The High Performance Podcast

Barry Hearn: How I Still Wake Up Every Day Hungry to Win

Date: November 28, 2025
Guests: Barry Hearn (founder of Matchroom Sport)
Hosts: Jake Humphrey & Damian Hughes

Episode Overview

This episode features legendary sports promoter Barry Hearn, renowned for turning snooker, darts, and boxing into global powerhouses. Hearn discusses his “10 Rules for Life”—principles he credits with sustaining his success and relentless drive. He shares candid and entertaining reflections on humility, work ethic, resilience, and the joys and pains of ambition, delivered in his trademark self-deprecating, no-nonsense style. With stories ranging from nearly losing everything on a snowy Christmas Eve to the competitive chaos of family life, Hearn's wisdom is both a masterclass in high performance and a lesson in unfiltered authenticity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Importance of Luck ([01:51])

• Rule #1: “It’s better to be born lucky than good looking.”
  • Hearn insists luck is a crucial ingredient for success—everyone gets lucky breaks, but the key is being open to them and taking advantage.
  • Quote: “Without that little bit of luck, no matter how bright you are…we all need that bit of luck. We need to know to take advantage of that.” – Barry Hearn [01:55]
  • Numerous stories: e.g., Steve Davis, B Sky B at the brink of bankruptcy.

2. Humility and Self-Perception ([04:43])

• Hearn downplays self-importance, believing self-belief is critical but so is not taking oneself too seriously.
• Discusses compartmentalizing setbacks and avoiding regret.
• Quote: “I don’t take myself too seriously…You’re not really that important in the bigger picture.” – Barry Hearn [04:51]

3. Telling the Truth ([08:59])

• Rule #2: “Tell the truth. It’s easier than telling lies.”
  • Honesty becomes a luxury with age and security.
  • He reflects on an instance where, after contemplating a lucrative sale, he walked away because he didn’t want to work with people he disliked.
  • Quote: “I don’t like either of you, and I don’t really want to work with people like you.” – Barry Hearn [11:49]

4. Work Ethic & Competitiveness ([12:20])

• Rule #3: “Sheer work ethic can make you look like a genius.”
  • Hearn’s daily excitement for deals, sport, and business—his “an anorak” for work.
  • Makes competition out of everything, from gym visits to business targets.
  • Quote: “Someone said once about me, he’s not the brightest candle in the room, but he burns longer than anyone else. And that’s exactly what I do—I won’t be defeated.” – Barry Hearn [13:13]

5. Approach to Failure & Pressure ([15:22])

• Rule #4: “Pressure is only felt by those that fail.”
  • People use “pressure” as an excuse for weaknesses.
  • Advocates using failure once as a springboard for growth.
  • Quote: “When you do fail, make it one time you fail and use that as a springboard to succeed. It’s about character, isn’t it?” – Barry Hearn [15:31]

6. Competitive Family Life and Building Character ([17:11])

• Family competitiveness as a tool for resilience.
  • Example: Never letting his grandkids win at table tennis; boxing with his son Eddie to test character.
  • Lessons: Inner drive must be discovered, cannot be gifted.

7. 'Think Poor' to Stay Rich ([18:59])

• Rule #5: “You will run a better business and a better life if you think poor.”
  • A poor mindset keeps you grounded and customer-focused, despite wealth.
  • Quote: “Even if you’re stinking rich, do you want to be treated like that person? Or are you going to think poor and say, ‘I want my value.’” – Barry Hearn [19:04]

8. Resilience in Adversity: The Christmas Eve Story ([21:02])

• A near-bankruptcy tale: In 1988, Hearn’s business only survived thanks to creative bartering for sponsorship hours before disaster.
  • Quote: “That 180 grand saved my life, saved my business and saved me…You’re never completely finished, you know, while you're breathing there’s fighting the old dog.” – Barry Hearn [23:03]
  • Adversity reveals real character.

9. Life, Death, and Legacy ([25:41])

• Rule #7: "Life ends in tears."
  • Importance of not wasting time—advice from his father.
  • On mortality, inheritance, and moving from selfish focus to community-mindedness as one matures.
  • Quote: “The great thing about making money and being successful is the race is over…so you might as well do some good with it.” – Barry Hearn [28:56]

10. Avoiding Inertia & The Value of Sport ([29:26])

• Rule #8: “Nothing will change by sitting on the sofa.”
  • Criticizes a lack of motivation in modern youth.
  • Advocates government investment in sport for character-building and social improvement.

11. Not Being a Secret: Visibility Matters ([33:55])

• Rule #9: “If you’re good, admit it. If you’re great, shout it from the rooftops.”
  • Fame, personality, and marketing are essential in making the most of ability.
  • Anecdotes: Wearing a white suit to work for memorability; managing personalities in snooker and darts.
  • Quote: “It’s more important to be famous than be good... if you’re not famous, you’re never going to maximize your commercial earnings.” – Barry Hearn [34:04]
  • Also, tongue-in-cheek advice: “If you’re shit, be a secret.” [38:09]

12. Success, Support, and Envy ([38:35])

• Rule #10: "When you need a hand, you're more likely to get a kick in the nuts."
  • In hardship, friends are fewer than you think; when successful, everyone tries to associate.
  • Stories of British media building up success stories to later tear them down, and the irony of being given the most when you need it least.
  • Quote: "People around you really want to see you fail most of the time, because your success reminds them of their failure." – Barry Hearn [38:48]

13. Final Thoughts on Happiness and Self-Worth ([40:35])

• Core Message: You can only do your best; that alone is enough.
  • Hearn urges listeners not to chase perfection, but to smile, embrace who they are, and avoid taking themselves too seriously.
  • Quote: "Be the best you can be. That’s all you can do... try and do it with a smile on your face and don’t take yourself too seriously because I’m not brilliant." – Barry Hearn [40:56]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I should be calming down. I’m getting worse.” – Barry Hearn on his enduring excitement for work [12:27]
• “Life is a meritocracy. End of speech.” – Barry Hearn’s summary of why opportunity and effort matter [33:53]
• “Show me that you’re never completely finished… while you’re breathing there’s fighting the old dog.” – Barry Hearn, post-crisis positivity [23:03]
• "Everything is a competition. Everything." – Barry Hearn, on his relentless drive [14:09]
• “Don’t be a secret. By the way, if you’re shit, be a secret.” [38:09]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:51] Rule #1: Luck over Looks
• [04:43] Humility and Compartmentalizing Regret
• [08:59] Rule #2: Telling the Truth
• [12:20] Rule #3: Work Ethic
• [15:22] Rule #4: Pressure and Failure
• [17:11] Building Character in Family
• [18:59] Rule #5: Think Poor to Stay Rich
• [21:02] Overcoming Adversity: The Christmas Eve Story
• [25:41] Rule #7: Life Ends in Tears, Priorities & Giving Back
• [29:26] Rule #8: Avoid Inertia—Get Off the Sofa
• [33:55] Rule #9: Don’t Be a Secret
• [38:35] Rule #10: The Paradox of Needing Help
• [40:35] Final Reflections on Happiness and Self-worth

Summary Flow & Takeaways

The conversation flows through Hearn’s "10 Rules," using colorful stories and honest reflections to illustrate each. It’s part motivational playbook, part memoir, threaded through with humor and the hard-won lessons of someone who’s navigated both extreme highs and near-disastrous lows. Hearn’s lessons underscore grit, self-belief, resilience in adversity, constant self-marketing, and the critical importance of maintaining joy and humility along the ride.

Listeners are left with an emphatic message: you can’t control luck or the world’s opinion, but you can control your effort, your attitude, and your authenticity—"be the best you can be, with a smile."