5 Inspirational Tedx talks

1.Listening To Shame By Brene’ Brown

In this inspiring TEDx Houston Talk, the speaker tells her own story and what happened after she gave a talk where she revealed her innermost thoughts and feelings. She wakes up feeling exposed and decides to be alone for three days. When she meets a friend, she admits regret and embarrassment about the talk, considering taking down the video. Her friend tries to reassure her, but she still feels uncomfortable. They continue talking, and her friend teases her about not being a good role model for vulnerability. It suddenly dawns on the speaker how significant her vulnerability is. What she doesn’t realize is that her life is about to change dramatically because the video goes viral and gets millions of views.

She looks back on how this experience forced her to confront her fear of being noticed and acknowledged. She emphasizes that vulnerability is not a sign of weakness but an act of courage. She defines vulnerability as taking an emotional risk and allowing ourselves to be seen as our authentic selves. She also highlights the importance of addressing shame, which can prevent meaningful conversations. She concludes by stressing the need to embrace vulnerability and bravely step into life’s challenges, even if it means facing potential failure and shame. She advocates for a world where shame is understood and compassionately addressed, enabling individuals to fully embrace vulnerability and courage.

2.The Secret ToDesire In A Long-Term Relationship by Esther Perel

Esther explores the nature of erotic desire and its challenges in modern love. She discusses why good sex often fades in long-term relationships, the misconception that intimacy guarantees good sex, and the allure of forbidden or transgressive experiences. Esther also highlights the conflict between the need for security and adventure in a committed relationship, which she refers to as a passionate marriage. She explains that sustaining desire requires reconciling these two needs. Esther emphasizes the importance of imagination, absence, and longing in maintaining desire. She also explores the connection between love and desire, noting that love is about “having” and knowing the beloved, while desire is about “wanting” and seeking an otherness. Esther discusses the role of novelty, surprise, laughter, and playfulness in desire. She argues that desire is rooted in imagination and the ability to experience anticipation. Esther introduces the concept of erotic intelligence and explains that eroticism is a uniquely human experience that goes beyond biological instincts. She discusses the relationship between eroticism and trauma, drawing on her observations of Holocaust survivors. Esther suggests that the erotic can be an antidote to death and a source of vitality and renewal. She explores the factors that turn desire on and off, highlighting the importance of self-awareness, self-worth, and self-acceptance. Esther also addresses the paradox between love and desire, noting that the very qualities that nurture love can sometimes stifle desire. She emphasizes the need for reconciling the desire for connection and separateness, security and adventure, in order to maintain a passionate and fulfilling relationship.

3.Sleep Is Your Superpower by Matt Walker

In a presentation, sleep expert Matt Walker talks about how important sleep is for the brain and body. He explains different problems that can happen when we don’t get enough sleep, like difficulty learning and remembering things, increased chances of heart attacks and accidents, weaker immune system, higher risk of cancer, and negative changes in our genes. Walker stresses the need for regular sleep patterns and a cool sleeping environment to get the best quality sleep. He encourages people to understand how crucial sleep is for their overall health and to take action against the widespread problem of not getting enough sleep. The talk ends with a reminder to prioritize sleep for better health and well-being.

4.The Paradox Of Choice by Barry Schwartz

Psychologist Barry Schwartz challenges the belief that maximizing freedom and choice leads to increased welfare in Western industrial societies. He notes the prevalence of choices in various aspects of life, from consumer goods to identity. However, he argues that excessive choice can have negative consequences.

One effect he discusses is the paradox of choice, where an abundance of options leads to decision paralysis. People struggle to make choices when faced with too many possibilities. For example, the availability of multiple retirement funds resulted in decreased participation due to decision-making difficulties.

Moreover, individuals may experience less satisfaction even after making a choice. Regret and the perception of missed opportunities diminish contentment with the chosen option. The presence of alternative choices causes people to question whether they made the best decision.

Schwartz also highlights the escalation of expectations that accompanies increased choices. People expect to find the perfect choice when presented with numerous options. Consequently, even good decisions may disappoint because they fall short of elevated expectations.

In summary, Schwartz argues that excessive choice leads to decision paralysis, dissatisfaction, and heightened expectations. He questions the prevailing belief in maximizing individual freedom and choice as the path to welfare in modern societies. This critical perspective raises important considerations about the effects of choice on individuals.

5.The puzzle of Motivation by Dan Pink

The speaker regrets their decision to attend law school despite not practicing law, and wants to use their legal skills to challenge current business practices. They introduce the “candle problem,” an experiment by Karl Duncker that explores people’s difficulties in thinking creatively due to “functional fixedness.” Another experiment by Sam Glucksberg shows that incentives can actually impede problem-solving.

The speaker argues that while rewards may be effective for simple tasks, they hinder creativity and problem-solving in complex situations. They cite studies by economists like Dan Ariely, demonstrating that larger rewards lead to worse performance when cognitive skills are involved.

The speaker criticizes the reliance on external motivators in businesses and proposes a new approach based on internal motivation. Autonomy, mastery, and purpose are emphasized as crucial elements. Examples are given, such as Atlassian’s “FedEx Days” and Google’s “20% time,” where employees have freedom to work on their own projects. The Results Only Work Environment (ROWE) is also mentioned as an extreme form of autonomy.

In conclusion, the speaker urges businesses to align their practices with scientific knowledge on motivation. By embracing autonomy, mastery, and purpose, they argue that companies can foster higher engagement, productivity, and employee satisfaction.