Performance Equation Part V: Reflection & Assessment
Racing Ötillo Casco Bay w/Jacob Gilden
Over the past couple months, I have written a four part series about the Performance Equation.
As a reminder that equation is:
Preparation + Opportunity + Execution = Performance
If you have not read the early posts, I would recommend doing so before we venture into the final post in this series on the Performance Equation. You can find links to each post below.
Performance Equation Part II: Preparation
Performance Equation Part III: Opportunity
Performance Equation Part IV: Execution
And now we will finish this series off by discussing what is done in the aftermath of performances(s): reflection and assessment.
Reflection & Assessment
In Part IV of this series, I mentioned how the performance equation could also be seen as a series of steps. Additionally, I also think that it can be seen as a continuous cycle once the reflection and assessment phase has been incorporated.
The following graphic provides a visual of this idea:
After each race/competition, it is important for athletes to take the time to reflect upon their performance, regardless of whether it was a complete success, disappointment, or (most likely) somewhere in between. By doing so, an athlete can garner a deeper understanding of where, and how, they can apply the lessons they learned to future preparation cycles and execution strategies.
Ok, so where do we begin?
I think a good place to start is with the 24-hour rule, but not in the way it is often discussed.
The 24-hour Rule
Many of you may have heard of the idea that athletes should not try to analyze performances in the first 24 hours after competing. If they did really well, they should take that time to celebrate, or if they feel disappointed, they should not rush to try to meticulously analyze what went wrong.
In some cases, there might even need to be more time than that depending on the timing and stakes of the competition.
However, even if that is needed, I would like to propose an additional rule:
The 24-48 Hour Documentation Rule
The primary purpose of this rule is for athletes to write down their initial thoughts and memories from the competition between 24 and 48 hours post-performance. I believe it is crucial to document at this time because our memories and feelings quickly fade and if we wait too long, we begin to start letting our memories of the event be shaped by present-day experiences. I am sure you all can relate to times where you felt very intensely about something at the time it was occurring to only later reflect that it actually “wasn’t that bad.” However, the reality is that it isn’t really that bad right now.
Now, I want to be clear. The 24-48 hour timeframe does not have to be the time to analyze everything that happened in the event; it only needs to be the time to gather all the memories while they are still fresh. I believe it is much easier to tap back into the state of mind during those performances when you are able to read what you wrote when you still felt them, even if it is much further in the future.
Seek Feedback
Once an athlete is ready to analyze their performance, I believe it is important to have a trusted team or individual who can provide both feedback and support during the reflection and assessment process. While it is important to be self-reflective during this process, it is also helpful to have others that can help enhance that skill for us. The best way to do this may be to have trusted partners that are good at asking us the right questions, rather than trying to answer everything for us from the get go.
Now, while I do think that it is important to seek feedback, there is a point where the continued solicitation of feedback becomes problematic. This is reflected is something I have often said, which is that:
Two of the most problematic things an athlete can do is to listen to no one, or listen to everyone.
Questions Related to Preparation & Execution
When it comes time to analyze performance(s) in more detail, I always like to think about how well one’s preparation and execution were aligned. If the performance fell short of expectations, then a first line of questioning can inquire as to whether or not the race/competition plan was reasonable when considering the preparation. As I wrote about in Part IV, it is important to ensure that execution strategies have been implemented in one’s training.
This may seem obvious as you read this, but I find it to be rather common for an athlete to have trained one way, and then raced in another.
If this is the case, then the lessons to be applied in the future are a little more straightforward as the athlete can then adjust their training and preparation in a way that will better align for the way they wish to race or compete.
Additionally, during this phase of analysis, an athlete may find that they did execute a performance in line with their preparation, but their level of preparation was simply not enough to support their goals (e.g., they set a personal best, but fell short of an overall placing they desired). Once again, these lessons can be more easily incorporated into future preparation (although, enhancing preparation may not always be easily done based on a myriad of constraints).
Questions Get More Complicated
The more complicated questions arise when an athlete feels they nailed the preparation phase, but then failed to execute their plan, resulting in subpar performances. The reasons for this could be more tangible (e.g., weather, nutrition, illness, etc.) or they could be less so (lack of confidence, performance anxiety, fear, etc.).
These can be hard conversations to have and it can be difficult to really get at the source of what may be holding us back.
As a testament to my own struggles, I often tell a story of time when my wife, Brooke, and I were debriefing after a particularly tough race I had. There were many times we had these conversations when I was readily open to feedback and looked forward to applying what I had learned to the future.
However on this one day, I was just struggling to come to terms with how a race had played out for me. As Brooke continued to provide insightful thoughts about the day I responded with the following statement:
I know everything you are saying is correct and true, but today is a day where I would have happily learned nothing and just won.
The reason I continue to bring up this anecdote from my time racing is that I want to recognize that learning and growing from our experiences will sometimes be easy and other times it will be really hard. But regardless of whether it is easy or difficult, it is crucial to one’s athletic growth if they are striving to discover the upper limit of their capabilities.
Furthermore, many of the greatest athletes I have known really lean into this reflection and assessment phase of the performance cycle. They understand its importance and are not averse to the challenges that can come with continued self-reflection. Moreover, they see the information that is gleaned from this phase as a form of empowerment towards their own improvement rather than an observation of their shortcomings.
Final Thought: Holistic vs. Reductionist Thinking
I have sometimes found that when athletes have successful performances they are more inclined to see all the varied and nuanced aspects of their preparation and execution that contributed to their performance. Instead of seeing one moment in the day, or one workout in the build as the magical catalyst that set them up for success, they can more easily acknowledge the broad spectrum of components that were needed to make that happen.
On other hand, when athletes have subpar or poor performances, I have often seen the opposite approach take place.
Instead of seeing their performance from a macro lens, they insist upon trying to establish The Thing that caused them to fall short of their goals. It is similar to trying to make someone a scapegoat to take the fall for something that could never have been entirely their fault.
Whenever I found myself thinking in absolute terms in the aftermath of under performing (e.g., “I would have succeeded if it wasn't for this”), I knew I needed to take a step back and see things through a wider lens.
So if you ever happen to find yourself settling on a simple answer amongst a myriad of variables, give yourself a moment to pause and reflect as to how accurate you might be.
Thanks for Following Along
This brings an end to this series on the Performance Equation. Whether you read this post, some of the posts, or all of them, I thank you for taking the time to follow along.
If you have any lingering questions or areas that you would like to learn more about, please feel free to post them in the comments.
If you want to get in touch with me, you can use the following contact form.
Thank you,
justin
Preparation + Opportunity + Execution = Performance
