If you haven't stumbled upon one of them before (or just didn't notice what it was) allow us to introduce you to the world of TED. TED Talks are independent, not-for-profit organized conferences that are made to give a platform to the three words that make up their slogan: ideas worth spreading.
TED, which stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, contributes some of the most inspirational pieces of videos on the Internet and, with a time limit of 18 minutes given to their speakers, those bits of inspiration come in small packages, too.
At their best, TED talks have the potential to motivate you in a way that you might not have been before, or awaken an ability in you that you thought you never had. In this list, you'll find 10 of the best TED talks that can be found on the net. It's not a question of if you'll be inspired, it's a simple matter of how many things you'll be inspired to do.
"How Great Leaders Inspire Action"
Who: British-born author Simon Sinek
What: An explanation of how the world's greatest leaders, figures and organizations -- from Martin Luther King, to the Wright Brothers, to Apple -- all think, act and communicate in the exact same way.
Key Quote: "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it."
"Looks Aren’t Everything. Believe Me. I'm A Model"
Who: 26-year-old American fashion model and Columbia University graduate Cameron Russell
What: A 10-minute lecture on just how unfair and unessential the idea of beauty is from the perspective of a person who says she won a "genetic lottery."
Key Quote: "If you ever are wondering, you know, 'if I have thinner thighs or shinier hair, will I be happier?' You just need to meet a group of models, because they have the thinnest thighs and the shiniest hair and the coolest clothes and they're the most physically insecure women probably on the planet."
"How To Find And Do Work You Love –"
Who: Life coach Scott Dinsmore
What: 18-minute lecturer devoted to helping you avoid a malaise that has affected many people: hating your job.
Key Quote: "Taking up jobs to build your resume is the same as saving sex for old age."
"Why We Procrastinate"
Who: 20-year-old entrepreneur and psychology student Vik Nithy
What: A 10-minute speech that seeks to answer one maddening question: why is it that we can't bring ourselves to do what we actually want to do?
Key Quote: "We have a monkey in our brains making decisions on our behalf."
"The Skill Of Self-Confidence"
Who: Former collegiate athletic director and soccer coach Dr. Ivan Joseph
What: An explanation how self-confidence can be worked on and developed, just like any other skill, with the use of practice and repetition.
Key Quote: "The problem with repetition is: how many of us bail after the first bit of failure? How many of us fail after the first bit of adversity?"
"Sport Psychology - Inside The Mind Of Champions Athletes"
Who: British psychology professor Martin Hagger
What: A breakdown of the mentality of winners. What psychological components do they have that their opponents lack?
Key Quote: "Perhaps sports psychology can explain why fancied champions may be overconfident and may fail when they're expected to win and perhaps why underdogs take on the best and win despite all the odds."
"First Why And Then Trust"
Who: Simon Sinek
What: A fascinating talk on the idea of trust, who we give it to, and when we fully understand trust, why & how we should use it when conducting business in order to be better leaders.
Key Quote: "Simply doing everything that you promised you’re going to does not mean that people will trust you, it just means that you’re reliable. And we all have friends who are total screw ups and yet we still trust them. Trust comes from a sense of common values and belief."
The Power Of Procrastination
Who: Dave Windass
What: A different prospective on the chronic issue of procrastination, this TED talk approaches the topic asking another question: what happens when we allot time for the right doses of procrastination?
Key Quote: "Procrastination in the right doses can enable you to do powerful things."
"The Power Of Seduction In Our Every Day Lives"
Who: Dancer and best-selling author Chen Lizra
What: 12 minutes of persuasion meant to strip the word "seduction" of its strictly sexual connotations and frames it as a life skill. This TED talk tries to stress, and teach, the importance of building connections and getting what you want from those connections.
Key Quote: "When there is real desire, even if it's hidden, it's possible to lure it out. But you've really got to get what the other person is missing and then give it to them. And when it's done right, it's virtually impossible to say no to."
"The First 20 Hours - How To Learn Anything"
Who: International best-selling author John Kaufman
What: This TED Talk hits the max time to prove to you that the acquisition of new skills is not as hard of a thing to accomplish than people might think.
Key Quote: "The major barrier to skill acquisition isn't intellectual... it's emotional."
Top photo courtesy Ted
