4-2-2: Just showing up vs showing up with purpose

Hi! 

How’s your week going? It’s been another insane couple of days in sports, from PSGs Champions League glory to Gukesh Dommaraju becoming the youngest World Chess Champion in history!

These athletes really show what the difference is between just showing up and showing up with a purpose. This can also be applied to your business.

Est. Reading Time: 3 minutes

Compete With Intent

In football, there’s a difference between playing and competing. Competing requires full focus, emotional control, and a hunger to win. It’s not just about showing up, it’s about showing up with purpose. In business, approach each meeting, each pitch, each decision with the same intent. Be present. Be prepared. Be competitive in the right way. That edge makes all the difference.

Find Lessons in Success, Not Just Failure

Most people reflect when things go wrong. But world-class performers analyse their wins just as closely. In sport, after a great game, we’d ask: what worked? What can we repeat? What patterns led to that performance? In business, don’t move on too quickly from success. Study it. Extract the insights. Then embed those habits into your routine.

Stay Humble, Stay Dangerous

The players who lost their edge were the ones who started believing their own hype. The elite ones remained grounded, hungry to prove themselves every day. In business, the same rule applies. Celebrate your wins, but don’t coast on them. Humility keeps you hungry. And hunger keeps you dangerous.

Reflect, Don’t Ruminate

There’s a fine line between healthy reflection and destructive overthinking. After a poor performance, I’d review the footage, take the learning, then move on. In business, learn to do the same. Reflect to grow, but don’t dwell. Ruminating wastes energy. Reflection fuels improvement.

Keep Meetings Focused and Short

In elite teams, we didn’t spend hours talking, we acted. Team talks were clear, sharp, and to the point. In business, long-winded meetings kill momentum. Get in, align quickly, assign action points, and move forward. The best teams keep communication tight and energy high.

Reinforce the Team’s Identity

In football, identity was everything. We knew who we were as a squad, how we played, how we won, and what we stood for. In business, every high-performing team needs a strong sense of identity. What do you value? What makes you different? Remind the team regularly. A shared identity becomes a powerful motivator.

Define What “Good” Looks Like

One mistake I’ve seen in football and business is assuming people know what high standards look like. The best leaders don’t leave that to chance. They define it. They show it. They reinforce it. If you want your team to deliver, paint a clear picture of what excellence actually looks like, then hold everyone to it.

Stretch Without Breaking

Great leaders know how to challenge their teams just enough. Push too hard, and they burn out. Don’t push at all, and they stagnate. In sport, the best managers stretched us consistently, but never beyond our capacity. In business, that balance is key. Challenge your people, yes, but support them too. That’s how growth happens without burnout.

Hope these tips will be helpful as you continue to develop your leadership skills. Have a great weekend and keep getting after it!

Paul