No living thing is in stasis. It’s either growing or decaying at any point in time. The idea that we as human beings can crank out a steady stream of consistent work for hours, days, months, years, a career, or a lifetime is a poor model.
Dips in productivity are not a failing. Failing to anticipate them is.
I have a daily cycle that I have tuned to maximize both productivity and enjoyment of my work. That confluence is not a coincidence.
Similarly, my productivity can vary over time, and I have learned to provide myself with both grace and stretch goals. I can drive myself and remain a good friend to myself.
The key is to grow over time and to aim for output that is near maximum possible without taking on the overhead of worry or regret.