method note
What going in circles can actually mean
Repetition may indicate wasteful looping, or it may indicate a spiral with increasing precision.
context
Repeated return to a similar problem shape is often labeled as failure.
distinction
Loop: same cost, same language, same outcome.
Spiral: same terrain, but with earlier recognition, clearer boundaries, or reduced attraction to the false solution.
useful move
Do not classify repetition too quickly. Check whether the person is only reliving the pattern or is becoming more precise inside it.