Translator: Anna Grajales
Reviewer: Ilse S. Úziel Hi! What a mess, right? I'd like to start off
thinking and analyzing those little things
that can change our life. Sometimes they can go unseen, those things could go from songs, books
or even a casual encounter with someone. In my case what really
changed my life was a quote, and if it wasn't for it I wouldn't be
standing here before all of you. When I had chosen to study
design and visual communications, - my family is a little traditionalist
they're all doctors, or lawyers - So in all family gatherings,
my cousins would mock me, "How is scissors and crayons
class coming along?" So in a way, these comments
would discourage me from believing that I could actually find a way
to these dreams that I had. One day, I found this quote, "Whoever devotes his life
to what he loves, will be forever condemned to success." Strong statement, right? But beyond a quote,
this synthesis of thoughts made me believe
that all that I wanted to do could actually be possible. Later on I found out that going deeper into that phrase
focusing on dedication, on commitment, passion,
in giving yourself to a dream. I later on realized that a quote
wasn't the only thing that would keep me on the road,
but to carry on. It's about dedication,
I mean the phrase doesn't say, "He who does what he likes
whenever he wants, will succeed." (Laughter) I realized it was about determination,
commitment and passion. It was about creating something everyday, being disciplined on a daily basis. Somehow I feel that us, artists
or designers, we stigmatize ourselves, believing that it's society
the one stigmatizing us. I like to think that,
"Every artist is first an amateur." Sometimes we dream too far. We have goals, "I want to be famous, I want to have a lot of money
and a big house somewhere." But we don't seem to realize
that fame and fortune aren't objectives but consequences. I believe that it's very important
to have our life goals very clear. Also I gladly noticed
that many guest speakers have also talked about having someone
to look up to, some place to get to. There's this actor, Bill Murray
who says that if you are in a room and you're the smartest person there,
it's time to switch room. In a way I've always loved
admiring great thinkers and one day I had a revelation. I was in Pablo Neruda's house
in Valparaiso in Chile, I found myself admiring
this boat-like mansion, filled with memories from around the world
and windows facing towards the ocean. So I thought, "Wow! What an amazing thing
that such a great poet could build this." As I went by, still fascinated,
through the house, I finally reached the last floor
and came across a text not quite about any creative procedure, but the process Pablo Neruda
followed everyday Everyday he would wake up
and read for 2 hours then write for 3, then he would
invite his friends for dinner, but made them wear costumes
and pretend to be someone else. Later on in the afternoon
he would get back to writing. And he would do that everyday. He had a determination that enabled him, to feed his motivation
and inspiration every single day. Little by little this made me realize,
for instance, being an artist myself; imagine I wake up one day and my mom said, "You're getting up at 3 in the afternoon!" "No mom, I'm an artist!" (Laughter) These things keep creating
stigmas against us. Fortunately, my job allowed me to put together an add agency
in Curitiba in Brazil, so every time I wanted to travel
or I felt a little tired of work I'd visit some place over there I love this story because the more I traveled, the more my mindset evolved
and my work became better I was so motivated that ideas flowed and remained readily available
for any project I was working on. One day me and my friends
went to the Florianopolis Island and we literally got lost in the jungle. We made our way through it
fighting against anacondas. (Laughter) When we reached the end of the island, I found myself with the amazing view
of a cabin in front of the sea. So this thought "traveling is evolving",
makes you sensitive, makes you see the world
in a different way. For example... I could've seen that cabin and thought, This cabin. (Laughter) I could've thought,
"What kind of hippies live there?" "What are they doing
so isolated from society?" But this deal that I'm telling you,
traveling is evolving, made me see beyond what my eyes could see. It made me think a little
in the lives of those people In their families,
the jobs they had to quit, and how it was all
a consequence of a dream. I'd like to think
that those who lived there had the dream of waking up every day and have the ocean in front of them. That same view made think of my life. It made me wonder
if what I was doing today, was actually getting me closer
to where I wanted to be tomorrow. Whether a place, a person or anything. So this thing about traveling is amazing because it turns you into someone
who appreciates the small details, who misses their family. Not long ago I watched a movie,
"Hector in the search for happiness," It's a psychiatrist who's
highly unhappy with his life. He's married and all, but one day he decides to start
a journey around the world. I love this analogy
that after going all around the globe, after reaching so far he realizes that the answer to his happiness
was always there with him in his reality. So he goes back. I hope you don't watch this movie
because I just told you the end. (Laughter) Traveling makes us sensitive,
makes us miss our families, and then we come back
as better human beings. In other of my many trips,
this time to Rio. I was also tired of work
and it was the Carnival, I said, I'll go to the Carnival
and see how it goes and many friends told me not to don't go, it will be so expensive
and you won't find a hotel." But I didn't care, I went
and when I got there, I was like, "Dang! This really is chaos." There were people everywhere,
all drinking beer and I had no place to stay
all hotels were full. So I became good friends
with the guy who sold caipirinhas, and asked him if he knew
of a good, cute and cheap hotel. He said yes, then wrote down an address. "Ask a cab to take you there", he said. So I took a taxi and turns out
it took me to a favela, which actually had the best view of Rio. I love to think how flexible
this trip made me, it pushed me to improvise and bring out the best I had in me and in a way make the best of this trip. Being in the Favela I realized
that there were some other foreigners who got the good,
cute and cheap deal as well. (Laughter) So I met this German girl. We started talking
and she asked me what I do. "I'm a photographer,"
"Let's see your pictures." I show her my work and suddenly,
she sees one and says, "That photo isn't yours." I was like, "How could it not be mine?" She says, "That photo isn't yours,
you stole it or copied it from someone." And I was like, "Why,
what makes you think that?" And she says, "I've seen
this photo somewhere else." So I showed her the full collection of the trip I made
to the Sierra Queretana. She was stunned with nothing else to say. Then she said, "When I lived in Germany, I had the dream
to travel around the world. My first stop was in Portugal. Right after a really bad experience
I was sitting on the computer, about to buy my ticket back to Germany, and in Stumble Upon I saw your photograph and that photo and that quote
were strong enough to make me gather all my courage. So instead of buying a ticket back
to Germany I bought it to Brazil." So beyond bragging about this story, I love to think about our actions, its impact and how far
the words we say can go. You can say something good or bad and you don't know
whose life you'll change. A quote changed my life and maybe
the thoughts I shared online, made people change their lives radically. Going back to "To travel is to evolve," and how it makes us
incredible human beings, more perceptive, more patient. It makes us care about strangers,
it makes us want to start relationships. well, not relationships… Conversations with strangers. (Laughter) Well, relationships too. Truth is, I don't know
what happens when we travel, that we become better human beings. I believe that here,
everyone, or almost everyone has had the chance to travel and I'm sure many can feel identified with that feeling, late at night
at your hotel or hostel, and the very next day you have
to wake up really early, yet full of energy, you don't complain. You come and go and go up and down
and everything is amazing. We can all feel identified
with this person we became. The question is has anyone remained this new person
once they're back in their reality? Because when we come back
from a trip, from holidays, we go on Facebook and post,
"Depressed, Back into reality." (Laughter) And I think that's a huge problem,
do we regress when we come back? [Going back is going backwards?] This is the main aspect I'd love to share. If we have the ability to turn on
the good life mindset, and endless energy attitude
when we're in other countries; why can't we do that
in our routines as well? That's something that I've
found myself practicing often now that I'm back
in Mexico for a little while. Nowadays, I have the fortune of living
in the city of Queretaro. I live "a song and a half away"
from Los Arcos Queretanos. And I say "a song and a half away"
because someone just reminded me how important is to measure life with something much more significant
and personal than time. So every day early morning
I go running by Los Arcos, always at 5,30 I'm there running. I'm not sure if it's for running
or because I want to see the sunrise. I know, sounds too hippie and romantic, (Laughter) but truth is that every day I get to see this amazing event
that we sometimes forget, right? This down of a new day
of which we can learn so much. So one day I found myself admiring
the sunrise, like a total hippie. (Laughter) I realized that there were
tourists all around me, watching the sun rise as well,
and they're drooling all over, they're recording or even
taking selfies with the sun. I noticed, and thought, "Wow, it's a blessing I'm not the only
one who can really appreciate this." And I look back and I also notice
lots of passers-by, and it's like the early sunlight
is caressing their faces but they don't turn around
to see what's going on. Not one stops and says
"Wow, that's gorgeous." How fortunate to get to see this daily. I think this is something
that society teaches us nowadays we're always on a hurry,
always on the go, and we're always getting late
to meetings, events, everywhere. Society keeps telling us
that the best road is the shortest. I disagree, the best road
is the most beautiful, or the one that make you happy. I also believe a big deal of this
is because we live too much in the future, so we stop appreciating the present. "I'm sure that when I get my studio
or such things my work will be better." or "when I get such instrument,
my music will be better." Sometimes we stop living in the present
believing the future will be better. A couple months ago, I had
a talk with a colleague from work. We started off talking about work issues. but when we were done
talking about work projects, he asked me,
"Hey, what's up with your life?, How do you travel so much?,
What's next for you?." I told him that I was focused
to head over to Japan. I told him that not being able to picture how my life will be in Japan
actually excites me a lot. So an ordinary meeting related to work, turned into something motivational. He suddenly said,"Hey that's awesome! When you're in Tokyo let's partner up
and open a Mescal shop or something." (Laughter) And I was like, "Sure!" Then the talk turned a little sentimental, he said, "You know what,
right now my job isn't great, is just something provisional." The talk went on until we
went on our separate ways. Later I wrote him an email,
"Hey, here's the information. Hopefully we can have
these kind of conversations more often, to keep motivating each other." And he didn't reply. He didn't even send
the job stuff or anything. Little time went by, I sent another email, "Hey, I really need this, sorry to bug so
much, but I really need that information." And more time went by and still no answer. After receiving no reply and with
very little time left for the project, I called him at his office, and they told me he had
passed away a few days before. And I wish they had told me "You know what? He quit
his job to travel the world." But such is life, so fragile and brief. We sometimes forget. And the most ironic thing is that he died
on an accident on his way to the job. We think so much in the future, we don't do our best
to create a better present. To wrap this up, I'd like to leave
you with this traveler mindset. Let's make the most of every moment. [Make every moment worthy...] But not tomorrow, not on holidays. Right now. Life is too short not make
the most of every moment. Thank you so much. (Applause)
