But for Matt Faddes the recipe is about doing what is in front of him and concentrating on what he can control and impact.
The Otago centre, who made his debut for Otago in 2012, was slow out of the blocks this season for Otago but it is getting better after a chat with the Otago coaching staff.
''I'm happy with the last couple of games. Before that I was a bit off my game. I sat down with the coaches and talked about how I can get better. It was just more about narrowing my focus,'' he said.
''In the first two games I was worrying about what the team is doing and how we are tracking, and not doing my job.
''There were times I was missing tackles and not doing my job, making fundamental errors. Once I sat down with the coaches - I was lost.
'' I did not really know what the issue was. I was thinking too broadly about the team. I just needed to be leading by just doing my job.
Faddes (26) had a slow year with the Highlanders, starting only one game. Throw in a limited club season and he has not even started 10 games this year.
''Consistent game time is huge for any player. If you are not playing well enough it is hard to justify to a coach to get selected.
''You've got to make the most of opportunities. That is why I was keen to come back into this environment and make my mark but I did it wrong.''
Faddes said when he had a great year with the Highlanders in 2016 it simply came from just playing what was in front of him.
''When I first started playing for the Highlanders, I was the guy in the backline that no-one knew anything of. I was surrounded by All Blacks and was not counted for as much. That suited me then.
''The mindset has to stay the same. If there is space there take it. Don't worry about what is outside you or inside you. Just focus on yourself rather than being in the team.''
When Faddes left South Otago High School and headed to Dunedin he weighed 80kg. He is now at 96kg as the game becomes more about power and explosiveness.
''You only have to look at the players now. In 2011 the athletes were not as powerful as now. Everyone is hard to tackle. It is not just the three or four players in the team. Everyone can break a tackle.''
Otago takes on Auckland this weekend, the only unbeaten team in the competition. The side has to be more accurate in attack as it blew some chances against Canterbury last Saturday.
''We let ourselves down on Saturday. Just with our execution and finishing. It came out that Canterbury missed 40 tackles in a game ... we made plenty of opportunities.
''It is a game plan we live by the sword and die by it. The offloads for us are really working and the line breaks but that is also killing us.''
Faddes, who had put his university studies on hold for now, will be back with the Highlanders next year.
''Hopefully, I can take a bit of form out of the Mitre 10 Cup into that and get into it. It is super competitive though. I think we have got the same midfield back from last year.
''Obviously Tei [Walden] and Bobby [Rob Thompson] had a great year. Richard Buckman coming back, who is proven at that level, Thomas Umaga-Jensen who is going to be a great footballer, and then Sio [Tomkinson], who is playing awesome footy. It is super competitive. But that is good as well as it pushes you to be at your best. The pre-season is going to be pretty huge.''