TEDx talks – Game changers

Last weekend I got to go to a TEDx show. My first TEDx talk live. There was a time when I was watching or listening to talks on YouTube all day long. But I had never participated in one in person before. The subject was Game changers and many people talked about their problems and how they overcame them. I will try to remember a few of the stories that resonated with me and the people that told them.

The rugby player who was paralyzed in a game and was given 3 hours to live. The irony was that his parents wouldn’t let him go to boxing as a kid because they thought he might get injured. But they let him try rugby because they didn’t know much about the sport. He got to live with the help of doctors and the fact that he was in good physical shape. He recalls the dark days and how he overcame them. Now he does marathons on wheelchairs.

The sportswoman who decided to try 1 sport for 1 month. So far she has done 26 of them. The benefits might not be so obvious besides finding out what she likes. But she found out her body has improved in functionality. She has met a lot of different people with different views on life. She got away from a lot of her fears and she got the courage to try anything life throws at her. She feels her brain has expanded because of all the different experiences.

The filmmaker who wants to capture unique events. Events where time seems to dilate. Matrix moments as he calls them. The matrix scene where Neo is avoiding bullets and time almost seems to stop. These are moments he wants to capture. A sunset. Or a long kiss. A long hug. He urges us to avoid routine which steals our precious time.

The young investor who went on a mission of financial education. He explained how we inherit our relationship with money from our parents. As a child, he wanted a set of drums so he asked his parents for money who couldn’t afford it. Later on, he heard them argue about money. He wanted to get out of this so he went to study just to find that Academia is only teaching you theory and formulas so he needs practice. He got a job in the banking sector just to find that people who work there have just as many problems with money as either of us. Then he went on a journey to learn about the money mindset and teach others how to think about money. How to build budgets and follow how they get and how they spend their hard-earned money.

The Foreigner who had lots of almost-death experiences. A car accident and war stories where he was in front of tanks. Who worked hard all his life seeking stability for himself and his family. He must have tried all the jobs in the world. He once read the famous “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” book and he imprinted in his mind that he won’t find stability and freedom until other people work for him. Just to find 14 years later he is a doer and he wouldn’t be able to see others do what he tells them. He found stability as a coach and his most important realization is to always ask yourself one question: “Is this the truth? Is what I believe about something accurate?” So you don’t get stuck into a limiting belief.

The dude studying human behavior. There was a study that most families/couples spend daily about 50 minutes fighting. Because they are not in touch with their emotions. They don’t always recognize the emotions they are feeling, not to mention the feelings of others. The solutions – making a list with all the emotions and working on one of them daily. Another tip he talked about is to create thrust in everything you do and everywhere you go.

The professional basket player who describes what happens when athletes finish their careers. It’s like their first death. Everything they knew and everything they did seemed to be over. And how to deal with starting from zero. Inspirational for all who have lost something in their life. How to think about all the skills you have acquired and how to put them to use for something else.

The radio/television star who earned fame by making fun of people on shows. A defense mechanism that allowed him not to feel ashamed as long as he was making others feel ashamed. He explains how he started with an unwanted identity that was instilled into him at a young age by his family: “Whatever you do, don’t make us feel ashamed.” How he struggled his whole life to escape the shame and stigma and the way he managed to do it. Through empathy for others. Instead of making fun of others, look for something beautiful about them.

That’s it. What a long post. Congrats if you made it so far. What do you think? Is this something you would like to experience? Going to a Ted talk.

If you get a chance check out my book.

Side by side is a book about the first years of parenting. Both the beauty and the hidden side of parenting. The long nights and troubled days. Parents who try and fail and then try again. And how your little one puts a smile on your face and you forget everything just in time to start a new challenging day.  It follows the first 2 years of a new dad and his journey, side by side, along with his son.