The Power of Reflection
As the season comes to an end, I can’t help but think about how important it is for an athlete to take the time for reflection. Of course, the “off-season” is crucial for rest, recovery, or simply a change of scenery -- If you’re, like me, you’re already thinking about a beach somewhere. But before you step in the sand, there's one important and powerful task that you shouldn’t overlook: reflection.
Reflection in sport is the process of not just looking back, but to intentionally examine past experiences, with the goal of learning, growing, and improving future performance. We don’t learn from experiences, we learn from reflecting on experiences. Taking time to reflect at the end of a season can be one of the most powerful tools for improving performance. Here are five reasons why you should prioritize an end of season reflection:
1. Celebrating Progress and Achievement
Every season offers many moments of growth. Perhaps you developed a new skill, or improved a technique, developed a team culture, or you were resilient through a tough season. Reflection allows you to recognize all types of wins and to celebrate your progress. It encourages you to shift your focus from outcomes to process.
2. Learning from Mistakes
You will experience many challenges in sport, including injuries, losses, mistakes, or not achieving personal goals. However, these experiences offer learning opportunities when you examine them through reflection. Ask yourself questions like, What did I learn? What do I want to change for next time? What or who can help me? This process can turn frustration into motivation. Reflection, when used constructively, can effectively guide future performance and behavior change.
3. Well, Better, How
Reflection offers you the opportunity to identify what went well and what didn’t. How was your mental game? Did your preparation meet the demands of competition? Did your team communicate effectively? Honest evaluation using well-better-how (What did I do well? What can I do better? How am I going to prepare for my next performance?) can provide a roadmap for your off-season and help set clear, personalized goals for what you want to maintain, what you want to improve, and how to prepare for your upcoming season.
4. What is Your Why?
Reinforcing why you play the sport, what drives you, and how your performance matches your goals for the season helps fuel your passion. Reflection brings your purpose back into focus. It reminds you of your why, and this helps keep you motivated, especially during recovery or preparation for the upcoming season.
5. Promote Mental Health
The highs and lows of a long season can weigh on an athlete if they do not take the time to fully process them. Reflection offers a safe space for athletes to release, understand, and acknowledge everything they experienced during the season. The process of reflection promotes mental well-being and helps prevent burnout, especially for high-performing athletes.
Reflection is not about reliving every mistake or clinging to past success, it's thinking about your experiences with thoughtful consideration in order to understand, learn, and determine what you do next. So, as the current season draws to a close, and before you move on to next season, be sure to take the time to practice proper reflection, and give yourself the best opportunity for success in the future.
If you're an athlete, coach, or parent and want help understanding reflection, want to practice this skill in a personalized way, or need general athlete support as they improve their performance and well-being, let me know.
To explore how Coach Jeff’s approach might benefit your athlete's development, please complete the contact form on the Mental Performance page →