Barry Walton shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Barry, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Have you stood up for someone when it cost you something?
I recently stood up for something I believed in, even though it came at a real personal and professional cost. It cost me friends, followers, and potentially clients, which also meant risking income that supports my family and helps me pay my bills.
That moment came when I decided to speak out about what I witnessed following the death of Charlie Kirk. Charlie Kirk was a flawed human being, but overall I felt he was trying to find a path forward for our country. Seeing him killed in such a brutal and disturbing way, and then watching people celebrate his death, felt painfully un-American to me. We believe in freedom of speech, and we believe that even when someone is not always right, they are allowed to share their opinions. No one should be killed for doing so.
I traveled to Charlie Kirk’s memorial in Arizona and created a short documentary about it. I shared it with my followers through social media, and email. The response was some of the toughest and some of the most complimentary feedback I have ever received. Still, I stayed true to my convictions, because I felt it was important to say what I said and stand by what I believe.
Here is a link to that video: https://youtu.be/4S3hvf2HgJs?si=v2wMMg8HHHiMhy-q
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a documentary filmmaker with over 20 years of experience telling stories that focus on compelling human interest and overcoming great challenges in sports. My work has ranged from productions with National Geographic and Animal Planet to deeply personal projects that have taken me around the world. I have traveled to Italy to document the Violin Ghetto, to the Himalayas to capture the highest foot race on Earth, and throughout America to tell the stories of Olympians, professional athletes, and powerful moments in sports and human experience.
In addition to filmmaking, I am an adjunct professor at Eastern Florida State College and a curator of documentary films for the Melbourne Independent Filmmakers Festival in Melbourne, Florida. I also write a documentary-focused blog at Doc This Reviews (Blog Spot). And professionally run my company, Endless Media elevating brands and products by telling compelling stories.
At the core of everything I do is a deep passion for discovering unique stories and helping others find and tell meaningful stories of their own.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I struggled deeply in school, especially with reading, and I was held back in the third grade. While no one ever explicitly told me that I was dumb or incapable, I internalized that message. Through my experiences in the education system and the unspoken expectations I felt from teachers and even my parents, I began to believe that narrative about myself that stayed with me for nearly 20 years.
Eventually, I made a conscious decision to rewrite that script. I decided that the story I had been telling myself was wrong. I chose to believe that I was capable, that I could achieve my dreams, and that I could shape my own path rather than live out the limitations the world seemed to place on me. That shift has been one of the most profound and challenging transformations of my life (Read more about that transformation in my book, “The Unknown Adventure: A Story of Dreaming Big. Living Big, and Learning from Failure” on Amazon today)
Even now, there is not a day that goes by that I do not have to remind myself of my capabilities. I still fall into moments of deep self-doubt, and shame around failure can resurface. But by continually reminding myself of who I want to be and what I want out of this life, I keep reinventing myself and finding new ways to move forward.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self that struggling in school does not define your intelligence, your value, or your future. Being held back in third grade and having difficulty with reading does not mean you are incapable of great things. It simply means your path will look different, and that is not a weakness.
I would tell him that the voice in his head telling him he is not enough is not the truth. You are capable of shaping your own story, achieving your dreams, and creating a life that goes far beyond what anyone else expects of you. Even when shame and fear of failure show up, they do not get to decide who you become.
Most of all, I would tell him to be patient and kind with himself. The very struggles that feel like limitations right now will one day become the fuel for resilience, creativity, and the ability to reinvent yourself again and again.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I strongly believe that when you are inspired by something that truly moves you, something that changes you and calls you to share it, you have an obligation to see it through, no matter how long it takes. Along that road, the work can feel pointless or invisible. You will question why you are working so hard. Others may not understand what you are doing, may doubt your ability to finish it, or may not see its value. Still, I believe you are called to keep going.
For me, the goal is never public approval, money, or fame. Those may come as byproducts, but they cannot be the reason you move forward. The mission has to stay true to the original moment of inspiration. I believe that inspiration comes from something greater than myself. In my life, I believe it comes from God. When I feel called to create something, I feel an obligation to follow through, even when it is unpopular, uncomfortable, or difficult.
Purpose is what drives me. Purpose gives meaning and creates hope in a way that nothing else can. My newest book, based on my documentary Empty America, is a symbol of that commitment. During that journey, I had a moment of clarity that changed everything for me. My hope is that by sharing my story, others will be challenged, enlightened, and inspired to look at the world and their own perspectives in a new way.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Without a shadow of a doubt, I am doing what I was born to do. That said, choosing to follow my dreams has been one of the most challenging decisions of my life. It comes with real sacrifice. The road is lonely at times. Correction. Lonely almost always. You are forging ahead in a world that is often swimming in the opposite direction, and at first, very few people are willing to follow.
But it is that willingness to move forward anyway, that obligation to yourself, that is life giving. It is in pushing up against reality and having reality push back that you discover who you are. Resistance becomes a marker that you are alive, that you are engaged, that you are truly present in your own life.
I am not sure how I could do anything else. This path is not just what I do. It is who I am.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://endlessmediame.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/endless_media_me/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-g-walton/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WaltonBarry/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA3q2CEGwwmqaxoYOzVrC1A?view_as=subscriber
Image Credits
©Endless Media
