Diego Tinoco on showing up for your dreams and inspiring the next generation

I feel like that’s always important to remember, because everyone is given different scenarios in life, and it’s very easy for people to just see the very bad — but if you really look at it, think about it, and evaluate it, you can turn all of those things into something that’s actually successful for you.

I love that. That’s a great mindset. Somebody commented on my TikTok the other day, “How are you always so happy? Man, I wish I could be [as] happy [as] you are,” and I wrote him an honest reply. I [said], “Hey, it might look like I’m happy all the time, but I have times when I’m very down.” The thing that I’ve learned is the [people] who can keep this uplifting, positive mindset are the people who we always want to be around. It’s like a superpower, and I see it in you. You have this bright smile. You have such a positive demeanor. Those are the people we want to conversate with. Those are the people who we want to talk to and go in depth [with] about subjects and conversations. Those are the people that we want to be around.

I definitely think that if you keep more positive people around you, it will eventually branch out into you, and you can also start being a positive person in other aspects of your life.  

You were talking about being Latino a bit earlier. You come from a very diverse background. You’re half Mexican and half Ecuadorian. Could you share more about your culture and your upbringing in general?

My mother is from Ecuador. My father is from Mexico. I was born in California, [in] SoCal. Growing up over here, like anyone, [there’s] lots of ups and downs. The thing that really stuck with me from my parents was [that] you have to create the world that you want to live in. [The world is] such a big place, and if you try to place your focus everywhere, you’ll get lost. You will get distracted. You won’t know where to go, who to follow, what’s right [or] what’s wrong. But if you take [those] simple principles, and you apply [them] to create your own little world — with your own dreams and your own goals — and you create your own path, you can have it. You can achieve it, and you can create it. You can build it more than anything. You won’t get it. 

I hate the [phrase], “I want it, I get it.” You don’t. You have to work for it and build it. That’s what I really learned from my father. My father came into this country with absolutely nothing. He was dirt poor [coming] into this country. I was born [after] my father had worked his way up and he had his own business. He had one of the biggest businesses in Southern California for pest control, [and] I really admire my father for that. [I] admire the empire that he built. [I admire] my mother for being the brains of that, because my mother was the one who was the brain behind that whole operation. I just really look up to my parents. I’m inspired by their work ethic, and in my own life, I want to create something at least half as good as what they’ve created. I’m on my way, and I want to keep going, [and also] treat them to some nice stuff down the road.

That’s amazing. I think you’re definitely on your way there. You’ve definitely made some big splashes in your career so far. Slowly but surely, you’re going to get there.

Exactly, slowly but surely. Another message I really love. Today, everyone wants the whole world, and they want it tomorrow, [but I think it’s important not to] destroy [your] mental health trying to take the whole world in one bite. It’s impossible. It can’t be done. You have to work on it slowly but surely every day [and] work diligently.

I feel like with any creative career, there’s the good, the bad, and the dirty. It’s always competitive, and it’s always really hard to get into. My friend and I are always talking about the struggles of it, but we’re both firm believers that the hard work and sleepless nights you put in now will pay off down the road with something beautiful. That’s why I always admire people who start doing freelance stuff right off the bat, because that’s hard to do, and you’re so dependent on other people liking what you do in order to get anywhere. Musicians tell me that they started out just putting their stuff on social media. I have a huge amount of respect for that. I call social media the “soul crushing, dream-smashing, creative-sucking entity” because you always have to feed it. There’s no break.

I have a love hate relationship with social media. For a long time, I was very insecure. I was a little shy. I didn’t understand how much I should engage with social media. I didn’t understand how serious I should take it. I didn’t understand how much [of myself I could show the world]. I’m twenty-five years old now. I’ve lived enough life to realize that life is very short. Life is very precious. You have to appreciate [what you have]. Every day above ground is a good day, and you can’t take life too [seriously] because it’s going to be over very soon. For me, that was one of the biggest realizations. I [started thinking], “What am I doing with [my] social media presence?” I want to connect with people. I want to give back to my fans [and] to the people who support me. I want to talk to them. I want to help them in any way I can, in the smallest ways — whether it’s a tax tip, whether it’s a health tip, whether it’s a career tip. I want to help people, because should the lights go out tomorrow, I want to know that I left it all on the table.