We all have those days when we feel as though we can't go on any more. We feel tired and distraught. During these moments of life, we need the motivation to keep moving forward. Thanks to the Internet, this strength and determination is only a few clicks away. TED Talks are video presentations that are full of inspirational information for us. Hosted by successful people from various sectors of industry, TED Talks can motivate us to get up, overcome the challenges in our lives and perform at a high level again. Here are the 10 most motivational and inspirational TED talks ever given.
How Exceptional Leaders Inspire Action by Simon Sinek
Do you ever feel like there is no reason for you to do something anymore? Are your workmates or subordinates uninspired to keep working? If so, this is the TED talk for you. Presented by Simon Sinek, it explores the motivation for performance by great leaders of our time. According to him, all that you need to do is find out the 'why' behind your actions. What is the main reason why you want to do something? As soon as you find out the most personal reason for doing something, then you will find the motivation to begin and keep going.
How to Live at 30,000 Feet by Richard Branson
It is quite easy to observe business leaders as lions of the industry. They are the main players and they are unbeatable. They are also not expected to make mistakes. Richard gives a personal and honest expose of the man behind the Virgin brand. He indicates that despite being a billionaire businessman, he also makes mistakes and is human, just like the rest of us. He indicates that you should not be discouraged when you make mistakes. They inspire you to keep going on your journey to success.
Invest More in Experiences Than Stuff by Graham Hill
We live in a materialistic world. The stuff that we buy not only satisfies the needs that we have, it also indicates our status in society. Therefore, many of us spend endless hours working to get enough money to purchase these items. We forget that life is not only about things but experiences. Graham indicates that the greatest memories are made up of experiences and not material possessions. This is the true happiness of life. Moreover, experience are more powerful motivators than material possessions.
Encourage Yourself Instead of Feeling Sorry for Yourself by Amy Purdy
Amy was an avid snowboarder. She would take to her deck as often as possible. She also loved to travel all over the world. However, she got in an accident and lost both of her legs from the knee down. She was tempted to get discouraged and stop doing all the stuff she enjoyed. However, she found a way to use her prosthetics to do even more than she used to do. Instead of feeling disabled, she became enabled. In her TED talk, Amy inspires us to live and experience life more.
Make a Difference in Your Own Way by Ron Finley
Do you feel like you are stuck in your job? Do you feel like you are simply a cog in the big machine? Are you itching to make a difference? Then this is the TED talk for you. Presented by Ron Finley, it shows you how to turn your personal, secret hobby into something that can impact the community in a positive way. Ron has a crew and they take control of abandoned lots and spaces on the curb to make beautiful gardens. He turned his secret love for flowers into a project that affects the environment in a positively. His effort inspires us to stay motivated by turning our passions into something amazing for those around us.
Beat the Loneliness by Finding Something You Have in Common With Other Lonely People Around the World by Eric Whitacre
Eric is a choir director. Once when he was feeling isolated, he got an idea to lead a virtual choir over the Internet. He decided that he would reach out to people across the globe and request them to take part. He asked them to send him some audio recordings and he would plug them together to create the world's first virtual choir. He was so surprised that his endeavor helped out other lonely people to feel like they are part of something and this helped to make them happy. Today, he has a virtual choir that has 2,000 members. His story is one of the most inspiring ones in the TED talks.
Spread the Love by Hannah Brencher
Hannah was once clinically depressed. She had a darkness that was sucking the life out of her. Determined to overcome the condition, Hannah found happiness by sending letters of love to strangers. She encouraged complete strangers and made them feel loved. She didn't expect any replies but lo and behold, she got numerous. The strangers told her that she had touched them and made them feel good and cared for. They were appreciative of her efforts. This went a long way in getting rid of her depression and motivated her to reach out more to the people around her. Today, she has recovered fully and is motivating others through her TED talk.
Try Something Crazy Once in a While, It May Turn Into a Pleasant Surprise by James Veitch
James is a comedian. Known for his crazy ideas, he confesses one of the craziest things that he has ever done. He indicates that he decided to reply to spam emails instead of deleting them. Most of these emails are simply scammers looking to defraud him with claims of foreign bank accounts or business deals that are too good to be real. Instead of ignoring or deleting them, James replies in a very unexpected way. He then sits back and enjoys the puzzled replies that he gets from the scammers and it makes his day. Life presents us with the opportunity to be crazy every once in a while. Why not take the opportunity and be inspired to grow happier?
How to Deal With Success and Failure in Life by Elizabeth Gilbert
She is the author of bestseller, 'Eat, Pray, Love'. Her book has even been adapted into a major motion picture. Elizabeth is considered a guru on happiness in life. She indicates that her words are inspired by devastating failure and amazing success all at the same time. She has tasted both and shares her experience in the TED talk. Elizabeth indicates that the way to survive both phenomena is to find something that you love to do and which builds you. Once you do, refer to it as many times as you possibly can. Despite any failure or success in life, always come back to it and it will motivate you and keep you happy no matter what.
Look Confident to Be Confident by Amy Cuddy
Body language speaks volumes. How we sit, stand and move communicates what is going on inside us. Is it possible to consciously change what is going on inside by adjusting what is going on outside? Can we change our moods by adjusting our body language? Amy thinks that it is entirely possible. By standing up straight, we can increase the levels of testosterone in our bodies. This makes us more aggressive and passionate. This also reduces the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in our bodies. As a result, we become more confident and are more inspired to strive for the best in life.
The Important Take Away
TED talks are capable of motivating us to get out of the ruts of life and move ahead with confidence. They are presented by people who have the best interests of their listeners at heart. There is something for everyone in these talks. The ones listed above can inspire you to be the best version of yourself that you can.
