We’re looking forward to introducing you to Eusebio Travis Sevilla Check out our conversation below.
Eusebio, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Generally these days that time involves me walking our dog. We adopted him from a shelter a year ago and he’s an active dog so most mornings the first hour or so is a long walk and a trip to the dog park.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Eusebio Travis Sevilla, I’m an artist and educator and a bit of a renaissance man of sorts. If you’ve seen my paintings I usually paint little robots hanging out in nature and sort of fantastical little worlds. I also do some design work still on occasion and I am usually a high school teacher by day. Currently though I work for several school districts supporting career technical education programs.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
I think it’s a combination of my grandfather on my Dads side. He immigrated here from the Philippines back in the 50s and became an engineer, got married and built a family here in the US. He worked on some of the early rocket programs etc. And then my work ethic came from all the other adults I surrounded myself with coming up. I’ve always been an autodidact and enthusiast of things, so when I’m interested I find ways to immerse myself and be around the people that do those things. All of that experience rubs off and makes its way into what is my work ethic today.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering demands resilient response in my mind. That’s not to say suffering is fun or positive in the moment, but it can yield tremendous growth. I practice and coach Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and it’s a nice microcosm of suffering to inoculate yourself to stress. It’s suffering in a controlled way so it’s helpful. Being instantly successful at things can be a trap in life as well. Talent only takes you so far and it’s work that yields the results after a time.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
I think “smart” people are inundated and co-opted by social media and media algorithms. So we end up in a society with no moral compass, no shared institutions and no community trust or support. And all of these losses aren’t singularly from social media etc but they are exacerbated by it. It makes people who are otherwise smart behave poorly. And another area where “smart” people get it wrong is in condemning or belittling laborers and blue collar work as somehow not requiring intelligence. They are wrong at levels that are profound on that front.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
I think for me it’s the time I put into my kids and the time I put into the students. Sure, you’ll see some results immediately but a lot of what you do, how you model behavior, and the little life lessons imparted won’t usually resonate with those kids till much later. So it’s a delayed gratification. Watching others I’ve influenced succeed, that’s the pay off for me. I don’t really think in terms of money when I think of pay off or success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Eusebiotravissevilla.com
- Instagram: @travkat75
Image Credits
Portrait photos by Mike C Finn
