We were lucky to catch up with Pablo De Leon recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Pablo, thanks for joining us today. Who is your hero and why? What lessons have you learned from them and how have they influenced your journey?
The most influential person in my life was my father. He migrated to the United States so that we could have a better life. He had left us when we were still infants. I am the oldest. There was Jose and Al who were next in line. He had sent for mom first when he started making enough to make it possible, while we were still in Mexico for about another year with my grandmother.
I was four years old by the time my parents had sent for us three. Our lives changed tremendously. Coming from the middle of nowhere in Mexico. Raised in a proud adobe house my father made with his very own hands. He was a survivor and one who strived for more. The adobe house was not your Sedona Arizona Luxury adobe type of house.
Our journey to Fairfield, Tx, and raised there until I graduated. I learned english, while spanish was still my first language. My father became an entrepreneur in landscaping with a third grade level education. and from there is when every part of me was instilled. I developed a driven attitude, entrepreneur mindset. work ethic, and a spoken word that brought me back to my first passion after my long journey in baseball from little league, highschooler, college, and independent professional ball. The spoken word from my father was that one day you will become an artist. A motion picture artist. It became lost as my love for baseball became my focus.
Then after college, I came across Norman Vincent Peale, the author of “You can if you think you can.” I had spent most of my young life being a hard critic to myself. I always thought and perceived negatively. I always worried about what others thought. Example, in baseball. I would walk up to the plate thinking, I hope I don’t strike out. I hope that my coach is not going to bench me if I strike out. I hope I don’t get hit. After reading “You can if you think you can” I had to change the trajectory of my way of thinking. I had realized that what I think about will often come about. I was tired of striking out. Not only in the game, but even in life. Although I had an undying work ethic and a resilient heart. My negative mindset always sets me up for failure. I sabotaged my own opportunities. Every worry or fear I had in mind, I attracted negatively from relationships, finance, and business. It was my own worst enemy. I was hitting a wall or I felt like I just could not seem to get a breakthrough, when In reality I was the one creating the wall, I just couldn’t seem to get over and the dark cloud that just kept following me, and thought I could never escape. I was my very own worst enemy. I was the one creating every dark moment. Norman’s teachings saved my life and since then have worked on self to always think positive and attract everything I want in life, from having a peace of mind, confidence, finances and relationships. But as far as my work ethic I have my father to thank.
Pablo, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am currently an entrepreneur, producer, actor, author and speaker. After college I was selected to play outfield for the independent Harlingen Whitewings. I had achieved my baseball game at a level I never thought I would get to. I was a strikeout king. Who would have thought I would have had the opportunity to play for the veteran Gary Redus on full scholarship. I was living my dream, but lo and behold, my baseball career ended, due to an injury, I came to a dark place at this stage of my life. My parents also lost a son and I lost a brother, my youngest brother. Juan had suffered so many conditions, from the heart, arteries, and only one lung. He pushed and exemplified adversity until the age of 27. It was a serious punch in the gut. I became more angry than I already was. I wasn’t playing baseball anymore so I no longer had a place to run to or channel my pain. Until one day I was inspired to begin writing my first book. I became a speaker and authored my own motivational book and toured for an entire year at Barnes & Nobles.
One day I came home to visit my parents, and pulled up to a parking lot where my autistic sister yelled out my window to some guy to say hello. He approached the vehicle, and I had no clue who this kid was, but he knew who I was and I acted as if I did, and went along with it. I asked him what he had been up to? To his reply, he said he was excited to be starting his acting class in Houston. As soon as he said the word “acting”, what was lost deep in my heart, it lit and became an instant flame. I couldn’t wait to get back to Dallas! I immediately started making phone calls, and started connecting to local Dallas casting groups, acting coaches and other actors. It was insane because everything was happening so fast. It was as if I had been working on it all my life. Everything was falling in place. I learned quickly that within a month of understanding the business, I had to start creating my own. I was not going to wait for an opportunity. I began creating my own opportunities. Everything my father instilled in me was now working for me. No matter the limited knowledge of the industry, it was the work ethic and being a fearless risk taker that helped me make it happen. I am my fathers son. I am now creating content for films and pursuing my acting career. I have also launched my own production, Lucido Films studio.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
There are two things from your questions I can sum up. My resilience and what I had to unlearn. Early on in my love for baseball, I faced the fear of getting hit. My love for the game kept me there, and never giving up. I was afraid of swinging the bat, because I was too focused on making sure I was not going to get hit. My coach came up to me and said, “Son, if you don’t swing the bat, you will never know if you can hit the ball. Swing the bat! I don’t care if it’s in the dirt, high or outside, I just want you to swing the bat and swing it with all your might! ” The next pitch came and I swung like he said with all my might! Behold! I hit the ball and I was pumped! From that day, I was no longer afraid like I was previously. I was nervous, but never afraid. After my high school years I hated pitchers always throwing to the outside to strike me out. It was more strategic. It was a lot harder to get a hit. I started crowding the plate, which led me to getting hit a lot. But I did not care. I was tired of striking out! I still struggled, but after college, I had to unlearn my way of thinking. I had to get rid of old habits. Once I did that it was gold! I was hitting the ball consistently, and hitting more game home runs. It was this stage of my life that has helped me deal with the next years of my adulthood. I’m going to keep swinging until I hit my grand-slam in life. I believe I already have! The fact that I now have a peace of mind and knowing that I will succeed is all you need! Just keep swinging! Be Limitless!
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Yes! I wish more inspiring self help books like Norman Vincent Peale were pushed in school, and early on in life. I strongly believe that parents, teachers, and society would be in a better place mentally, emotionally and even physically. Our lives and the world would be in a better place unlike today. There is so much depression unlike when I was growing up. It’s never too late. It begins in each and everyone of us to better our mental health and self development. Never stop learning!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pablo-deleon.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/iampablodeleon
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/iampablodeleon
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablo-de-leon-b2450133
- Twitter: www.pablo-deleon.com/iampablodeleon
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/pablodeleon
- Other: https://linktr.ee/iampablodeleon
Image Credits
– Sahra Birkett Photography – Luis Martinez – Justin Schwartz – Veya Salcido