First, there is the burning desire to be the captain who ends Villa’s three decade-long drought and banish the deflation of what he describes as the “wasted” chances of recent years.
Then, there is the added drive and determination to keep proving his worth at the highest level.
Having last month turned 31, McGinn is becoming used to marking “miserable” birthdays but his continued importance to Villa is undeniable. Now eight seasons on from joining for just £2.75million from Hibernian, he has agreed another new contract which, if fulfilled, would take his stay at the club to a decade.
In the pursuit of silverware, he would happily go beyond that.
“It’s been an amazing journey and I have achieved so much, but everyone knows what would eclipse what we have already achieved,” says McGinn, who will hit the 300 appearance mark in Thursday’s Europa League tie against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
“If it takes me until I’m 37, 38, or even 40, I’m just so determined for that to happen.”
Aston Villa's John McGinn during a training session at Bodymoor Heath Training Ground, Tamworth. Picture date: Wednesday November 5, 2025.
McGinn joined Villa when they were entering their third season in the Championship. Last year, they came within a whisker of reaching the Champions League semi-final.
Throughout, he has been integral, the arrival of Unai Emery three seasons ago helping to take his game to heights he never believed possible.
Maintaining those levels gets no easier with age and to that end McGinn has placed an even greater focus on fitness.
The Scotland international spent the early weeks of the summer in Arizona with a personal trainer being “beasted” in 45 degree heat.
Far closer to home, he has employed a full-time chef, even though confessing to such a luxury is not easy for a boy from Clydebank.
“It makes me feel uncomfortable because I am from a very humble part of the world,” he smiles.
“They will all laugh at me and wind me up for it but I do have a chef at home.
“I am a big kid, so if I never had these things in place, the structure of Mikey in the house every night cooking me healthy food, I would pop to Nando’s every now and again. It has helped me a lot.
“For any young player coming to Aston Villa now, there is a stigma toward it. There definitely is in Scotland.