We recently connected with Chris Ortiz and have shared our conversation below.

Chris , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

This is a tough one to answer because all of my projects are important to me. I think the one that hits home most though is the book that I had written about a father/son relationship that was loosely based on my experience. The reason that it was so meaningful was because my father had known about the project and was quite proud of the fact that he was going to be in a children’s book that showcased our relationship and the city. About three quarters of the way through he came down with Covid and eventually passed from it. The book was completed a few days before his death and I never got to put the completed copy in his hands. The death was totally unexpected and I really wanted to show my love and appreciation for him through this project. We had a rocky upbringing but I would never change it for the world. Moral of the story, do not wait for the “right time” to express your love and gratitude because tomorrow is not guaranteed.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Like many creatives I found the Covid year to be the window I needed work on and complete the projects that had been on my heart and mind. For example “The Be Someone Podcast” which came from the love and art of conversation. I kind of feel that many retreated into a shell and became less social. I kind of went in the opposite direction and choose to chat with my eclectic friend group and seek out the wisdom from people I had admired from afar. With that being said I truly believe that is what sets me apart from my fellow podcasters. I do not have a lane in which to stay in, I most certainly have a sweet spot and subjects that I am more competent in. With that being said I still like to cast a wide net and try to use it as a learning opportunity to feed my genuine interest. If you listen to my podcast you will hear conversations with pro wrestlers, psychologist, educators, coaches, fighters, holy men, and a whole host of other interesting people with diverse backgrounds. On top of that I love to use my platform to help grow interesting and hungry people that are on the rise.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to eventually have “freedom” and I will explain what I mean by that. I love my 9 to 5 as an educator and coach, it is what I wanted to do since I was a kid. What I do not like though is the time constraints and some of the moral dilemmas that come about in our positions as public educators. I also do not like how politicians have taken our profession and made us public enemy number one. I wake up every morning and have the well being of over 350 young people on my mind each and every day. I do my best to educate, understand, and love my student/athletes. No matter what we do society and the system seems to think it is not enough. I am here to tell you what we do is a monumental task and it is quite impressive that we are able to take care of ourselves as well. The freedom I speak of is really quite simple but not really attainable under the current circumstances. I want the freedom to have a full nights rest without having to worry about the million of ancillary things that await me when I walk through my door. The freedom to not be to exhausted to exercise for the obvious mental and physical benefits it provides. Simple stuff like the freedom to use the restroom when I actually have to go and not have to eat my lunch while grading papers. I do not need more money, I need more time because the current system is burning a lot of us out. I am not to sure how much longer I can push this pace because as of late I have felt the negative health effects of this lifestyle. I am quite aware that I am only human and that time is finite. My profession provides me so much joy but also takes a lot out of me. Working on my books, podcast, and public speaking opportunities has a little more flexibility and the only person I have to keep happy is myself. I will most likely retire a teacher and coach which is AWESOME by me, but if there is an off chance that can create full time then I might just add some years to my life. Long story short is that I am tired and the candle is burning on both ends. I watched my father pass away right in front of my eyes and that experience alone has shown me the importance of time. Regardless of how I feel my students and community will get the best version of Chris Ortiz each and everyday. My track record speaks for itself, and I will leave it at that.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Actually I have had to pivot quite a bit over the last few months. Things have really started to take off as of late which is super exciting and with that being said command much more of your time. I was recently signed to Gilmore Media and taken The Be Someone Podcast to high quality video. Doors that were previously shut all began to open at once for me. I have a crazy work ethic and can push a crazy pace. With that being said I made myself sick for the better half of a whole month. It was one thing after another which greatly affected my ability to not only perform but also enjoy the work I was doing. It culminated with me staying up for 36 hours straight on one special day. I recorded a podcast the previous evening, could not sleep, drove to Austin, and performed an Authors visit. Luckily I had my mother with me and we made it back to Houston safe and sound later that night. I was tired, mentally & physically depleted to the point where I made myself sick. I could feel myself going into a slight depressive state which is not normal for me whatsoever. I have not shared this with my mother but later that week I was feeling intense chest tightness and was contemplating a trip to the emergency room for fear of a heart attack. If you know Chris Ortiz at all of this will come as a surprise. I pride myself on my health and happiness. For a month the constant grind of the 9 to 5 coupled with the amazing opportunities that had presented themselves took me down. I had to pivot and start removing some things from my plate. It was not easy and I am sure I upset or let some people down in the process. With that being said at 44 I ponder my mortality and implore our creative community to take care of number one. I feel as if sometimes creatives do not finish the race for the same reasons I just outlined above. Knowing when to take a break will pay huge dividends because as we all know life is not a sprint it is actually a marathon. I look at the most important things in my life like my marriage of over 22 years, my career in education of 20 years, and my 15 years of practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as examples of this concept. Pacing and finishing the race are what is most important, not coming out to a fast start. You best believe this old turtle intends to finish the race.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.coachortiz.com/
• Instagram: @chrisortiz3946
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.ortiz.3597
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/christopher-ortiz-890253186
• Twitter: @BeSomone09
• Youtube: @chrisortiz2945
• Other: Tik Tok: @CoachOrtiz09

Image Credits
Photo credits to Natalia Salivia and Josh Ricks