We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Luciano Hernandez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with LUCIANO below.
LUCIANO, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
Confidence and self esteem are important aspects of your personality. Some people have more, some people have less, but the good news is that you can develop it within yourself on purpose. The last part there, on purpose, is where the money is at.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, employee, student, or just a regular guy or gal, confidence and self esteem are how you get anything done.
I start by delineating what I can control and influence versus what I do not have any control over. Really, none of us have control over anything so the word “influence” is where we want to focus.
When I’m down in the dumps, the focus then is to start getting small wins to build myself back up. I start at the bottom of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and work my way up. The very base of the pyramid is the Physiological section. Things like food and shelter, clothes, basically it’s your environment.
So I start with a shower. I do a few pushups, an ab workout, perhaps I take some time to stretch my legs, I use a massage gun to increase my flexibility, and might even go for a 1-2 mile jog. I take care of my laundry, make sure my home and car are clean, and cover my hygiene needs as well. These things must now become my habits again. I’ve found that when I let my beard go, stop flossing my teeth, and stop exercising, existing in this world gets a whole lot harder. That’s why we cover the absolute basics first.
Next is safety and stability. In this world, of course money isn’t everything but it DOES solve a lot of problems. Money is the tool that provides us the most stability in this world, so I make a plan for how I’m going to earn more. When I was an employee I researched how to ask for a raise, and I made friends in HR so that I knew the ins and outs of what’s possible.
As an entrepreneur, the focus is on sales. We can spin our wheels doing anything else, but we really don’t have anything else if we don’t have sales. That is why my focus goes there once I’m feeling better about myself. And confidence/self-esteem help tremendously here.
Going up the pyramid is love and belonging. It’s as simple as holding the door open for someone. It makes you feel good about yourself and your mind subconsciously tells itself that you’re a good person. And from there your esteem builds even further. Doing things like calling your relatives out of the blue is a great way to feel love and belonging. You’d be surprised how happy people will be to hear from you. Of course, not everyone has the best of families, and so this is why having friends is a big deal. I make sure to have at least 3 evenings or weekends where I am seeing friends.
The great thing about these relationships is that they become a practice for you to be a better person. You want to focus on listening to what the people around you are saying. Not with their direct words, necessarily, but what is the meaning they are trying to convey? What is it that they are truly trying to express? When you figure that out and you are interested in people they are delighted, and in turn you feel good about yourself because other people are validating that you are a good person. And that just feels wonderful.
Second from the top of the pyramid is literally Esteem. This is recognition and status. When I are well-groomed, feeling good physically, and feel the support of my friends and family, you are now set up to attack your work even better. As many athletes have said, “look good, feel good, play good.” And in this case, work is our “play” time. We want to keep a friendly and playful relationship with our work. This is what allows us to do our best work without being overcome by pressure. And as you get better at this you will start stacking bigger and bigger wins.
When you start stacking bigger and bigger wins, this is when you start achieving recognition for your efforts. And if not, you need to be in an environment where the things you do are celebrated. If you are doing everything in the paragraph above, you want to start being a little more public. Networking events in your industry, community events, or even events/gatherings put on by your employer are all excellent opportunities to get out in front of others. Being in front of others allows you to get to know more people, and just like you do with your friends and family, you practice listening for what they are truly trying to express. AND THEN you get recognition because the people around you are asking about you and your life. And they’ll say things like “wow, that is so cool,” and whatnot… which builds your confidence.
In essence, humans are social creatures. It’s our social nature that allowed us to survive all those years before technology even though other animals were faster and stronger than us with much sharper teeth. Up to this point, this whole effort has been to be a good person in the eyes of our peers. Of course you don’t want to be a doormat people pleaser, however you DO want people to like you. Because THAT is what build confidence and self-esteem.
Finally, we have Self-Actualization. Fulfilling one’s maximum potential and creativity. I’m not there yet! Some days I feel like I’m on the trail, but I veer off shortly after. And that’s ok. Learning to be patient and kind to ourselves allows us to protect our confidence and self-esteem. That’s just as important as building it!
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Listen, the people who I market and sell to and who pay my bills don’t read feel-good articles like this, so I’ll give you the short of what my company is. We have a patented solar powered light that goes on top of pickup trucks. Unbeknownst to us city-dwellers, decking out your truck is a popular hobby for millions of Americans. And so our lights being solar powered allows people to add lighting without drilling holes and wiring their vehicle. Sounds crazy, I would never do it, but lots of people do! So yeah, there it is!
Otherwise, please check out my podcast, The Lucianocast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. I interview business leaders, entrepreneurs, the occasional politician, and people who are otherwise talented.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
You gotta jump in to swim – Mac Miller
Simply trying new things and doing them to my best ability is what has been most impactful on my journey.
When I was 9 I was in Tae-Kwon-Do and got a 3rd place trophy for sparring.
When I was 10 I got a 3rd place ribbon for shotput even though I was a scrawny fella.
As a pre-teen I learned how to perform by doing magic tricks with cards
I was a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout as well. That’s where I learned how to “figure it out” because I’d go on camping trips with minimal supplies. I can start a campfire 16 different ways.
In high school I was on the football team, and by that I mean I was a tackling dummy for the starters while I rode the bench. I tried my hand at wrestling, getting my ass whooped by kids who have been doing it their whole lives. Talk about resilience!
Street basketball is where I learned some toughness. There isn’t anyone wearing a suit working in a corporation that intimidates me for this reason.
My advice for those early in their journey is to not be afraid. Not of anything or anyone. If people doubt you it’s because they are jealous. If they aren’t jealous, perhaps they aren’t as smart as you. If they are not jealous, and they are in fact smarter than you, then they are doubting you because you are more brave. And your bravery and self-belief are forcing them to think about how they aren’t so brave. So keep that in mind when some douche tells you they don’t see the vision.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
I think the most impactful thing my parents did for me was encouraging me to be myself and going along with whatever it was.
I remember being like 8 and howling at the moon on the way home from Grandma’s and even though it was goofy they were just like “heck yeah, go for it” and I wasn’t afraid to let it fly lol. And just encouraging me to try stuff. As I had mentioned, I was in all kinds of different sports, Scouts, did magic tricks, gave skateboarding a try, and sold chocolate in high school to pay for a trip to Europe.
All that lead to powerful experiences that shaped me and allowed me to be ready as an adult to have an open mind with a playful attitude. And when it comes down to it, having all those experiences make it easier to be confident!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://getspiritfire.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spirit_fire_lights/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luciano-hernandez-v/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
