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 […]
By Paddy Upton Fear of failure is one of the most misunderstood concepts in performance. We talk about it often, but I don’t think most people truly fear failure itself. What we fear are the repercussions of failure, the ripples that follow—the judgement, the opinions, the shame of being seen to fall short. In sport, […]
Most founders I meet are so busy steering the ship that they don’t notice when their role needs to change. In the early days you’re the player — delivering the goods yourself. As the business grows, you need to become the captain — still playing, but now coordinating others, aligning communication, and keeping the team […]
By Paddy Upton When Jannik Sinner says, “I wish everyone could have parents like mine,” he isn’t talking about money or facilities. He’s talking about freedom—the space to choose, explore, and fall in love with the game on his own terms. That simple gift shaped his career. And sadly, it’s a gift too few young […]
By Paddy Upton Think of confidence like a balloon. For many people, that balloon is inflated by praise, compliments, recognition, and even social media likes. It feels good—until something goes wrong. The moment criticism, failure, or a negative comment arrives, the air rushes out just as fast as it went in. That’s shaky confidence. And […]
By Paddy Upton Many people think courage means being fearless.But it’s often quite the opposite. In high-performance environments—whether it’s sport, business, or big-wave surfing—it’s not the absence of fear that matters. It’s what you do when it shows up. I remember sitting on a boat in Indonesia’s Mentawai Islands as a big swell headed our […]
By Paddy Upton When MS Dhoni struck that six to seal the 2011 World Cup for India, it became one of the most replayed moments in cricket history. You may have seen the clip, maybe a number of times—the ball disappearing over long-on, the crowd erupting, teammates pouring onto the field. What you don’t see […]
By Paddy Upton There’s a story behind almost every moment of sporting magic that rarely gets told. We see the outcome — the celebration, the history being made. And we forget what came before it. Gukesh D became the youngest World Chess Champion in history at just 18. In the final game, the computer analysis […]
By Paddy Upton In sport, there was a time when the coach’s voice was the only one that mattered. You followed their instructions, executed their plans, and rarely questioned authority. Success was measured by how well you followed orders. That model belonged to another era — one defined by hierarchy, not shared wisdom. Today, the […]
By Paddy Upton One of the great paradoxes of high performance is this: The same drive that builds you… can also break you. Mike Hussey — known for his intensity and work ethic — said something on my podcast that stuck with me. “Putting so much pressure on yourself, that puts a lot of stress […]
By Paddy Upton There’s a lot that sport can learn from business. Strategy. Technology. Systems thinking. And there’s plenty that business can learn from sport — especially when it comes to the human side of performance. One of the areas where sport consistently gets it right — and many businesses continue to fall short — […]
By Paddy Upton There’s a common belief in sport, business, and leadership that people need to be “pumped up” before they perform. That some kind of hype or confidence boost is necessary to get people into the zone. But the more time I’ve spent working with elite performers, the clearer it’s become: this belief just […]
By Paddy Upton This article is based on themes explored in two recent reels — a clip from my podcast Lessons from the World’s Best with Gary Kirsten, and a reflection on how ego quietly undermines team performance. First, what do I mean by ego? It’s that often unconscious part of us that is preoccupied […]
By Paddy Upton When Sachin Tendulkar walked out to bat in his very first Test match – at just 16 years old – he was clueless. His words, not mine. “I had no idea what was going on. I was getting beaten by the pace. This is the wrong place for you,” he told himself. […]
By Paddy Upton I’ve been working across all four — and lately, scaleups have taken centre stage Over the past six months, my business focus has pivoted in a way that’s been both interesting and energising. Scaleups have gone from a small slice of my leadership work to the clear majority. (*By scaleups, I mean […]
