Baseball is claimed to be the only sport that can weed out actual championships. Athletes are allowed to contribute and in some instances, compelled to do so under extreme pressure. They can be elevated from good teams to great ones. Sports, in general, is a great avenue to achieve discipline, develop camaraderie, and generate value. Passionate athletes are most likely to succeed and be capable of playing in major leagues.
However, not all great athletes, though giving their best effort, have been afforded a chance to play in big arenas. Sometimes, rejection and failure arise as a result of injuries, unfavorable situations, or priorities. Such things can lead to self-doubt among a plethora of other negative thoughts and behaviors. To combat these emotions one can consider a broader playing field. Consequently, the beauty of a game like baseball lies in the fact that it is universal. A passionate American baseball player can find opportunities in other countries to pursue his dreams. As our guest speaker believed, "At the end of the day, money spends the same whether it comes from America or Korea. Hence, we must understand that the ultimate goal of a father is to provide a bright future for his family."
Anthony Alford is an athlete, father, and loving husband to his wife, Bailey Alford. He formerly played in Major League Baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Pittsburgh Pirates but is currently playing in South Korea for KT Wiz of the KBO league as a baseball outfielder.
In this special episode with Anthony Alford, we'll learn about the adversities faced by a professional baseball player and his family as they seek to lead and make an impact on the world through sports. Be captivated as we know about the journey of a remarkable man who paved his way in baseball. He also made a tough decision to play overseas to support his family and make a living out of his sports.
"As a professional athlete, you have a short window that you have to make your money for the rest of your life." – Anthony Alford
Topics Covered:
(00:00:00) Introduction + Episode Snippet
(00:00:40) Introducing our special guest, Anthony Alford
(00:02:55) The uncertainty vs. Job security
(00:04:07) Why did Anthony decide to go overseas?
(00:05:13) What is the average career for a major league baseball player?
(00:06:22) How does baseball differ from other sports?
(00:07:57) Many big-league players are now playing in other countries.
(00:08:36) The National League Mentality
(00:11:02) The Pressure and The Performance
(00:12:13) Start living in the moment
(00:13:20) Speak positively to yourself.
(00:14:12) Meditation: The piece that is not usually taught
(00:15:57) How Anthony got the offer in South Korea
(00:18:08) Stability and Security: The mental stress of Anthony's wife
(00:19:47) Quick Reminder: Are you enjoying this episode? Please share it, leave a five-star review, and give feedback. Go to TimeOut with the SportsDr website.
(00:20:09) How do South Koreans embrace foreign athletes?
(00:22:05) The Celebration Routine
(00:23:10) The incredible experience of living in various countries.
(00:25:43) The Brand: How to support Anthony Alford
(00:26:22) You are your brand.
(00:28:39) Final TimeOut with Anthony Alford: How would you encourage athletes to explore different avenues where they can still generate income from their sport?
(00:30:21) Baseball is universal.
(00:30:56) You have to consider your situation and priorities.
(00:32:47) Connect with Anthony Alford.
Key Takeaways:
"Security was a thing that overseas kind of provided for me at this time." – Anthony Alford
"I just played under my first guaranteed contract, and it's been ten years since I got drafted." – Anthony Alford
"There's a lot of self-doubts and the unnecessary pressure we put on ourselves as players." – Anthony Alford
"Once you start going down that rabbit hole of negative thoughts and self-doubt, it will be hard to get that out of your head." – Dr. Derrick Burgess
"Meditation and speaking positively to yourself is a big factor to success." – Anthony Alford
"They'll scream my name and just start doing my little celebration thing, and it was a cool feeling." – Anthony Alford
"You can embrace being you as a person more so than just you as an athlete." – Dr. Derrick Burgess
Connect with Anthony Alford:
Website: https://fanarch.com/collections/anthony-alford
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009390781179
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajalford13/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ajalford_
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Alford
Connect with Dr. Derrick Burgess:
Website: https://www.drderrickthesportsdr.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drderrickthesportsdr/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimeOut.SportsDr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrick-burgess-72047b246/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHGDu1zT4K_X6PnYELu8weg
Email: thesportsdoctr@gmail.com
