The Spiral of Performance Excellence

The Spiral offers a nonlinear, human-centered map for performance development. Instead of progressing in straight lines or closed loops, performers grow through spirals, returning to familiar phases with new awareness, deeper integration, and expanded capacity.

This model is built from six foundational frameworks: ACT, systems thinking, IPNB, embodied cognition, reflective meaning-making, and liminality. It reflects how real performers grow, not predictably, but rhythmically with intention, reflection, and support.

Each phase of the Spiral presents unique demands. Some phases ask for action, others for pause, integration, or reorientation. Together, they form a developmental arc that honors complexity, timing, and wholeness.

Click on the icons below to explore each phase, or watch the video below to see how it all fits together.

Making Sense of the Spiral

  • The Spiral is both a developmental map and a consulting tool. It helps identify where a performer is in their growth process, what they might need next, and how to support their evolution without forcing linear progress.

  • Start by listening for language, noticing patterns, and tuning into energy. Are they driven by purpose or stuck in comparison? Burned out or craving feedback? The Spiral helps locate the phase they’re most in or most avoiding.

  • That’s part of the process. Stalling doesn’t mean failure. It’s often a sign of growth trying to happen. The Spiral helps decode where the breakdown is occurring and what might need reintegration. Sometimes, progress means circling back.

  • You can use the Spiral to guide intake questions, structure reflection, and tailor interventions. The one-sheets provide phase-specific tools, language, and practices to meet performers where they are,and help them move with intention.