Have you noticed that we entrepreneurs all learn from entrepreneurial blogs written by entrepreneurial superstars who run seriously successful online programmes or sell seriously successful products and services?
It’s getting a bit old.
We’re all reading and writing about the same thing, so it becomes a click-trance of same-old content that does less and less to teach us something we didn’t already know and at the same time leaves us feeling full but empty. Like candy floss. Or television.
I don’t know about you, but I need new scenery.
If like me it’s time for you to get information from new and exciting places that educate, entertain and inspire, while at the same time allowing you to sip on a cup of your favourite hot beverage and munch peanut-butter toast, then welcome to the world of…
TED talks.
TED talks feature some of the most brilliant minds in the world talking about what they do best in a way that makes you laugh, makes you cry and makes you want to be more of who you can be.
The thing about TED talks is that they cover every subject imaginable, so not only will you learn the black and white from the world’s greatest, but your mind (and heart and soul) will be filled with colour.
In this post I share 5 of my favourite TED talks, and why I like them.
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“Why Great Leaders Inspire Action” – Simon Sinek
I have to start with this one. It’s been one of my biggest inspirations and most powerful tools I’ve had the good fortune to use with individual clients and in my keynote talks. This concept helps people connect with their bigger reason for being, and with one question it shifts us and our work from ambition to meaning.
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“Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are” – Amy Cuddy
I’ve quoted Amy over and over again. And made a spectacle of myself by demonstrating the Power Pose (a non-verbal expression of power and dominance) and the Wrap (a non-verbal expression of subordination and inferiority). Unsurprisingly, these poses are directly linked to gender. No prizes for guessing who does what.
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“How To Get Your Ideas To Spread” – Seth Godin
I can’t think about spreading something without being reminded of a rude joke about a girl called Blossom. But I digress. Seth Godin is a genius. In this talk he inspires us entrepreneurs with his unique ability to look at the obvious through a different lens. Godin points out why traditional methods of getting your message out are losing their appeal and what you need to do instead.
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“How To Succeed? Get More Sleep” – Arianna Huffington
This video speaks to me because I find nothing more reassuring than to sit down at my desk at 9pm knowing I have endless hours of uninterrupted work time ahead of me. What I don’t have after an all-too-frequent all-nighter however, is clarity, eloquence and poise – 3 things essential for a strong personal presence. This formidable business woman shares why very little sleep doesn’t make for bragging rights.
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“The Power of Introverts” – Susan Cain
What a relief to watch this talk. Socially revered extroverts are not necessarily more networked or connected than introverts. Us introverts, we just do it differently. Enough said.
There. My favourite five.
Can you suggest any TED talks that have inspired you?
