I know this is a bold statement, but I can honestly say that watching a TED talk every night has changed my life. There is something so powerful about listening to experts talk about their passions in such a relatable and courageous way. Just by listening to these 10- to 20-minute talks on my laptop every night before bed, I feel more equipped with knowledge about the world than I ever have before.
We all came to college to learn about our world and about topics that interest us. While we certainly learn plenty through our classes, watching TED talks has given me additional insight on topics I might never get the chance to study in school or might not have otherwise been interested in.
If you’re looking to change your life and learn more about the world than you ever thought possible, watch these TED talks:
For startling scientific facts…
1. The surprisingly charming science of your gut: Giulia Enders
What I learned: Your gut is FASCINATING! If you ask any of my friends, they will inform you that ever since I watched this video, I’ve been obsessed with learning about gut health and am constantly bombarding them with facts about your gut. If you want to be blown away by the impact that your gut and the bacteria that live in it have on your entire body, I definitely recommend watching this Ted talk.
2. Who are you, really? The puzzle of personality: Brian Little
What I learned: As someone who considers myself a combination of introvert and extrovert, I found it very interesting to hear Brian Little’s scientific take on the difference between these personality types. He incorporated very relatable examples into his presentation of common behaviors of introverts and extroverts which were also very entertaining. While the talk was humorous at times, Little’s main message is that we are so much more than the traits that make us up, which is always a good reminder.
3. Your body language may shape who you are: Amy Cuddy
What I learned: In a mere twenty minutes, I found myself feeling more confident in myself and my abilities, all thanks to this Ted Talk. Amy Cuddy starts off her presentation by having the audience make an effort to change their posture for 2 minutes. Even after the presentation was over, I continued to work on my posture throughout the day and implement “power poses” to increase my self-confidence.
For motivation and self-help…
4. Try something new for 30 days: Matt Cutts
What I learned: By the end of this talk, I was extremely motivated to try out that new skill I’ve had on my to-do list for months but have never gotten around to. Matt Cutts breaks the big idea of a task into smaller ideas and gives you just the right amount of motivation to go after that goal you’ve been yearning to achieve.
5. How to gain control of your free time: Laura Vanderkam
What I learned: From the first few seconds of the talk where Laura Vanderkam started off by making fun of herself for being late to her own speech on time management, I knew it was going to be an enjoyable talk. I really enjoyed her approach to looking at how we spend our time and giving realistic, and not just wishful, solutions on how we all can manage our time. She pointed out that even though we are all busy, we still have time for what matters.
6. Should you live for your resume… or your eulogy?: David Brooks
What I learned: Being in college makes us constantly reflect on the activities we are doing that can be put on our resume and frequently makes us neglect the other qualities that are important in life. David Brooks provided me with a reminder that there are more important things in life than being Microsoft Office certified.
7. The hidden power of smiling: Ron Gutman
What I learned: There are so many startling facts that stick out to me from this talk that I think about every time I don’t feel like smiling. For example, smiling impacts your brain the same way as when you receive $16,000 in cash! Watch this Ted Talk if you’re looking for some motivation to smile and be in a good mood.
For insight on society’s biggest issues…
8. Our dangerous obsession with perfectionism is getting worse: Thomas Curran
What I learned: Thomas Curran points out the hard truth that people in our society are proud to be perfectionists. As a perfectionist, I found myself doing some hard thinking about why I am so proud and quick to say I’m a perfectionist. Whether you’re a perfectionist or not, this talk points out the harsh reality about the idealistic qualities our society holds as the standard.
9. My son was a Columbine shooter. This is my story: Sue Klebold
What I learned: This talk is the call to action that we all needed to hear about why it is so important to examine the mental health of all students. I truly cannot imagine the situation that Sue Klebold has been through since the Columbine shooting in which her son killed 13 people, but her talk is very moving. It’s also convincing in that we need change in our society in terms of violence and mental health.
10. Want to change the world? Start by being brave enough to care: Cleo Wade
What I learned: If you want to start being a better person in society, start saying yes to all that you are able to say yes to. Now, that doesn’t mean trying to fix every problem in the world, but it does mean that we should all be doing our part to help improve the problems we can. As Cleo Wade says, “Be good to as many people as possible.” This is always a good reminder.
All photos courtesy of Ted.
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