Word choice matters. Saying that something is a “good deal” isn’t the same as saying it is “cheap.” If you told someone they were “youthful,” they’d interpret that quite differently than if you said they were “childish.” And when it comes to seemingly similar terms like virtuous cycle and vicious cycle, you need to be sure you’re choosing the right one to convey the intended meaning.

True, both terms refer to a self-reinforcing feedback loop. The difference lies in whether the results are desirable or undesirable. I should also note here that while I’ll be talking about a vicious and virtuous cycles, calling them virtuous and vicious circles means the same thing. I just prefer cycle myself.

Examples of a Vicious Cycle (or Vicious Circle)

A vicious cycle results in undesirable outcomes. At the simplest level, we usually think about these sequences as involving two events or elements. Situation A causes circumstance B. In turn, circumstance B causes more of situation A to happen, which causes more of circumstance B. On and on the cycle (or circle) goes, intensifying and reinforcing itself with each iteration.

Some examples include:

  • Johnny is born into poverty. Because he doesn’t get the nutrition he needs, he struggles to focus in school. He gets poor grades and does not graduate. This limits his career options. As an adult, he struggles to make ends meet and is saddled with overwhelming debt. His child is born into a similar situation and the cycle repeats itself.
  • Jolene thinks no one likes to hang out with her. So, she keeps to herself and chooses not to join any social groups. She despairs at the lack of invites and interaction with other people, reinforcing her belief that no one likes to spend time with her. This is an example of the cognitive triangle of experience.
  • Judy feels depressed, because she feels like she isn’t accomplishing enough in life. She feels incompetent and useless. Because she’s depressed, she also feels unmotivated, so she doesn’t take on any ambitious projects or goals. She accomplishes little, reinforcing her belief.

Examples of a Virtuous Cycle (or Virtuous Circle)

Whereas a vicious cycle leads to undesirable results, a virtuous cycle feeds into itself to produce positive results. The chain of events or circumstances also reinforce themselves through a similar kind of feedback loop. It’s just what you get out the other end is something you actually want.

Some examples include:

  • George performs well on a test in school. The teacher identifies George as “gifted,” showering him with positive attention. This encourages George to continue doing well in school. He gets a good grade on his next test. The teacher praises him more.
  • XYZ Technology Corp. releases a new product and it’s wildly successful. This makes the company a lot of money, which it reinvests into product development. This increased funding empowers the team to create another awesome product. That also sells very well, earning the company a lot of money. The company continues to grow and build upon its successes.
  • Gabby is born into a wealthy family. She attends one of the top schools in the country and is supported by a number of tutors and extracurricular activities. Her family is well-connected, so she gets a great foothold into a great career

Word Choice Matters

The words that you choose to use make a huge difference in how other people interpret those words. We talk about the vicious cycle of poverty, for example, but the virtuous cycle of generational wealth. It’s not that we think “the rich get richer” is desirable, necessarily. Rather, most of us likely agree that accumulating wealth is desirable. We’d like to be rich.

Here’s another one. Do you know the difference between economic and economical? They sure sound similar, don’t you think? While they both have to do with money, they talk about entirely different things.