Post Performance Routine to Facilitate Learning and Closure
After games, athletes often go down a few routes:
They live it up in the glory of a win. A locker room celebration followed by positive reflection before the page is turned and you focus on the next day.
Rumination on regrets or missed chances. Frustration with teammates, coaches, and/or yourself. It's difficult to learn in this state, let alone move on.
Level-headed reflection on the details, your mindset, and execution. This athlete doesn't get too high after a win, nor do they get too low after a loss.
There's a clear route here that everyone would like to avoid - the second, rumination filled one. Sure, some athletes miss out on learning opportunities when they revel in a win which might lead to more intense negative emotions after a loss, but that's not a priority for today's article. Instead, we're going to look what sport psychology encourages athletes to do in order to optimize learning and manage rumination.
First off, there is always room to learn from a performance. They may not be light-bulb, epiphany moments, but that's an irrational standard if we're going to apply this to every day (which we are!).
Secondly, this process does not have to be intense and long. As you'll see, this routine can be a quick exercise that facilitates a data-driven view on yourself and the game. Writing things down with this exercise is great, but even just shifting your thoughts through this routine is helpful.
So, what is the routine? It goes by multiple names, for example, the military calls it the AAR - after action review. I go by the name good, better, how? It's simple and effective to apply; the more difficult part is remembering to do so - or choosing to do so despite a negative state of mind.
Good: what went well? No matter how poor the performance, there's always something that you can pick out that went well. Whether it's something as little as you hydrated properly before the game or communicated effectively, it's important to point out for two reasons. One, you will be in a better mindset to receive criticism in the next step. Two, you want to know what's working to either build on it or simply maintain the good.
Better: what can be better? Resist the emotional answers, like "everything" or "remembering how to run." If a trusted coach, or even AI, watched your game, what objective answers would they say? Make sure these answers are actionable - something you can actually work on. If you point out something like the weather being better, this won't help you feel better in the moment and prepare more effectively for next week.
How: how will I be better? As you can see, answers from #2 have to have a clear how. It may be as simple as showing up to practice with a mindset that is ready to work hard. Or, oftentimes, it's more precise; focus on my follow-through on my passes, exude confident body language before stepping up to the plate, show up 10 minutes early to ensure I go through my pregame routine. The how is where the magic happens.
This routine helps you facilitate learning and provide closure to performances. You facilitate learning because you're getting precise about what went well, what can change, and how you will do it. The athlete who goes through this process undoubtedly puts themselves in a better position than the athlete who doesn't.
Closure is an important feeling for athletes after difficult games. While this routine won't make the ruminations and frustration go away entirely, it absolutely reduces it. The main reason for this is the how of the routine. By having confidence in a plan moving forward, your mind latches onto this hope as opposed to being stuck in the hopeless, frustrating past. For additional closure, try journaling and writing down your thoughts about the game. Or, better yet, talk to someone about it - how do you feel, what do you wish could've been different, and what can you do about it going forward?
Bonus: I use the phrase "post-performance" deliberately - this is not just a post-game routine. You can engage in this exercise after practices, a period/inning/quarter, and even after a shift! It helps you maintain a goal-oriented approach infused with positivity as you recognize what is going well.
Routines help athletes consistently perform near their potential. Don't fall into the trap that many athletes do as they let their thoughts wander into the threatening depths of their mind; add some structure to your athletic lifestyle with routines.
