4-2-2: Start before you feel ready

Hi! 

How are you getting on? In recent conversations, I’ve been speaking to people about the courage it takes to move forward.

It’s easy to say you want to move forward but some situations require you to really push yourself, even when you don’t feel like you’re ready to. Hopefully these tips will help you.

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Start Before You Feel Ready

In football, you rarely felt 100% ready. Whether it was an unexpected start or being thrown on with five minutes left, the moment often came before you felt fully prepared. But the best players acted anyway.

In business, if you wait until you feel completely ready, you’ll miss your window. World-class performers move forward despite the nerves. Progress doesn’t wait for perfection.

Build Your Bounce-Back Rate

Everyone gets knocked down. But elite performers stand out because of how quickly they bounce back. In football, we didn’t have the luxury of dwelling on a poor performance, we had to reset and refocus within days.

In business, learn to let go of setbacks quickly. The faster you recover, the more resilient, and valuable, you become.

Curate Your Inputs

What you consume shapes how you think. During my playing days, I was careful about what voices I let into my head, coaches, mentors, even the media.

In business, it’s the same. Be intentional about your inputs. The news you read, the conversations you have, the social media you follow. It all affects your mindset. Guard your mental diet as closely as your physical one.

Treat Growth Like a Skill

Talent is great, but growth is better. The players who rose furthest in football weren’t just gifted; they were hungry to improve. They treated development like a skill in itself.

In business, world-class performers view learning as a daily habit, not an occasional task. They ask questions. Seek feedback. Reflect. If you want to grow, practise growing.

Learn Each Other’s Roles

One of the most effective football teams I played in made sure every player understood the basics of each other’s responsibilities. It built respect, empathy, and flexibility.

In business, when team members understand what their colleagues actually do, not just their job title, it improves collaboration. The more perspective your team has, the fewer silos you’ll face.

Trust the Process Together

Top teams buy into the long-term plan, even when the results don’t come immediately. In football, we had to believe in the manager’s process before the wins arrived.

In business, the same rule applies. When your team believes in the system and trusts each other, results follow. Align your team around the process, not just the prize.

Set the Culture Early

Culture isn’t something that forms over time, it’s built from day one. In football, dressing room standards were set by the first few weeks of a season.

In business, your team is always watching. How you handle challenges. How you treat others. What you praise and what you tolerate. Leadership isn’t just what you say, it’s what you do consistently.

Be the Calm in the Chaos

In high-pressure matches, the best leaders were the ones who stayed calm. Their composure spread through the team.

In business, your ability to stay level-headed in a crisis will set the tone. Don’t match the chaos, neutralise it. Great leaders bring clarity, stability and confidence when things get noisy. That presence is often more powerful than any strategy.

That’s all from me this week. I hope these insights help you out. Have a great weekend and keep getting after it!

Paul