Business leaders from across the region were given some valuable insights into how to achieve the best possible performance by football international and Premier League star, Paul McVeigh. Paul, who had a 16-year career as a professional footballer with Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City and Northern Ireland, was speaking at the Larking Gowen Autumn Business Breakfast, at Milsoms Kesgrave Hall, near Ipswich, on 22 November 2022. His experience of competing with and against some of the best players in the world, and being the first Premier League footballer to qualify with a Master’s Degree in Psychology, formed the basis of his presentation into how to achieve the right mindset to boost performance. “In the four corner model of performance, you have technical, physical, psychological and social. The most important is psychological. The question you have to ask is: How much of your day are you dedicating to improving this?” he said. “People are busy working throughout life. It’s just a case of being clear on what you are working towards every day, every month, every year. Normally, you are told what your goals are professionally, but nobody tells you what your goals are for yourself,” he said. Since his retirement from professional football, besides becoming a thought leader in performance psychology, Paul has become an established radio and TV broadcaster and has published a book, ‘The Stupid Footballer is Dead’. Graham Mummery, Audit Partner with Larking Gowen’s Corporate team, said: “We’re very grateful to Paul for a fascinating insight into the world of elite performance, and how lessons can be learned from sporting achievement at this level that apply to all aspects of life.” The event was sponsored by Beckett Investment Management Group. Find out more about Paul’s work here.
