"I used that insult to build the rest of my career" — When Shark Tank's Barbara Corcoran admitted how doubt fueled her success

Barbara Corcoran, real estate mogul and Shark Tank investor, once said that a put-down from her former business partner inspired her to become successful. She appeared for an interview on NowThis Impact, which was released on July 16, 2018. She remembered her "boyfriend a slash business partner" and said he left her to marry her secretary. At the time, he said she'd never succeed without him.

"I was in business with him living with him for seven years and he told me on the way out the door ex I left finally when I had the courage and started my own business all over again and he said I'd never succeed without him. Let me tell you, the best advice—an insult—I think I used that insult to build the rest of my career."

Corcoran underscored that proving him wrong became a driving force behind her determination to dominate the New York real estate market.

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How Shark Tank Barbara Corcoran turned an insult into a career-defining motivation?

Turning an insult into a driving force

Barbara Corcoran explained that after her business partner left, she was determined to succeed. The Shark Tank investor emphasized how the comment fueled her ambition, stating:

"I fueled me when I couldn't find fuel in other places."

This mindset helped her stay focused during the early years of her business. She remained committed to her goal of becoming a top figure in New York real estate.

"I was hyper-focused because all I wanted to be was the queen of New York real estate," she explained.

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The role of hard work and preparation

While working on her business to grow, Corcoran highlighted that she always worked harder than the people around her, which helped to drive her success. The Shark Tank investor explained:

"If you work twice as hard at something, you're generally going to get twice as far, if not three times farther."

Barbara also noted that excessive preparation gave her a huge advantage in her line of work. She emphasized that this is a habit that she developed from fear that she would not be able to deliver, which made her work extra hard prior to any task.

This strategy not just enabled her to overcome hurdles efficiently but also enabled her to build confidence and excel in competitive scenarios.

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Overcoming obstacles and maintaining resilience

Corcoran also referred to resilience in entrepreneurship in launching a business. The Shark Tank investor described how setbacks are part of the process and described how entrepreneurs face more defeats than victories initially, stating:

"When you're building a business, you have your good days, but you have a lot more bad days than good days."

She added that overcoming such obstacles and persevering is one of the most critical elements to ultimate success. She reiterated this strategy, saying:

"You have to really be able to take anything that hits you in the head or flies in your face and think quickly on your feet on how to solve it."

The Shark Tank investor pointed out that the capacity for recovery from failure distinguishes effective entrepreneurs from all others. Barbara clarified that being always ready to get up after falling is the most crucial attribute for establishing a successful business and that the factor has withstood the test of time.

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