Gerry Cueto

My foray into personal development started probably after high school, I would say 19. Technically, I was perusing personal growth at 15, but I wouldn’t call it that. I’d call it “don’t know how to talk to a girl” help. I googled that in, but didn’t do much with the information. I got a girlfriend later my way during my teenage years, but not so much the internet’s way. I later found out that true personal development is when you can read something then remix it to apply to your circumstances.

I grew up going to a private Christian school for 12 years and it made me question the belief system I was raised with. What planted the seeds out doubt was how often the science teachers would try to refute claims made by real scientists on evolution. At the same token, I do believe that all science and belief systems should be questioned, but not with an agenda already in mind. I found that dishonest and left the school halfway during high school when I was old enough.

After I left private school, I went on to Miami Lakes Educational Center to study sound engineering and music technology which I applied myself and received the most Honorable Sound Engineering and Music Technology Student Award. I was really passionate about music and it my first foray into goal setting and personal development.

During 18-20, I was curiously figuring out what social techniques worked and what didn’t. Sometimes I would recklessly cause trouble because I was seriously lacking in social skills. I was also collecting a lot of personal development material during this time in hopes to correct that problem.

I came across some other good sites like www.stevepavlina.com which had some great tools like, the 30 day trial, where you try out a personal development concept for 30 days and if you like it, you keep it as a daily habit. I tried cleaning my house for 30 days and waking up at 5am which was pretty cool. Even though I don’t do it daily anymore, it taught me how to manage my time better.

I’ve read other books that are really good like How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Some of the advice in the book might be a little obvious, but I think people need to be reminded of those ideas. Reading the works of psychologists also heavily influenced me as well like Carl Jung and Robert Cialdini.

From 21 on, I realized that life is meant to be empowering not limiting. During this time I came up with my own unique ideas on personal development like Overcoming weaknesses.

During my music career, I’ve been an independent contractor producing remixes for various artists. Then I became a producer for a famous local DJ, George Acosta. I finally left to work on my own album, but halfway during the production of it I realized my true passion was in personal development. Even when I’d go out and meet people, they’d think I was an author or motivational speaker. Whenever I would actually talk about my music, it would bore them. It always felt like something was telling me to become a personal development writer.