There are four words I would love to hear more often in sport:
“That. Do that again.”
Preferably followed by an explanation of exactly what “that” was.
Because a good moment deserves to become something we understand.
In dressage, a movement can feel different for a few seconds. The response becomes clearer. The coordination improves. Something that required considerable effort suddenly feels more available.
Those seconds contain information worth keeping.
The same thing happens in the gym: an exercise suddenly feels more controlled, your balance improves, and you can feel the muscles doing the work you intended. That moments deserves attention, too.
What happened just before them? Did the preparation change? Was the timing different? Did I allow enough time for an answer?
A compliment feels good. A precise description gives you something to practise.
“Beautiful” and “well done” have their place. I enjoy hearing them as much as anyone.
But tell me what made the difference and you have given me something I can take into the next attempt.
This applies to the way we observe our own training, too.
We can become extremely articulate about what went wrong. Ask us about a mistake and we can provide a detailed reconstruction, complete with several alternative endings.
A good attempt deserves the same attention.
Pause long enough to notice it. Identify what you actually did. Try again with that detail in mind. See whether it helps consistently.
Then a satisfying moment can become a skill you know how to return to.
That interests me enormously: making good work more understandable, more repeatable, more available.
I want to know what worked while I still remember how it felt.
Silvia
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