If Professionals Want a Successful Career, Learn by Looking Inwards

 
The mentality of looking inwards and never giving up despite facing challenges and hardships is often an attribute shared amongst successful people. Never giving up is one icon’s motto — he overcame hardship, made a big bet (figuratively and literally) on himself and like-minded individuals, and came out victorious. Saying all that sounds easy, but only a few get to do it. So, how did one man shape his winning mindset?

In this episode of #WinTheDay, the host, Chase Wasson, talks with Tim Barker, Regional Sales Director at Abbott, about how after looking inwards, he transitioned from being a professional sportsman into sports betting and owning several successful businesses.

Raised in a faith-based home, from his high school years through college, things haven’t always been rosy. Tim was an aspiring baseball player who had big dreams, and after moving to his new school in North Carolina, he was faced with an uninspiring coach who complained about how he looked physically, which devastated him. But he built himself up, set limits, and crushed them, transforming himself into the man he is today.

“…The coach said go get yourself bigger and stronger in the weight room and immediately that devastated me. I could not fathom that I could not play baseball. More than that, that experience rocked my world more than I realized and it taught me about social awareness and emotional intelligence, of maybe I was not quite as good as I thought. I decided if I’m going to accept the way it is and show up next year the same player or prove everyone wrong, including the coach. I know what I can push myself and know what I am capable of—this carried me throughout my career professionally and every day I wake up, I set a new challenge for myself,” said Barker.

Wasson and Barker also discussed…

● The various ventures Barker is a part of and helped create

● How Barker transformed himself and the formula he uses in sports betting

● What advice Barker would give other young entrepreneurs

Visualization often yields realization. “I am always looking internally at how I can learn from my failures, and I think sports did that for me the most growing up. I seem to gravitate to where it was hard and not backing down from any challenge that was out in front of me. The thing I always look to is accepting things the way they are and realizing what I need to grow and develop on,” said Barker.

Tim Barker is the regional sales director for Abbott. He is an entrepreneur, life mentor, and sports savant. He is the CEO of BarkBets and the 3rd largest draftkings player in the world.

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