mental health reasons. Just want to read it to you and then talk about it for a little bit.

It says the real reason you're tired all the time, it's not your workload, it's your open loops. The text you haven't answered, the apology you owe, the decision you're avoiding, the conversation you keep postponing. These run in the background of your mind all day, draining your battery. Close your loops, watch your energy return. Mental clutter is more exhausting than physical work will ever be.

I totally agree with that. It reminds me of a somatic therapist, Peter Levine, who talks about the law of completed action—how in nature, that's the way nature functions in the animal kingdom. Whenever there's a threat, right, there's fight or flight and unfortunately freeze and collapse. And when we freeze and collapse, it just simply means the loop is left open. We haven't completed something.

For example, if a lion is chasing an antelope or its prey, the antelope is fleeing with cortisol and epinephrine—these powerful neurotransmitters like adrenaline—to run for its life. And then when the antelope is free and gets away from the lion or tiger, the stress hormones go away; the loop is completed. It was able to get away and finish that task of self-efficacy: taking care of themselves and maintaining their safety.

A lot of what I see—and that I've been working with for years in therapy with individuals—is that people are stuck; they're frozen; their loops are open. They don't know how to close the loops of past traumatic events when they didn't have the capacity to take care of themselves appropriately at those moments.

So it's a powerful concept. I remember someone I used to work with—a wonderful lady named Tracy Morris—who helped me teach Muay Thai martial arts classes to adult female survivors of childhood sexual abuse as part of healing and finding their strength and power. She always talked about a similar concept of energy leaks—that we've got to stop these energy leaks.

As a fighter and as someone taking care of themselves, look for where you're wasting energy. So I want you to think of this concept of open loops: those things in your mind that are bothering you the most and you keep putting off. See, your brain won't let you rest until you confront those things and deal with them.

I know it's extremely challenging sometimes, but there's help available—you don't have to do this alone. That's where therapy can come into play. A lot of therapeutic work involves addressing past patterns, experiences, abuses in life that have not been completed. Part of us tries to go back and recreate those experiences metaphorically; we just keep cycling and doing the same thing over and over again.

In order to find healing and regain your power, you've got to find ways to close those loops—that is the purpose of therapy: finding self-efficacy and taking your power back.

Another thing that can help significantly in closing your loops is a book that came to mind called *The Checklist Manifesto*. This aligns with something else I recently heard on a podcast by a very popular podcaster—I’m sorry I can’t remember his name right now—but he’s great. He talked about people he saw become extremely successful while working for the CIA in managerial positions.

In this podcast, he said that those who rose to the top never allowed their emotions to rule their behavior—they worked off a checklist.

Something I've been working with clients on are "dailies." Dailies are small and simple tasks we complete regularly—they’re non-negotiable.

*The Checklist Manifesto* is written by a doctor who discusses mistakes made in medicine due to human fallibility. From my experience and other authors’ insights: if we rely on motivation alone to get things done, we're in trouble because motivation is like the weather—it comes and goes.

Take one of my dailies as an example: exercise. Physical exercise is a non-negotiable first thing I do every morning. This works with my schedule; everyone’s schedule differs—I’m not saying mine’s better than anyone else’s—but I'm an early riser (usually up by 4 AM or even 3:30 AM). I get to the gym at 5 or work out at home starting earlier sometimes.

I follow a routine—I know exactly what I'm doing—I no longer have to write things down because I've been doing it so long. I do resistance training; I'm an advocate for lifting weights at any age—I am 66 going on 67 now (my wife always reminds me). But I feel as healthy as ever; I have to keep doing it.

Though I worked out yesterday, it’s irrelevant—I just have to be consistent: small and simple things done regularly.

As a general rule, I’m extremely healthy; I rarely get sick because I put myself through a rigorous daily routine: sitting in the spa, taking a sauna after workouts (usually two hours or more). I was doing this even before semi-retirement—getting up super early no matter what—then going to work sometimes for 8-12 hours a day.

You seem to have more energy actually doing these things—at least that's been my experience—but figure out what works for you.

Again, point of this podcast today: closing open loops by getting done what you need—answer emails if necessary; if not needed, forget about them. If something keeps bugging you—a relationship issue you keep putting off—your brain won’t let you rest because it’s not completed.

Be much more powerful in all areas of your life.

Back to that CIA agent story—I’m not sure I explained it clearly—but those who rose to the top did not allow emotions to control their behavior; they lived by checklists: doing certain things consistently whether they wanted to or not.

Whether it’s reading 10 pages every day or exercising—there are countless options—it’s individualized but only pick four or five non-negotiables so it’s manageable.

What are those non-negotiables when you’re in your healthy rational brain? What would be extremely helpful as you navigate life? Make these non-negotiable—it takes pressure off because you just do them without waiting for motivation.

Your feelings toward these tasks may change once done—you will tend to be better off because you kept promises to yourself.

Patience and persistence—doing small simple things regularly—can eventually move mountains.

One concern I have seen as a mental health therapist with younger generations is their expectation that things should come easily. The ideas of hard work, patience, consistency toward meaningful goals seem lost on some today—we need foundational values again.

The happiest times I've experienced were when engaged in worthwhile meaningful taxing goals with purpose behind them but fully engaged in reaching them.

There seems something innate within us striving for excellence—a concept Robert Greene explores well in his amazing book *Mastery*. He discusses our internal need for searching excellence across life areas—including mental health issues.

The purpose here today: increasing energy means closing loops.

If something keeps bugging you repeatedly it drains energy—it demands attention until addressed properly.

Here’s a quote from *Mastery* by Robert Greene that fits well:

“A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within.”

To me this means when thoughts hit us rapidly—like when I woke up this morning with ten different thoughts about what needed doing—I wrote them down immediately; got them out of my mind onto paper alongside my five non-negotiable daily tasks checklist plus other needed tasks.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said:

“A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within more than the luster of the firmament of bards and sages. Yet he diminishes without notice his thought because it is his own.”

“In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts—they come back with certain alienated majesty.”

Meaning these unresolved thoughts won’t leave us alone until completed—the law of completed action again.

You can become hard-hearted refusing to listen but then we become stuck, frozen—not moving because dealing with what's before us seems too onerous.

I say this with 100% belief there is capacity within each person to handle whatever faces them—the obstacle is indeed the way—the very thing confronting us can be dealt with positively if approached courageously rather than ignored or denied.

Seek wisdom but confront challenges bravely because they won’t leave until loops close.

So here’s something for you to ponder this week: notice any open loops? Do something today or soon to complete them—and see how you feel afterward!

I’d appreciate any comments if this works for you wherever you listen—in various podcast platforms or avenues please send feedback!

Remember: law of completed action means focus on closing open loops so you maintain energy proactively working toward meaningful goals—and find deeper joy and meaning in life!

All right—have an amazing week!