Tight feedback loops

Almost every action you take in business, sport, or life has some sort of feedback loop. In my opinion, for that feedback to truly be digested, you need the space to receive the feedback itself and reflect on it.

For example, tennis has quite tight feedback loops. After every single point, there is a baked in break (albeit very short) for the player to assess why they lost or won the previous point. They have a few seconds to adjust their play or mindset for the next point.

That being said, not everything is like tennis. But what if we purposely created tighter feedback loops in our life? What if we built in 5 minute reflective breaks into our calendar? What if everyday we asked our spouse what we did great or could have done better?

Not everything can be measured in small increments, but I certainly don’t see the hurt.

Recovery

Last night, my husband and I were playing pickleball, and about three-quarters through our second game, I started getting winded. Even when I made a great shot, I wasn’t getting back into position in time to react to the next one. I could feel my ability to recover, slipping in real time.

This experience reminded me that your ability to complete your next task often starts long before you even start it. You need to put yourself in the best shape possible, which usually results in the ability to recover in shorter periods of time. This allows you to get back into a position and have the mental sharpness to react and return the next shot.

If you can’t recover quickly, it doesn’t matter how good your last shot was; you'll be poorly positioned for whatever comes next.

Playoff players

When I was playing college hockey, my career started out pretty rough in the stats department. Although I played almost every game, I didn't score a single point my freshman year. My sophomore season didn’t start out much better, with no goals by Christmas. It's hard to believe now, looking back, that I ended up scoring 7 of my 11 total points that year in the playoffs and the national tournament.

Though I’m sure I didn’t realize it at the time, that’s when I became a playoff player. I worked hard throughout the entire season, of course, but I seemed to hit a different gear when it mattered most. You see this all the time in professional leagues — there are men and women who might not contribute much during the regular season, but come playoffs, they are indispensable. It's hard to describe, but they bring another level, an edge to their play, that benefits not just them but, more importantly, the team.

I think about this playoff player concept a lot. I'm drawn to athletes I watch on TV now, feeling a connection with them because I believe we share this trait. We have this confidence, knowing we will step up and meet the moment when it arrives—not just in sports but in life.

Note: Pat Maroon is one of the recent NHL players I believe is a true playoff player. Pat won a Stanley Cup in three consecutive seasons (2019, 2020, 2021) with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the St. Louis Blues.

Time & space

In hockey, "creating time and space" is a phrase often used in offensive strategy. Players should try to put distance between themselves and their opponents, gaining the freedom to make creative plays, catch defensemen off-guard, and execute the best moves. If you don’t do this, you often run out of room, and are forced to take a low percentage shot or turn the puck over.

The same principle applies in business. Without time and space, innovative decisions are unlikely. By delegating tasks, re-prioritizing, or returning to core principles, you can carve out the necessary time and space to make unique and impactful choices.