Playing the Game, Not the Occasion

Paddy Upton

I’ve just returned from another stint with the Indian men’s hockey team. It culminated in winning the Asia Cup and booking a direct ticket to next year’s Hockey World Cup. Beyond the trophy, it was another reminder about some of what separates teams that perform consistently from those who stumble when it matters most.

There’s no mystery formula. No silver bullet. Winning and losing are two sides of the same coin, and both are shaped by the same foundations. Success is built on two things: getting the fundamentals right, and managing the distractions that pull us off course.

Fitness as a Commitment

At one point during the tournament, I said something to the media that went viral: from a fitness perspective, this team has 18 Virat Kohlis. It wasn’t said lightly.

Led by coach Craig Fulton, this group made a collective decision—they would not be beaten in the final quarter because of a lack of fitness. The plan is not only to last the distance, but to finish stronger than they started. In the Asia Cup final, that resolve turned into reality. When other teams were fading, India still had fuel in the tank.

That choice to never be outrun was more than a statement of bravado. It was a plan that materialised through relentless daily commitment from players and staff alike.

Playing the Game, Not the Occasion

What stood out in the final wasn’t just fitness. It was how the team managed the occasion.

The best teams don’t fixate on the scoreboard or the prize. They don’t allow the pressure of winning or fear of losing the final to hijack the way they play. Instead, they focus on the same processes that got them there in the first place—solid preparation, clarity of role, and full commitment to each moment – one play at a time. Do this, and the result tends to look after itself.

That’s as true in sport as it is in business. The more you can keep your attention anchored in what you can control—on the task at hand in the present moment—the less you’re influenced by the ever-present distractions that surround us.  

The Art of Distraction Management

When it comes to mental conditioning, especially for these high-pressure moments, the majority of my conversations with athletes revolve around ‘distraction management’. They all know what they need to focus on and what to do. It’s the things that hijack them from this focus that needs attention.

One of the most common distractions is mistakes. Not letting go of past mistakes creates doubt, insecurity, hesitation and reduced confidence. Ruminating on future mistakes leads to anxiety, second-guessing and playing safe. Both take our eye off the ball in the present moment, and their associated emotions hold us back.

Each of us has our own unique distractions. For some, it’s criticism. For others, it may be expectation, a certain opponent, the audience, a comment, fear of failure, desperation to succeed. The key is self-awareness—knowing what pulls you off course, and learning to return quickly to the present task.

For this Indian team, that ability to reset, particularly after a mistake or conceding a goal was as important as any technical skill.

Fundamentals: The Unseen Edge

It’s tempting to think that success in high performance is about complex strategies or cutting-edge innovations - special things available only to the most talented amongst us. But the truth is often less glamorous.

This team nailed the basics:

• Sleeping well
• Eating well
• Training fitness
• Preparing sound game plans
• Prioritizing rest and recovery
• Building strong teamwork

None of these are new ideas. The words carry little weight, until one brings the discipline to follow through—every day, regardless of the conditions and whether you feel like doing them or not.

In many ways, that’s the good news. These fundamentals are available to anyone. They’re not reserved for elite athletes or high-profile executives. They’re controllables, accessible to all of us, provided we’re willing to commit to them consistently. Most aren’t, which means it’s not difficult to get ahead.

Lessons Beyond Sport

There are clear parallels to business leadership. Scaleups and established organisations alike are surrounded by distractions—markets shifting, competitors rising, investors watching the scoreboard. In that noise, it’s easy to chase the next big idea or to let fear of mistakes shape our decisions.

But sustainable success rarely comes from chasing outcomes. It comes from doubling down on the controllables: such as having clear direction, role clarity, a healthy culture, an environment where people are committed to executing their talents - without undue pressure, fear and similar avoidable distractions, and whatever else is important in your context.

Just like the Indian hockey team chose never to be outrun in the last quarter, businesses can make similar commitments. Not necessarily about fitness, but about the areas they decide will never be their excuse for falling short. Whether that’s culture, preparation, or clarity in decision-making—those choices set the foundation.

A Closing Reflection

Winning looks different on the outside than it does on the inside. From the outside, it’s a medal, a trophy, a market lead. From the inside, it’s built on months and years of consistent fundamentals, and on the discipline to manage distractions when the spotlight is brightest.

That’s the real work of high performance. And it’s available to anyone willing to choose it.