Once, twice, third time's a charm??!!

Do you ever have something happen over and over again? Either an activity you're forced to repeat for no apparent cause? Or a dream you keep having? Or a conversation with different people that covers the same topic each time?

First time's a fluke, you say. Or maybe the message is badly delivered and you get angry or defensive.

Second time's confusing - you thought you covered it the first time, fixed the problem, addressed it, changed behaviour - something. But you thought you'd learned something.

Third time? That's a pattern. Are you inflexible? Is there something happening around you that makes these things come up over and over? Is it you? Is it me? And how do you work on something you can't figure out? It might be so obvious to everyone else, but you just can't see it - for whatever reason? Do you give up? Do you accept it as fate, a character flaw, deja vu?