We were lucky to catch up with Juan Raymundo Ramos recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Juan Raymundo, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
Developing my self-esteem and confidence has been such a journey filled with moments of uncertainty and self-doubt, especially when venturing into new territories like film projects, producing a podcast, or networking events. I was often perceived as someone who was shy or not as communicative, and a lot of it was because of lack of confidence and self-esteem. Despite these recurring challenges, I’ve learned to confront my fears head-on.
Whether it’s running a production company, creating a new livestreaming Twitch channel, so on and so forth, each new endeavor brings with it a wave of questions: “What is my purpose in pursuing this?” “Is it worth the investment of time and resources?” These doubts often cloud my path, leading to moments of stumbling and failure. It’s something I continue to think about.
However, amidst the uncertainty, I’ve discovered a profound sense of fulfillment. Despite the discomfort, completing goals and forging meaningful connections outside my comfort zone has proven immensely rewarding.
A quote that resonates deeply with me is, “It’s okay to fear the storm, but don’t flee from it. Instead, embrace it, hone it, and you will become the best version of yourself.” This mindset has propelled me through challenges and fueled my growth.
Reflecting on the past year (2023), I can confidently say it was the best year of my life. Despite continuous mistakes and obstacles, I remained resilient. The result? I achieved more than ever before, fostered lasting connections, and was the happiest I’ve ever been.
I anticipate further growth and to continue embracing the discomfort that accompanies it, and I know that it’s going to be an uphill battle. Because it’s through these experiences that I’ve cultivated newfound confidence and self-esteem, propelling me toward a much better year in 2024.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I was born and raised in the Philippines, and when I was 13, I had the opportunity to move to Los Angeles, chasing new opportunities and a better life.
Starting over in a new country wasn’t easy. Everything was different—the culture, the way people interacted with each other, the educational system, and so on. I had to adapt fast, especially when I started Middle School. It definitely wasn’t easy at first, but despite the challenges, I thought to myself that of all the places in the world that I could be, Los Angeles was the perfect place to hone my passion which was filmmaking. I started editing projects at around 10 years old, and it’s been a joy ever since, so I thought to myself, “LA was the perfect place to dive into that world.”
I went to a high school in Los Angeles which had a Focus Program for Cinematic Arts. There, I learned the basics of filmmaking and also public speaking. I learned so much from being in a classroom where we were taught the history of Film and TV, having hands-on experience in creating small film projects, as well as having presentations in front of the class which was such as struggle for me because I didn’t speak English very well back then, and it was something I’ve never done before. Ever since, I’ve been traumatized speaking in front of the audience because I know I’ve a fool of myself many times in front of people. It’s something that’s always been stuck with me, but I’ve learned to develop my confidence as time progressed. Overall though, it gave me a fundamental understanding of cinema, why it is what it is today, and I’ve grown so much from being in that Focus Program.
Then came college where I continued to attend film classes, 12-week workshops., and so on, which led me to finish and pass 2 tests which made me Certified in Avid Media Composer. In University, I pursued a degree in Cinema and Television Arts where I learned about film theory, history, and even tried my hand at web design and photography. Plus, I got to work on all sorts of film projects, gaining hands-on experience along the way.
Nowadays, I’m freelancing as an Editor/Assistant Editor and also juggling the role of Operations Manager at Howling Gale Entertainment, a production company that’s all about sharing diverse stories and perspectives through different media forms such as narrative films, music videos, documentaries, and our podcast called “The Howl”.
It’s been such a thrilling, heartbreaking, exciting, saddening, fulfilling, and wild journey filled with so much uncertainty, joy, stress, happiness, etc. etc. etc. and I love it.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back into my journey, something I always found to be vital in anything that you do is Patience and Consistent Action. Patience is so important because things take time. For example, learning a recipe, or creating a film project, learning a new instrument, being in the best shape and going to the gym, creating music videos, podcasting, making music, etc.. A lot of your passion takes time to perfect, and it is through consistent action that will get you to where you want to be in life. I actually don’t believe that anyone has natural talent. Sure, some people are born differently than others, and sure, maybe a lot of the things we get are luck based (for example, being born into an experienced family, etc.) There’s a lot of tendency for people to quit, and be out of their lane, and I’m guilty of that. However, it’s essential to remain dedicated and keep pushing forward, even when results may not be immediate. Consistency breeds progress and eventually leads to success.
Another thing that I’ve developed over the year which has helped me go through so much in life is embracing discomfort. Stepping out of your comfort zone is where growth happens. Whether it’s trying new filming techniques, experimenting with podcast formats, or networking with industry professionals, embracing discomfort opens doors to new opportunities and expands your skill set. Of course, you won’t be the best at something instantly. But going off of what I mentioned earlier about being consistent and having patience, let’s combine that with embracing discomfort. Think about it. If you’ve been comfortable your whole life, then what is there to look forward to since you’re already fulfilled?
And the third thing I wanted to mention is to surround yourself with things and people that align with who you are. For me, it’s building a supportive network. Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals who share your passion and vision is invaluable because it’s also about cultivating relationships that can last a lifetime. These connections offer support, inspiration, and collaboration opportunities that can propel you forward in whatever you decide to do.
Stay committed, be open to challenges, and build meaningful connections within your circle. You got this!
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
The book that has significantly influenced my personal and professional development is ‘Tiny Habits’ by BJ Fogg. This book has been a game-changer for me in numerous aspects of my life since it had so many insights into the power of habit-building and the role it plays in achieving personal growth and success.
As far as nuggets of wisdom from the book, I learned so much from the concept of ‘tiny changes.’ Instead of aiming for drastic transformations or relying solely on motivation, the book talks about the importance of starting small and incorporating tiny habits into daily routines, and that could be exercising just a little bit during the day, making sure things are in place for you to not forget where they are supposed to be, learning a song for just a few minutes, writing things down, doing just 5 minutes of screenwriting per day, learning something new, whatever the case may be.
These tiny changes may seem insignificant at first, but they have the potential to snowball into progress over time, because being consistent at something is far more beneficial than putting a lot of effort into something in one day, yet you stop doing it for a while.
Another thing that the book talks about is constant celebration and positive reinforcement. In other words, small wins. The thing is, celebrating even the smallest victories, we reinforce positive behavior and create a sense of accomplishment that fuels further motivation and habit formation.
One of my favorite things in the book is how it talks about the role of environment and context in shaping behavior. By designing our environments to support desired habits and minimizing friction, we can make it easier to stick to our goals and resist temptation. That’s the reason why sometimes I enjoy organizing and cleaning the kitchen before I start to cook, or also, I like to set the tone and environment for my editing system, because it actually helps me perform better, and encourages me to be even more motivated to develop certain habits that benefit my life.
I recommend the book to someone struggling with lack of motivation, not being able to get things done, etc. It’s been a favorite of mine for a while. 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: http://howlinggale.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/juantonomoe
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@howlinggaleentertainment
