After Netflix has asked me for the umpteenth time if I want to continue watching, I find myself gravitating towards TED Talks on YouTube. Just as entertaining and captivating but way less cavities.
TED which stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design is a not-for-profit that hosts impactful talks all over the world in more than 100 languages. I’ve watched talks on vulnerability, failure, trust and consequences and how to deal with misconceptions just to name a few. I enjoy TED talks so much that I even listen to the TED Radio Hour podcast on NPR (National Public Radio) that is based on previous TED talks exploring various ideas.
What I love most about these talks are that it is genuine people who are telling their stories. Their lived experiences and how they’ve grown from them. These are far from lectures by intellectuals expounding on abstract concepts that you can’t wrap your brain around or relate to. It’s not cliched advise that you’ve heard time and time again. These are authentic narratives full of personality.
The stories are original and sometimes out of the ordinary. And that’s what makes them so good and memorable. Hearing someone openly talk about overcoming gripping grief or crippling failure will linger with you. Such that the next time you find yourself struggling with an issue, you may recall that you’re not the first to deal with this and you won’t be the last. Our stories are all different but our humanity is all the same.
In the midst of all the great TED talks, there are golden nuggets on careers and how folks have found their own personal success. The career journey should be colourful, with ups and downs and even sideways shuffles at times. All fodder for great stories. The TED stage has seen it all.
Business Insider listed the best 15 TED talks that provide ‘unconventional’ career advice. Hope you enjoy these as much as I have and take away some never-thought-of-before ideas.