At any level of sport there is often too much focus on whether youre recruiting attackers or defenders. But Ive always had the attitude that defence wins games no matter how good you are in offense.

To win you need to have strong defence. You dont need lots of sporting talent to play defence well in our sport either, its all in your mental attitude. You need to want it.

There are parallels with business. Offense is the fun bit in business, going on corporate golf days, networking events or launching new services. Whereas defence is the hard work being consistent with your finance, emails and business strategy.

Winning new business isnt going to be worth much if you arent on top of what youve already built. Winning in sport and business means having the right team of people around you.

The Newcastle Eagles Stadium.

What is sometimes overlooked though is how much personality matters. We invest a lot of time and energy into making sure we recruit the right personalities for the Eagles.

The difference between a professional and amateur sportsman is not always how technically gifted they are but their mentality.

We have developed a glass half full culture at the Eagles an ethos that our Head Coach Mark Steutel, also the Head Coach for the British Mens Basketball team, lives and breathes. I also think this is key for any successful business as culture is everything.

We look for people who are in it for the long-game, positive people who want to play for the badge and want to make Newcastle their home.

We are the best supported club in the league and we want our players to fall in love with the city as well as the sport this all plays into a winning mentality.

If you have someone in your team who isnt engaged with the wider vision and instead see their role as a stepping stone you dont get the player trying to win a trophy, you get an individual looking after their own stats.

Creating a strong culture within your business will give your team the motivation they need to work together.

In my playing days my vision for success started with getting on the court in the first place, by being chosen to play the game in a tournament, then the majority of games in the season. It was a process and I had to work hard at each step.

I never got to where I wanted to be in basketball but back then there wasnt as clear a pathway as there is today.

My love for the sport never faltered though, and I didnt let this blip in my vision get me down. I adapted and moved over to the business side of the sport, shifting my vision and realising the opportunities ahead.

Newcastle Eagles encompasses multiple businesses the club, the foundation and the arena we play in.

Even though I am passionately invested in club games I am also involved in the day to day running of all three businesses.

If we lose a game at the weekend even though I really struggle to get over losing games I must find a positive mindset to approach the tasks that need doing for the other businesses on Monday morning.

Remaining positive is a key pillar to winning and staying on the path to achieving your vision. The same applies in business, especially an industry like property where things can change quickly. There are always wins to be found and although its important to look at how we can improve, its not productive to dwell on the negatives.

As long as the changes you make have a purpose, youre on the right path.

Paul Blake is owner of basketball team, Newcastle Eagles. Read more in the latest issue of Iampropertys Tech of a Life

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