Replay the Winning Plays

Watching an old HBR webinar (yes, sometimes that's what I do with my spare time) I was inspired by Marcus Buckingham's approach to feedback and how to bring out the best in you.

"The solution to those moments already lies within you in other moments. You are taking colours that are already part of your palette to paint other parts of the picture." 

It got me reflecting on and thinking about how often we look outside ourselves for answers. In sports, life and work, we think the next coach, a new drill, or some trendy strategy will magically unlock our potential. But what if the truth is simpler and closer to home? What if the answers we’re chasing are already within us?

Rethinking Feedback: It’s Not About Fixing You

Feedback is often misunderstood. It's not about fixing what's broken; it's about shining a light on what's already working. The moments where you feel strong, confident, and at your best aren’t accidents. They're clues.

Instead of viewing feedback as a list of corrections, what if we saw it as some kind of map? A map that highlights and can direct your focus to where your greatness already exists. Think of your best performances. What were you doing? How did you feel?

Think about the moments when you felt unstoppable, confident, strong and completely in your element. Those weren’t flukes. They were clues.

Instead of asking, "What do I need to change?" maybe the better question is "What do I need to do more intentionally, more often?"

Reclaiming Your Power 

It’s easy to lose sight of our own power when we’re convinced that the next big thing will save us. But here’s the thing: when you double down on your great moments, you’re not just remembering who you are, you’re reinforcing it.

This week, I challenge you to flip the script. Instead of focusing on what you’re lacking, zoom in on those small, brilliant flashes of excellence. What were you doing? How did it feel? What patterns do you notice?

Instead of asking "What do I need to change?" … ask "What can I do more of?" 

Find those flashes of brilliance, no matter how small, and let them guide you. Your masterpiece isn’t about adding more. It’s about using the colors you already have, with purpose.

Building a Language for Excellence 

Excellence is deeply personal. It’s not an external, abstract concept floating outside of you; it's woven into your very being. To truly harness your power and put it into practice, you need to get increasingly specific and vivid about when you're at your best.

• Analyze your Moments of Excellence. Picture them clearly. What were you doing? How did your body feel? What thoughts were running through your mind? What emotions were present?

• Anchor your Mind in your Strengths. Tom Landry famously said, "We only replay the winning plays." The same applies here. Replay your winning plays, mentally and emotionally, and you'll start to discover and reconnect with the source of your strength.

Your Greatness is Already Within You

"The source of any person's future greatness is their current goodness."

Instead of obsessing over mistakes, focus on identifying and amplifying what's already working. Marcus Buckingham illustrated this tremendously using the writing process.

When a teacher hands back a draft essay to their student, all marked up with red ink, will the essay all of a sudden transform into excellent writing by just removing the errors in red? I would think not.

Rather, perhaps we should focus on highlighting the moments that elicit flow in the essay. If you would write more often putting together words like you did in “these” sentences, you would have an amazing essay.

The same principle applies to you and your efforts. Don’t just eliminate errors, it won’t unearth anything. You have to discover and inspire the brilliance from within. Find what works and double down, rinse and repeat to Elevate your excellence. 

This week, own your excellence. Replay the winning plays. And paint boldly with the colours you already have.