How Falling Behind Can Get You Ahead | David Epstein | TEDxManchester
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- Опубліковано 1 кві 2020
- “Jack of all trades, master of none,” the saying goes. But it is culturally telling that we have chopped off the ending: “…but oftentimes better than master of one.”
In a society hyperfocused on headstarts, we are told to choose our paths early, focus narrowly, and start racking up our 10,000 hours of deliberate practice. But a mountain of research shows that, among people who end up fulfilled and successful, early specialization is the exception, not the rule.
Winding paths and mental meandering can be sources of power, not disadvantages, but we rarely hear those stories. David is trying to change this.
Follow David on @DavidEpstein David Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times best seller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, and of the best seller The Sports Gene.
He was previously a reporter at ProPublica, where his investigations spanned drug cartels to poor medical practices. Prior to that, David was a senior writer at Sports Illustrated, where he wrote or co-wrote many of the magazine’s most high-profile stories, including the 2009 revelation that Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez had used steroids.
David has master’s degrees in environmental science and journalism. He has worked as an ecology researcher in the Arctic, studied geology and astronomy in the Sonoran Desert, and blithely signed up to work on the D-deck of a seismic research vessel shortly after it had been attacked by pirates. He has benefitted from a winding career. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
23 just starting college. Wish me luck.
@Jaypes Have you had the thought of being behind in your life at 23 im in same track i have this feeling of being behind in life 😅
Bubbas Ernie good luck you got this
Wish you the best of luck!
All the best
Basically me when I transferred and switch majors 3 years in
When thinking about life,remember this;No amount of guilt can solve the past,and no amount of anxiety can change the future
Well said.
HM “no amount of time ever bought a second of time”. It hit me when I saw your comment
@@leoncrystal1508 why say that
dope mantra, man. 👏🏽👏🏽
Anxiety alters performance don't you think? That may change the future.
We’re so mean to ourselves. We think that if we haven’t achieved much by 30 we are not worthy. What nonsense. Being alive is being alive, no matter how many years you have lived.
💚
I'm aiming to achieve something by the time I am 50, I'm 33 now. I have a basic plan of advancing to be a VP of operations in a healthcare system in the US. I want to help make healthcare a transparent, competitive enterprise that truly serves the customer's(patient implies you only interact with healthcare when are sick) interests above profits. We have so many "nonprofit" hospitals that somehow still charge enormous amounts of money. I want to change that. Maybe I'm naive and I'll learn one day that it can't be done. Or maybe I will succeed in slowing making healthcare better and cheaper in my country. I wouldn't be in the place I am today if I didn't take a more meandering path.
I'm only 15 and I still feel so bad
edit: i'm sixteen now, i transferred to a school full of high achieving kids and my impostor syndrome kicked it. i feel 10x worse.
♥️
I’m not mean but the society pressured us to be mean to ourselves or else we’re considered as unacceptable.
Started college at 16. Did things in between. Graduated at 39. Got in to med sch...immediately - after bachelors. Then, slowed down again - did things..traveled....and graduated at 49.
At 16, getting the highest possible SAT score, I thought I wanted to be an engineer. Did 5 semesters of it,hated it. Went into writing - in a sch without a journalism course. Got in the university newspaper, a weekly. LOVED it. Every minute if it. Great life-long friendships, relationships. Wrote professionally. LOVE IT. Got published nationally. Interviewed important people. Went places.
At 21, started dentist school - at the most prestigious in the nation. At 25, one semester before graduating and becoming fully-fledged dentist, I quit. Couldn't commit to working inside people's mouths for a lifetime. Enlisted in the military. Did college credits in between deployments, and wars. Had great experiences. Awesome memories, friendships.
At 37, got out. With a more concrete plan of what I really want - to be a doctor - finished last 2 yrs of bachelors. Graduated in two quick yrs at 39. Gained entry to medical school same month I graduated undergrad. But after 3 yrs, got burnt out. Couldn't concentrate. So I went overseas. Learned I was not well. Suffered PTSD from the military, depression (from the slow progress of "life", and mil service), and found out I was also ADHD (concentration difficulties) and mild schizo (from trauma). Meanwhile, wrote articles and columns for newspapers and magazines of my experiences in the military.
Returned to school 5 yrs later, graduated at 49.
Yes, it took many frustrating years to understand myself, forgive me, and find the bigger meaning of Life. But now, I learn things like my mind is a sponge. I'm more confident and secure of myself.
Today, I'm so happy having having done so many things, enjoyed all of them and also loving medicine, something I didn't even plan on. Most of my peers in high school, undergrad, the military have either retired, or flamed out. I'm still LOVING LIFE that I don't mind working until 75, 80. Or i can die tomorrow. Either way, I've enjoyed several Lifetimes.
Wow this was sooooo inspirational. Thank you 💕
Wow... You have an amazing life that many would never get, good luck
woww!! hats off
I'm jealous of the relationships in your life and wonder if you have kids. If not, how is life without kids?
@@raemond1391 it only sounds amazing when it is watched in fast forward. But while trudging through life's trials, it is brutal. Like people say, "Instant success" takes 20 years. I took 23 yrs to finish my bachelors. 10 years to finish a 4 yr doctor's degree. But I got to spend time and look after my ageing parents, while delaying my career and healing my mental health issues. Life happens.
the pain of getting left behind is real.
The pain and suffering of getting ahead is real
Feeling that pain since past 2 years.
alfonso dacullo if you only make a big deal of it. It’s just in your mind .
the feeling of feeling is a real feeling that you feel
Yesss .. it iss
Being a generalist at the start really makes you feel like you're falling behind. True talk
I'm 30 and still feel like one but mostly when I compare myself to others.
for real for real.
Definitely a late game build
Yep very true
Always feel like your not putting enough focus into one thing or the other
72 yr old just starting college wish me life
"Jack of all trades, master of none, though oftentimes better than a master of one."
This speech is a gem!
As a 31 year old failed art student currently failing to learn web development, this is very inspirational!
Dunno who you are, but every time you WATCH this Ted talk, you better be a MILLIONAIRE or be in PROGRESS to achieve whatever you want to. Good Luck
@@pppinto97 Well I'm not a millionaire (yet)
but I AM progressing... :)
How r u today?
Try to not conquer Germany
...
by any chance are you maybe an Austrian? :]
As a med student, I always felt bad for liking to learn other things besides medicine (languages,photography,writing) because my classmates were so hiperfocused on studying nothing more than medicine. Of course they graduated earlier than me, but I mastered two more languages, which gives me the posisibility to specialize in a different country from mine, so,maybe it wasn't wasted time
WOW!!! 😍this is my dream to learn more languages!! how did you manage with a difficult workload??
stopppp this is literally how I feel
The same thing I felt as a Computer Science student. I love a lot of things like philosophy, literature, painting, bodybuilding, psihology etc; I love to socialize and travel to see the world. I m also an adrenaline junky. So I feel so constrained by the field I chose ( even tho I rlly loved informatics ), because I feel like I can't keep up when all the people around me spend minimum 10 hours per day in the front of the computer...and that s all they do and speak about
hey, would you mind sharing your experience financing those extra years it took you to graduate? I feel inspired by this way of life, but I'm afraid of staying unproductive for longer
@@user-ug6kk5ux5q how are you doing now? I'm a CS student and I'm feeling so anxious because like you, I like spending time doing a lot of other things in addition to CS. Meanwhile it feels like other CS students are spending all their time studying, learning code just overall being really competitive and trying really hard. It makes me feel really bad.
As a 27 year old first year medical student, I loved hearing this. I’m finding that my “late start” has given me many advantages. I definitely feel the slowness and frustrations that you mentioned. However, I have found that I’m better at strategy and knowing how to approach different problems. Thanks for this talk
I have figured out this head start after I dropped out two times.
I then started a new education and felt behind. Shortly after I realized I was ahead in many different ways. My doubt, curiosity and uncertainty were put into a power. I focussed on those things and that got me really far.
However, I lost this ‘touch’ and fell back. This video and your comment made me think about focussing on how to approach new interests and corporate them into my life as it is - pushing me forward step by step, even if they are into a different direction - instead of leaning towards making big steps into the right direction.
@@VisualJoey I’m happy to hear my comment contributed to you. It is absolutely about taking things step by step. I like how you put that into perspective.
Frustration is inevitable but we are not defined by our failures or shortcomings. It is the lessons we learn and what we do next that matters.
You got this and I’m sure your journey/story will inspire people in a similar situation! Wishing you the best
@@hyrum_abiff4325 thank you! Wishing you the same!
Hey dude, by reading your comment I got a lot of motivation, Im also have 27 years old, and recently in the past six months I started to learn how to code (web development), and sometimes I fell that I came too late to try to get a job into the tech industry. Sorry about my bad english. Im learnig it too. I hope you to get success in your way.
@@nicolasrivera3422 Congratulations Nicolás on your new journey to coding! I’m happy my comment helped to give you motivation. I am sure you will do great and be successful! Wishing you the best and thank you!
32 still living with my parents .. broke .. rethinking my career and my entire life..
Wish me luck and send me prayers 🙏🏼
Wish you luck 💗💗💗
I'm also in a similar condition.
Pray God as he's the only saviour for all of us & he will guide you.
Not luck but a vision of your best self.
@@marlonecampbell1750 yes, thank you 🙏🏻
Best wishes
At twenty-six years old I have finally reached the last semester of my undergraduate degree. It took YEARS to understand what I wanted and what I was willing to sacrifice for it. I suffered depression, suicidal issues, and addictions that I needed to overcome but I did it. For years I felt ashamed and behind my peers but now I have the focus, drive, and clarity.
get that bread man!
I also graduated when I was 26. That's normal for my country (somewhere in Asia). After graduating from a European university, I was disheartened for not being able to find a job related to what I learned or get selected to a PhD.
However, my past experience has shown me that even though I was late to achieve certain things, later I got the best things that I could've hoped for.
What matters is that we keep focus on our goals and not comparing ourselves with others.
You should be very very proud of yourself. What an accomplishment!
That's really great, Bethany! I wanna say that every time you go back up after being tripped, you have already won!
Very glad things worked out for you! I'm also finishing my undergrad this year at 26. When I first left college I felt like a failure, and it hurt to watch all my friends and former HS classmates finish and get degrees while I was working mundane jobs that didn't give me any fulfillment. But the time I took off made me grow immensely as a person. I learned more about myself and the world, and had the time to think about what I really wanted to do and how I was going to achieve it. When I went back to school it was way easier the second time and I felt much more confident and driven. My first school wasn't the right fit and it was bleeding my dry financially, but my second has been much better in nearly every way. I've made some great connections through it and secured an amazing internship - things that probably would not have happened for me at my first school.
It's so weird that when I look back I see so many wrong decisions in my life but without them I would not have achieved what I have today.
Yes! 👏👏
exactly!!
Me too
same goes with me
This
Man I almost cried, I’ve always wished that my parent had put me in one specific sport or career-like hobby because I struggled with excellence while wanting it so bad. Now I look back to what I’ve been through and what I learned and it’s really cool to manage different stuff and integrate it. I look forward to the future with a lot of enthusiasm.
Those type of kids were limited whereas we are limitless
Same!! I did a lot of different things but never specialized- for years i felt like i wasted my parent's money :/
@@monica.s1345if you end up doing anything (talking to myself)
Just Turned 28. Going back to college to get a degree in CS (focusing on AI), after building a career in Law for more than half a decade. While my friends are getting married, having children and buying their 1st house... I am sitting next to 18 year olds learning about linear algebra. I have never been more excited in my life. It's just feels right this time. Most of us spend our 20s trying to fit the narrative of how life should be. Doing what is expected of us. I'm glad I had the courage to stop when i did and decided to do what i think I should do. I don't know what's waiting on the otherwise but we gotta try right?
What you want truly matters at the end of the day. I ventured into the world of built environment and design when I was already a recognized young artist in my area and was offered several promising roles in my career before I was 17. Courageous and a little naive, I set off to the world. Because nobody around me has done what I chose, and literally nobody/no mentor to relate to; the journey has been challenging. And who would have thought I was ill for most of the journey? So, it was very tough. But the persistence was worth it. After 10 years of making mistakes, working hard, being beaten down, questioning myself, and standing up again, I have transformed into a much better artistic creative, still curious and passionate, had all of my questions answered, completely got out of a narcissistic household, and so sure of life more than ever. Yes, my friends are getting married, settling down, and seemingly more successful, but I know I can never accept living numbly by following what others are doing.
Congratulations!
i wish you all the best on your path!!
I’m in the same boat right now. I left teaching as a band director in 2022 and it was incredibly difficult and painful to do so. And now I am back in school for a degree in computer IT. I ended up doing a group project and it was so hard to work with them. While I recognize, it would’ve been harder to do it myself, it was a challenge to be civil at times after multiple concussions, and dealing with their immaturity. But looking back on the semester, I’m glad for the friendship, honestly. And one of them I will be in tonight classes with this semester. She’s pregnant now, so I don’t know how long will be on the track together, but I’m going to cherish the time that we have.
And I feel a lot more hopeful about what will be on the other side. I will have so many different opportunities and the sky is the limit in what I can teach myself and what I can get certified in, all in small bites along the way. And this is one part of I guess you could say my bucket list. But I’ve always had trouble self starting and learning on my own. It’s kind of overwhelming, even though I am very good with technology, and have always stayed up on the latest PCs and devices. I’ve been surprised at how difficult the curriculum is given my background. But I will be very proud to walk at graduation when that time comes. Good luck to you!
I can feel your happiness and passion when u learn the subject, that's because it what i actually felt tho 😭@@ting3459
As someone with ADHD, who has struggled her whole life to sustain the focus necessary to specialize, as someone who's always worked hard but still felt "behind"... This is so encouraging.
Exactly my feeling!!
Keep going, you'll make it ;)
Exactly how I feel....I hope you're rocking it Kris.
Kris is an interesting name for a girl. I like it. Where is it from?
T-T YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH I NEEDED TO HEAR THIS 🤧 ADHD can make the smartest person in the world feel the stupidest of the world. Choosing a major has been so hard becuase I've never felt like I've specialized in anything in particular, but rather I've managed to finish everything just on time but this talk gives me hope I'll be just fine ^^ you will too!
Finally someone who doesn't tell you to go find your passion to be happy, just do what makes you happy constantly and eventually there will be a way.
Thank you!
thecirculada exactly 🙂
That wasn't the point of the video lmao,
How did you get THAT message from this video? :D The point is to try a lot of things so that you find something that you like and you're good at. Doing what makes you happy "constantly" sounds like never leaving your comfort zone and never growing.
@@TR0LLREIGN personally, what makes me happy is learning new skills and trying new things all the time, sometimes new hobbies or sports or instruments. That's the way I fou different things that I love to do.
To me, my pass is learning and discovery, which is why the comment makes sense to me :D I don't have one thing that makes me happy in my comfort zone, discovery outside of it is my passion. Now it makes sense?
thecirculada - search for happiness is a futile endeavor sold by the entertainment media to enslave you to their products. Grow up and face the problems of society and help us overcome our limitations as human beings. Only that will give you freedom and growth of spirit.
Gone through the comment section
I literally want all the luck and success from the bottom of my heart to all those people who are living their life.
I am 20 yrs old and I thought that I left behind everyone and overthinking all the time.
I am literally shocked seeing so many comments who starts college at 25, 30 🤯.
You guys are real heros.
I am just blowed up 😐.
I'm also 20 yrs old and feel left behind. Hope you will find your path in life.
@@TakiGosc427Me too bro. I feel so lost like everyone I see of my age they are so smart, doing something or the other. And here I am with zero skills, my parents invested so much money on me and I am just wasting my life. I am still not cleared but I will. I promise. I am not a quitter. Can I get your insta dude just to connect?
Very inspiring. Immediately made me think of "Not all who wander are lost".
"A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one."
One of the few sayings that I really love hearing but a lot of people don't know fully.
I would have to disagree with this quote to an extend.First of all where does it say you cant be a master of multiple things.Even if you can be a master of just one thing but you are able to teach it to other people thats batter than a jack of all trades who cant teach nothing of real value.
@@Reypstraptor4269 i was a struggling audio engineer and musician for a few years. In my youthful naive mind i thought i wanna be a musician and be in the music industry. I had people telling me i was a jack of all trade and master of none before.
But then i start looking and delving into cameras as well with concepts and cables being the same. For a period i was wavering between being a musician or be someone that earn money using cameras. Then covid happens and i lean whole way into multicam live stream events and photography and videography
So right now I am very good at photography, videography and live stream events. Have a thriving busniess and learning everyday about how to run a busniess.
If i had been idiotic and said i should focus on being a gigging drummer i would have suffer greatly
Most of my musician friends hardly do music gigs these days and kinda suffer even now. But every single experience have contributed to me being very very good at events running and taking photos and video.
There is a difference between being a simple jack of all trade that touch and go. And someone who uses all their experience to focus and inspire their crafts.
Difference being are you there to link your inspirations together
@@Reypstraptor4269 Look at some of the great minds of history. Some were great at many things and knew numerous languages.
According to Wikipedia, this isn't the original quote, only a more recent variation:
------------
In modern times, the phrase with the "master of none" element is sometimes expanded into a less unflattering couplet by adding a second line: "but oftentimes better than master of one" (or variants thereof), with some writers saying that such a couplet is the "original" version with the second line having been dropped, although there are no known instances of this second line dated to before the twenty-first century.
I didn't know the full saying, and I love it!
30 and just dropped out of my PhD in my 6th year because it wasn't fulfilling, and now just utterly confused and disheartened about the future. Thanks TEDx for this comforting and reassuring talk. The future might not be as bleak as I am supposing it to be.
Hey man I'm 29 and just failed my PhD too. Dropped out because it wasn't what I was looking for plus other personal reasons. Just dropping in to say you're not alone and that our lives are just beginning. Best of luck out there buddy!
I am 20. 😅. In my undergrad. 😁. Thinking of pursuing a PhD further and watching people dropping out of it. 🙂
How are you doing now Amogh bhaiya?
The person who developed eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) was getting her PhD in English literature. Then she had an insight that took her in a completely different direction. She left that program and got her PhD in psychology instead.
@@johndwhite1972 her insight was probably that she could trick people into thinking that EMDR is a real thing that works lol
I have had about 20 jobs from the age of 18-24, my resume only says 4 lol, but I've gained so much knowledge and insights through all of my jobs. I also have a lot of interest in many different things. To most this kind of way of being seems unfavorable because people associate you with not being consistent or starting one thing and not finishing it. During an interview I said I'm a jack of all trades.. and the interviewer said "but master of none" and rolled his eyes, but then I proceeded with telling him," but better than a master of one" and walked away from a small minded individual who couldn't see the endless possibilities and skills I've obtained through different jobs/industries.
Do what makes you happy and live a life that makes sense to you. I'm 25 now and yet to find what I love as I love so many things. I have loved the life I've lived so far doing what makes me happy. Trusting the process and you should too!
As a serial job hoper I can relate
😊why not try forex trading....
@@rationalthinker9541 Forex is so yesterday... try Crypto!
Someone’s got some issues that that gloss over. Js
In America it's easier to get minimum wage jobs (altho terrible job policies) but in Sweden u gotta have degree in everything! even as a janitor they'll ask if u are certified 🤦♂ unless u have someone who hands u in a job..
but I would tip u to subscribe to self made millenial channel here on UA-cam. she works in HR and has recruited ppl and interviewed ppl etc she gives the best tips on how to write resumes and what to say n not to say on interviews etc it worked a lot for me and many others. good luck
As a 27 year old who is finally pursuing their love of acting and standup comedy instead of going to grad school, this has given me hope.
27 year old software dev turning 3d animator here! Wishing you luck!
Wish y’all the best
hows it going? you should make youtube videos!
@@1xalexandrax1 funny you ask, I’ve been making funny videos on IG and I just started performing standup at open mics a couple weeks ago!!
I am 28,I want to learn acting and act in movies and series.
“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”
Word!
Often times... when are those? Haven t experienced it once
@@Ray2311us This is the actual quote, people just leave off the second half.
When you're trying to do something other than your field of expertise, when you're able to pull from multiple pools of different knowledge to work on a single project, when you're able to get a well-paying job outside your desired field in order to pay the rent, etc etc
@@Ray2311us those often times the jack would be better than the master would be in almost every trade except the ONE trade that the master has "mastered"
@@Nevarek339 A bit of an over-acceptance of the idea I feel. Just as it is beneficial to be a Jack of All Trades in the accumulation of skills, so too is it beneficial to do the same with ideas. You mischaracterize much of this crisis and present an overly individualistic take to its ramifications in my opinion. While yes you are responsible for yourself, there also a great many things that lie outside of someone's control, this crisis as an example. Many will be faced with circumstances outside of their control as a result of these things going on in the world, and they will be like a person struck by lightening. They can do all they can to avoid its danger, to minimize the risk to themselves, but in the end they have no control over the bolt and may still be struck by it.
I agree that accumulating skills is a good way to expand your resume and have other opportunities lined up in case you should need/want to venture them, however in the case of a total shutdown like this, many people who are adaptive and skilled in varying things will still find themselves out of a job due to no fault of their own, but rather the fault of the situation. In an economic situation such as this, the job supply has plummeted while the demand has skyrocketed, as a result there aren't enough jobs to go around and people will inevitably be left without work to support themselves.
It is in these cases that I find support to be necessary and beneficial to not only individuals but also the economy and the nation/world as a whole. Without strong social welfare support in place through blanket programs such as Social Security and the like, people will fail to make ends meet. They will be evicted for not being able to pay rent, they will be forced to go hungry, and many will die, and none of it their fault or due to a lack of adaptability on their part.
"She is only 104,we don't know what's next",GREAT WORDS😂😂
Success depends on the actions or steps you take to achieve it. Building wealth involves developing good habits like regularly putting money away in intervals for solid investments. Financial management is a crucial topic that most tend to shy away from, and ends up haunting them in the near future.., I pray that anyone who reads this will be successful in life!!
Starting early is simply the best way of getting ahead to build wealth , investing remains a priority . I learnt from my last year's experience , I am able to build a suitable life beause I invested early ahead this time .
The rich Invest in alternative income streams that are independent of the government should be the top priority for everyone right now. especially given the global economic crisis we are currently experiencing. Stocks, gold, silver, and virtual currencies are still attractive investments at the moment...
I thought about investing in the financial market, I heard that people make millions if you know the tricks of the trade, but I lack good knowledge and a strategy to outperform the market and generate good yields. I have $160,000 but it's hard to bite the bullet and do it.
Having an investment advisor is the best way to go. Based on a direct encounter with a CFP named Kate Elizabeth Amdall, I can say with certainty that their skills are excellent. She helped raise over $580,000 in 18 months from an initially stagnant portfolio of $150,000
Fantastic! can u share more details?
I started college at 27, graduated at 31. I'm 32 now and I've been switching career 5 times since I graduated high school. I clearly have a different path than most people but I kind of proud of who I am today. Thank you for this!
My Cent here, I'm a software engineer. I have never been good in mathematics (just enough to get good grades), Have a less than average memorizing capability and have been above average student at school. Nothing much remarkable about my abilities. I have focused very much on learning as much as i can. Be in linguistics, genetics , bio chemistry , history, physics, meditation, eastern methods, cooking, pottery . The list goes on. I have been able to adapt to almost any environment very easily which stresses most of people. I have been made to handle things i have no idea about or almost never heard of. But amazingly , I'm pretty successful in what ever i do. I never say NO to any challenge. I think once you learn so much stuff your mind figures out something for you. The solutions come out of common sense ,like natural flow of water.
My whole input here is , learn as much as you can. The more diversified input you give to your mind, more amazed you would be with results.
A software engineer myself. I've been generalizing for a while now (I'm fairly early in my career) and what I've noticed is the more I generalize, the easier it becomes for me to understand concepts that many very good engineers even find difficult. It has really broadened my thinking. I feel like there are concepts that are easier understood if you learn other things, and then bring that knowledge to something your currently focusing on.
I think your input was very insightful and I liked it. Your interests sound a large amount like mine. Eastern methods and pottery aren’t there, more so cause I don’t have access to the latter and the first one I don’t know if that includes meditation (which I should do). Diverse interests I’ll say that and I don’t think I’ve ever seen that exact combo in anyone else. I think it’s neat to find someone with like interests. I have a specific career interest but hobby interest and sort of life goal stuff that derives from it has gotten me called scatter brained by a few people, however I have been complimented on that by a person and I like their way of looking at it. I just liked those cause I liked it and I just felt I should have a goal to live my life like I’m living many, so live to the fullest is my thought. My friend said that by having diverse interests though it can add a depth to the color in a person and it makes them interesting. I like to think so, I think you will too. Qué interesante.
Wish I could say the same. I like to research the paranormal and the unknown, here and abroad across the world. This is not helping me in life at any typical job. I'm terrible at math and I can't remember people's names, only faces. I dropped out and got my GED. Tried a online collage to get In homeland security. Back when we still had AOL dial up internet. To try and find out who was really responsible for 911.. My grandfather and father were both firefighters. I grew up around trauma and stress.. I can work and deal with on the fly problem solving. I like to say Mc.Guyvor the issues without blinking an eye while most would say I'm crazy for helping.. I can't work with typical people because I'm a free thinker and stubborn when people try to change my thoughts. This has in no way helped me get jobs. When I did try I made it on a local fire departments hiring list multiple times but never was hired.. discovered many different types of fraud in the multiple works places I've been. Each time I won by my theories of the truth that prove wrong doing. I've learned to fly a Cessna 152 but I have no flight log. All the money spent was like it never happened. I'm a jack of all trades but always on paper a master of none. What should someone that doesn't like the system we are slaves to be part of it and be happy? How do we find what we like when the system says give me money we will never have? The people I meet seem to have a different out look on perception in our everyday. I want them to know just as much as I want to know the truth of the unknown around us. If you were to ask me, "what I want to do in life"? All I can say I don't know.. I'm too scattered brained to reside to one thing or another. You guys with the computer programming abilities, my hat is off to you.. you have been there and done it.
@@johnathonsensing8162 You should give daytrading a go, it helped a fellow scatter brain like me get the income I need to continue on my diverse journey of trying a lot of things in this world. Best of luck there friend!
@@mushrifsaidin Thank you sir. I've been researching the market and looking into new technologies on the arisen.
''Too many people run too fast in the wrong direction and end up regretting it. So why the rush?''
- I forgot who said this to me but although I kept this in mind all these years, I ended up making the same mistake..
edit: For some reason, people have been commenting on this more often lately, so I'd just like to clarify something.
I no longer share the same mindset with my past self. I've become much more grateful for where I am and appreciative of the little things;
and I no longer believe in making the right/wrong choice.
I now believe that everything's a matter of perspective and in making the most out of any given situation. There's always something positive to be found if you're willing to look for it.
Thank you all for taking the time to read my comment and sharing your own opinions with me! 🌸
I've read through them all and I appreciate it.
Stay safe and have a great day!
We have so much risk aversion in our society. Never rush in foolishly, but know that with a bit of cushion, you can take a leap at any time.
because you focus on the thought
@@jennifergersch9126 cushion on what?
Uhmm...it's very similar to what's written in "Tuesday's with Morrie"
Wonderful advice!!!! Thank u for sharing this!
I'm the only woman in my electronics class, and I just failed the first exam. This video has helped give me confidence I need, thank you!
Keep on going! You can repeat the exam, I'm sure. Next time it will go better!
Update?
21 and will start college again in a new field after dropping out of med school in the 3rd year. This is what I needed.
You're good, i'm 23 and also about to start over
@@UmbralMxx all the very best !! Hope this time it’ll be fulfilling enough :D
Wtf med school at 21 are you a child prodigy or do you mean pre med.
@@daniellaurin9566 I'm from India and here we start med school soon after high school, have to just clear a national level entrance exam somewhat like MCAT.
@@Muskan-jr5ps oh interesting, I will look at this on my own terms. Thanks.
In India, we are always told to run in life with our head down.
But no one told us to stop, walk, and wander. Just walk and wander, you will be great.
I can understand
What is the meaning of this quote? Why would you run with head down? Is'nt that a formula of getting bumped?
@@heinzgilbert To not focus on anything other than career.
The French have a word, "flaneur," meaning a wanderer, often in urban settings. Never be afraid to meander around a different corner; you never know what you'll discover.
@@jennifergersch9126 thank you so much bud, I hope we can connect and share some these kinds of ideas.
Moral of the story: Don’t be afraid to hyper-specialize in adaptability
criminally underrated comment
pin this
This supposes that adaptability can be taught, is there any evidence backing this up?
He wasn't pointing to adaptability at all.... He was pointing to the issue that choosing something too soon could be detrimental, especially if you havent tried other things that you may enjoy more and may be way better at. 10,000 hours on something when there was something even better for you is a shame. :)
@@OFFICALMENOFCULTURE realize that pushing things to its logical conclusion, trying out many things instead of focusing on something early on is, ultimately, specializing in adaptability. Being a jack of all trades. This way, when you find something you enjoy, you might have an advantage as opposed to what is generally believed. If someone has tried more things than you, a.k.a hyper-specialized in adaptability, they might have the upper hand.
"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." - Earl Nightingale
When I was younger, I went through a boot camp course to teach us on the mindset of being a successful person. I remembered clearly, on the first day, when the host asked us why are we here. Some kid just replied that they are here because they want to ace their academic examinations. The host simply knocked his head on the whiteboard for a few times, contemplating on how to translate the message.
It took me a few decades to finally understand that, it's not getting education scoring and being a money-making machine that will get you far. Sure, money is an essential basic to survival in this economy, but it's not everything, even if you make the most money in this world, it is pointless if you have no idea what you are doing in your life.
Successful people don't go for top scores in their academic results nor do they go for the money. Even if they do, that's because they know what they want. It's just a pawn in their chess, and it's not everything. The whole point is simple; They just do what they love and they just keep on doing that. This is true success, so what even if you enjoy doing the most redundant and the most insignificant things in life unlike your neighbor who is getting married and moving out being a top-notch lawyer or something else while you are still hiding in you mum's basement.. Take your time, quality over quantity, be yourself, stop comparing and don't follow everybody else' footstep.
That's the whole lesson that took me decades to learn while fortunate people in this era can learn within a 14min video.
I'm really sorry but as a practicing lawyer that does love their job very much, I feel personally offended by this comment 😂 Can the society stop job-shaming us for a while seriously? 😂🥲
Learnt 🙏❤️🙏
I graduated college at 28 and I think it was the best timing because I probably wouldn’t have chosen the major I did. Everything works out you just have to keep going 🙌🏼
Congrats!
For me I’m just glad I didn’t go to college right after HS. It was weird “adulting” for 1 or 2 years in the food industry. And when I did come back to school, I switched majors 4 times, and learned that that’s OK. I had to understand that I wasn’t disappointing anyone, only myself.
Film school > Political Science > Astronomy > now in Nursing school, ready to be an NP
Your is so inspirational to me 😭💓
I'm 24 and my parents are frustrated and disappointed at me that I'm still not graduating from the degree they choose for me to take. I know I'm left behind by my peers, it's been a struggle for me for years to try to keep up, but deep down I know the timing is alright. It was just the expectations of society and people around me that are making it hard. And I'm glad I'm not alone, I'm glad to see your comment, you're an inspiration. Adulting is hard--but being left behind had taught me many things and I've explored my talents. I guess it's a win for me.
@@astre2974 experiences are priceless! Keep growing, learning and becoming who YOU want to be.
@@incoherentexistence Ayye another nursing student! Congrats dude I’m happy for you !
One of the best ted talks I’ve seen in a while
About the damn time
Disruptive Bee Same here!
Late reply here... but I also find it so impressive that one can deliver a speech this well too!! Amazing Ted Talk but I am just also amazed at how “ready” he was at this time. Lol!! Can’t get over it. Cheers
Same
He just gave a summary of Outliers
I am a 54 year old single woman: not by choice. I am getting my second book published. I started college in my forties. Although I worked for thirty years. I feel like the latest bloomer. But I believe that VC Andrews, or Virginia Andrews, she started writing much older than me and a best seller. I wanted to be an author since high school. My parents didn’t have much money to help me get through college. These people who he mentions are not as late as myself. I know that I am bright. But I like the story of the 54 year old. I got a college degree. I have failed many times at becoming an author. I am not happy or satisfied with myself. I expect that if I live to be 85, there is going to be around 30 books authored by myself.
I'm turning 27 in the next 4 days.. And I wasn't really happy because life didn't go the way I wanted it.. Needed to watch this talk.. ❤
This is coming at a time in my life when I really needed it. Six colleges, eight majors, and only halfway at most through my learning journey. My degree can't even address all the skills I've accumulated. My father was upset at the thought that I would be a "lifetime learner" - but I finally found something I believe I can do for the rest of my life and never get tired of. Feels like sweet validation instead of "You're behind on life, you're a failure."
Goodluck Aviva. I am also fighting my own battle. Never give up on what you believe in. It can take time but surely it will work out. Stay safe. Whole lotta love 👍❤️
Congrats on hanging in there. You'll find your own direction, and it will lead you into the most amazing and unexpected places.
Yep. 3rd major in. I've felt I was wandering around stupidly, and only recently really coming to terms with the fact my path isn't and can't be linear. It's often now that I know some random tidbit about something that is actually useful and relevant, and it comes from just bumbling around and smashing facefirst into walls for years.
Aviva Godfrey what have you finally found ?
@@abhishekvarshney7695 Teaching university. I always knew I couldn't handle K12, but I was hired as a lab instructor while working on my undergrad and realized that teaching university students was possibly one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had. I'm almost done with an MFA in Creative Writing now, and I plan to use that as a springboard for a second series of degrees in Japanese. ovo Ultimate goal: teach university-level Japanese courses!
Aviva Godfrey i wish you all the very best for well lived life 🌸
“We never really hear developmental stories, do we? We don’t hear the research that found a Nobel Laureate scientist is 22 times more likely to have a hobby outside of work as our typical scientist.” Great talk.
I just figured out that I have ADHD, and I was failing because I was afraid I couldn't deal with the future.
Now, I'm taking meds and I'm really studying and doing research to understand how my brain works and how I can help myself without thinking about others this time. I feel ready to grow!!!! I'm 19, and thinking about college before was a nightmare, thinking about driving was a nightmare so I just self sabotage all of it. But this time, I'm ready!!! I'll study to get into college nex year (as a 20years old), I'm gonna take my driving exam tomorrow and I feel ready, I feel ready to grow!!!!!! I'm so proud of myself bc all of those years I as so afraid.
Thank you so much for this lecture ♥️
I'm 28 was a mechanical engineer for 7 years. It didn't really click to me and jobs were very scarce in my country. Now I decided to go for web development and what do you know? After 3 months of studying I tried to send my resume just for giggles and what do you know? I'm gonna start on this job next week! This ted talk really resounds on my current situation. Thank you!
Bravo 👏
"SLOW BUT STEADY WIN'S THE RACE".This quote is always in my head ✨
Basically; don’t be in a rush to go to college because “it’s what society says to do” it’s okay to fall back for a little bit and really figure out what it is that you want to do. Now that you have graduated from HS, you have plenty of free time to find new hobbies and different jobs. I’m 21, I went to college for 18months and decided it wasn’t for me. Fast forward to now and I’ve tried serving aka; waiter, I’ve worked in the tree industry cutting down old dead trees and learning how the machine equipment works, I’ve worked laying tiles which is very meticulous and must pay extremely close attention to detail. What’s important is that you try a multitude of things in order to find what you truly want to do in life. Now all of my friends that I graduated with, they all have over 100k in debt while I will be able to pay off all of my student loan debt in less than a year. You don’t have to go into college right away after school, It’s okay to fall back and try different things. As long as you’re truly trying to figure out what you want to do... you will be just fine in the long haul.
Schnell Yes, I have decided to become a business man.
Nothing else, because nothing else give me money 💰
Inspired
@@Ray2311us Wise choice, friend. Starting a business is the best way to reach financial freedom. Props to you! 😁
Thank you for this advice
@@samanthachurch
If you haven’t been trying out different ideas in your adolescence then you’ve been wasting time, and that’s on you.
These are what make TedTalks good. Data driven hypothesis, focusing on a single idea, and how it can help you in your life.
Not just motivational ramblings to make people feel good about themselves.
Absolutely agree.
I am 37 and still don't know what to do with my life, and I am not very good at anything. This video made me feel a bit better.
So is me dude, im also 37, Completed Graduate at 23, left Phd at 26, Started 3 failed businesses by 34, now at 37 currently stay at home dad to my baby girl and learning Indian Classical Music and Sitar.. and still i dont know what to do with my life...
29 and just failed my PhD. Got a new lease on life and it's just starting for me. Wish me luck.
I’m 24 and had a craniotomy for a brain tumor and my body’s drawing me back to college. Wishing you the best
Good luck!
You got this my G !
As someone feeling incredibly behind and under so much pressure to hurry up like time is running out (at 28 years of age), this video was wonderful to hear. Thank you!
Same age ....same feelin
same here.. It's insane how time just seems like it's on speed mode nowadays. relatives around my age have gotten married in same YEAR of last summer.. and ppl even younger as well getting married or having kids and I'm like still on entry level job that I don't get a full time yet. and now I'm losing the interest in the field I'm working at which used to be my passion. I have applied for studies in marketing and sales and hopefully I get in bcuz the job market here where I live is pretty terrible and it's not like I have powerful friends or references in my advantage..
@Saint Ratus yes, but I or anybody needs stability and that is a full time job. Especially now that we all are going through with this inflation phase which God knows how long it will last.
At 28 I felt old. At 62 I feel I’m just getting warmed up!
How did it go ?
As a woman who wanted to persue civil engineering, lacked tuition fee for my undergrad at 2nd year of study, decided to go ahead and start a diploma in civil engineering @22 rather than wait for miracles...corona happened now at 25...still not done with diploma, I often feel behind but I have learnt alot about dynamics of life and timing,I became more dedicated to my studies..this video has helped me too.
Don't you stop, keep going.
Idhi nade Akinyi?
@@eldondaniel2074adhi maber😊
Good luck, engineer!!! Youre doing great
I had a marketing career for 10 years and at age 31 went back to uni to study law. I was at times the oldest person in the room in my class but my curiosity meant that I continue to learn at such a rapid pace that I outshone a lot of the young students and managed to build an exciting new career. Now my marketing experience and work across different sectors helps me shine in so many other aspects while working for an international law firm - such as client relationships and management - things that many lawyers struggle with. I am now learning to DJ because its something so different to my legal skills. Life can never be linear and specialising may give you a cushy job but is that really a life you want to have that is so limited to such a narrow path? Never attracted me!
bro you just solved my anxiety over the past 4 years in college.
The talk is about how falling behind CAN get you ahead. It´s not even close to a guarantee
@@TylerDurden-td2yg that's good enough for a chance, nothing in this world is a guarantee
@@shepard267 Of course it is and it´s true. But "just solved my anxiety" seemed very odd to me in this context.
@@TylerDurden-td2yg well i was anxious that i kept falling behind during my college years. Seeing this video made me realize i might be anxious for nothing knowing the fact that it might not be so bad after all. I think i gotta rephrase my words though
Right I wish I saw this when I still in college
This reminds me of the part in Sapiens when the author mentioned that the closer people are to a situation, the less capable they are of accurately predicting what comes next.
Oh wow, me too, something about the chaos level? it will be obvious to students studying the historical event in 100 years time but right now everything seems so uncertain and confusing. It's an idea from Sapiens that I apply to many confusing things in my life.
I really needed to hear this, I even cried hearing the stories he told one by one about famous people falling behind. I come from a low income background, right now my family doesn't even know if we'll even have food for the next month but from I was little, I love to draw so much that I want to get into animation. So I'm taking a gap year right now after high school to prepare myself and I thought I might be selfish that I even considered something like animation, while most of my peers are already in college and majoring in things like medical science or technology but I see that everybody's life pace are different. Hopefully I don't come to regret my decision later.
Hey man, you got this. I can totally relate to what you are feeling. Anyway you dont have to feel selfish for choosing animation since you have such a passion for it. Everyone has a different path my friend. Wishing u best of luck.
we're the same. I love making art and come from a low income background. I wanted to take art school in college too but decided that it shouldn't be my focus since i can be really good at making art pieces by myself, self-taught. So i took on a humanities related degree in college, while also making art on my free time and practicing different mediums from pencils to paint to pottery, to crochet to cartooning to realism. I did this because my college degree now can likely get me into a job right after i graduate, but my other skills can likely propel me to be more productive later on in life. But I'm not telling you to not pursue animation. It's really really really great! But as the video suggests, doing multiple things and not focusing on one thing can get people ahead in later life.
I'm nearing 33, I've dropped out of school 22 times in too many majors to count, held multiple jobs in several different fields, and dabbled in just about everything I could get my hands on. Let's see if this argument holds up. So far, the only that has remained constant in my life is music. Everything else has been an absolute catastrophe. Currently I'm attending a coding bootcamp in hopes to somehow integrate all the lateral thinking I've learned over the course of my life and apply it in the music technology/audio software world. This will be my last attempt; if I fail I'm taking a warehouse job and going back to music for good. For anyone struggling with chaotic ADHD and extreme late-bloomerism out there you are not alone.
I'm so glad I watched this because I'm a person who likes doing lots of different things, but most people have discouraged me saying that I should stick to one path and not many.. It just doesn't work for me; I like combining many ideas into one and learning different subjects and not delve into just one. Thanks for inspiring me to keep going!
or maybe people tell you to focus because ur getting distracted while theyre trying to teach you one specific thing
@@ganibattlebeard are you projecting? Lol
@@ganibattlebeard sounds to me like the teacher might want to try learning how to keep the attention of the student, unless of course the teacher believes they have a bad student
Me 2 i like combining things and informatio. some say im all over the place
Same
I’m turning 27 in a month and am still half a year out from finishing my bachelors degree in music composition and computer science. I needed this.
that's awesome! maybe electronic music could be your next adventure :)
Good luck man you got this
I’m 17 and have sampled probably a little of almost every career path(as much as you can sample as a teenager) but I kept coming back to the same one I wanted since I was 5 which is theoretical physics
This is true. Someone who feels darkness when they have found light will be very great at going beyond tomorrow
I graduated from civil Engineering in 2019 at 21, since than I’ve been doing nothing with my life because I don’t have any interest in it. I’m dealing with extreme depression, anxiety and guilt for not knowing what I want to do with my life and not working. I really can’t see myself working on something I don’t like.
u'll get over it.. hope u stay happy
Damn, sorry to hear that dude. I hope you take it a step at a time and get to the light at the end x ✊🏼
My cousin also got a civil engineering degree. (Both parents are engineers, and they steered her toward it for the money and the prestige.) She hated it. A few years ago she became a nurse, and she absolutely loves it. It fits her personality so much better, and she seems happy for the first time- even as a kid she always seemed stressed out! I hope you can find your equivalent fulfilling career, but more importantly, I hope you're able to find happiness and worth outside of work.
@@carrietale thank you for this, it really motivates me in my pursuit of new career. I made up my mind, and I’m changing my career to do something I like lest I die of depression.
It’s so crazy when you get recommended something you actually needed to hear!!! 🤯Amaxing Ted 👏
Girl, RIGHT???🤷🏾♀️🤯
"there are as many ways to succeed as there are people." best quote i've heard in a while.
25 and I will start university this Fall... it will be 5 yrs of engineering. Been through so much, Pls pray for me 😢
This is really inspiring, I've studied art, Martial Arts, massage therapy and became proficient in a few languages and am still finding my way, I will I tell you, I will
25 and confused about what next; except that it's not really confusion but the desire to continue pursuing multiple interests while the anxiety of falling behind everyone creeps in. Ah! This is comforting!
Wow, this sounds exactly like me. Good to know I'm not the only one! Being 25 and still unsure about the future but eager to try different paths. Keep going :)
Same!
My father always chides me by saying "I got my PhD when I was 29." I'm 33 and plan to do a PhD soon. Sometimes I feel like a failure because I didn't follow my dad's path. But watching this TED Talk has reminded me that I don't regret getting a Certificate in Disability Studies or two MAs: one in Literature and the other on ELA with a concentration on ESL. I absolutely love all of these fields!
That’s a terrible thing to say to anyone. Let alone your own child. That’s great that he’s proud of something he did when he was 29 but the world is a completely different place now so his comparing his past to your present is completely irrelevant.
And i’m just guessing here, but it seems like he’s insecure about that career path he chose. And seeing your confidence to choose a different path has obviously made him fearful of being proved wrong.
Take it as a huge compliment. You’re doing great!
“In a wicked world, that is increasingly short sighted” FANTASTIC 👏🏻 this is so inspirational and helpful as a parent
The fact that i always felt like an imposter in my university class, the fact that these kids would always bring up my age and ask me why I’m so old, especially those who i thought were friends.
The fact the algorithm felt that I needed this video. The world works in mysterious ways.
I'm 8 years older than my classmates, somehow we are wiser, somehow this years of coping with life will guve us an advantage. I don't even try to compete with them. I'm accepting the fact that Im different
The main ones who bring up your age, just do it to try and boost they’re ego about being young in school. Just because your a couple years younger doesn’t always mean your more likely to be successful. A lot of successful people are late bloomers
Me too doing MS in US @ 28yrs surrounded by kids.. at times it seems like a mistake.. found this at the right time..
Don't be shocked just ask back in a lighthearted way: "why are you young?"
As someone with ADHD I can attest to this trend of, as I get older, the things I'm good at and the things I am interested are much more narrowed down. Seriously, being in your late teens/early 20s with ADHD is extremely overwhelming. Not only do you have the normal endless possibilities feelings of a NT person, but you also have the ADHD brain that makes you think you have to do all of your different ideas. Now I'm in my late 30s, I struggled to find meaning and stability all my life up until about 2-3 years ago when I sort of settled into a rhythm of life for myself. It also helps that around that time I was finally diagnosed with ADHD so I could then learn and apply the right coping strategies and occasional medication. Now I look at what I like and what I want to do and see 3-4 clear trajectories instead of dozens like I used to. This video has really helped me, too. It's good to have some assurance that I'm not too late, I can still find the meaning I want out of life.
What is NT person?
@@inspira. neurotypical person; aka “normal”.
So true!
recently diagnosed in my late 30's with ADHD. life has been so hard and i feel so lost, but everyone believes in me so much and my potential. i'm constantly told how smart i am, yet i currently have no path in life.
@@inspira. NeuroTypical; Its kind of a new concept, but now NeuroDiversity is slowly becoming a thing and now, the "normal" people are considered Neuro-typical brains and a lot of people with different mental conditions, structures and patterns are slowly being recognized, understood, and normalized (just like all this gender moves that has being going around lately, is kind of the equivalent but for brains instead of genders). Some examples of neurodiversity could be ADHD, ASD, Tourette, Dislexia, etc.
So now a lot of people with, for example, ADHD brains (me being one of them) can finally live without constantly thinking there is something wrong with ourselves and without overwhelming ourselves with anxiety and depression every week (as in unconscious auto-sabotage). Because now we can see and understand, that it is NOT our fault to be the way we are. We just weren't aware... nor were we treated (much less rised) properly about it. and now that we are aware (and diagnosed!) we can deal with it and learn how to live with it instead of against it. Maybe even use it to our advantage.
Starting a PhD in Information Science at 60 yo after many successful years as an entrepreneur. Wonderful insight in this talk.
Inspiring 🙂
Oh man. This was something I needed to hear today. I’m here at 30 feeling lost but also very stuck in life, my ex was a software engineer and kinda put me down about my life situation of hopping from low paying job to low paying job after obtaining my English degree. They pushed me into school for software engineering as well, but I hated it. And now, I’m working towards a film degree after that relationship, feeling like I’ve wasted too much of my life focused on relationship stuff when I should have been focusing on career and financial stuff. . .
How is that film degree going? I'm 24 and having a quarter-life crisis. Did a bachelor's degree in psychology and did most of the work psychology master's degree, which is directed towards hr jobs, and half of it felt meaningless, especially the internship. Even though I really like psychology I see now I made those choices because it was a "safe path" (which was very influenced by family members). Now, after dropping out I know I want to be involved in media production, and if possible, film or tv.
Yeah I’ve read an article applying the same thing to people who studied the art and humanities. We tend to make more longer term and later in our careers as compared to people who start off successfully but this plateaus out so on average the former is technically more successful. However I’d say that applies to a select few, those later years aren’t guaranteed, and savings/investments are definitely better early on because of compounded interest..
💪 be strong mate you got this
Fighting!🕺🏿
I’m almost 40, I’ve been a videographer and editor, musician, database admin, I built a float spa, learned acoustics and audio engineering, and now I’ve been dabbling in woodworking/machining and 3D printing.
My day job for the last 9 years has been doing tech support and I kinda hate it, but it definitely pays the bills and I’m worried to try anything else at this point as an actual job… but then again maybe I should.
Thanks, this is inspiring!
Just do it
You got this!
Why did you stop being a videographer
Jim Rohn said it well..."you must accumulate many skills until a unique talent emerges"...
The Late Specializers concept hit me really hard. Went through security, retail and hospitality, warehousing and logistics, ultimately to becoming a firefighter-emt. The last one is the only time I've ever felt accomplished at work, and proud of my job.
My background has 'dabbler' written all over it and has cost me plenty of job interviews. struggling in a world where people are happy to be 'short-sighted'.. this speech is awesome, and to be honest, lifts up my spirits..
That's the biggest reason why we don't need to be disappointed and should keep going on. Cheer up for every one of us who has thought that fallen behind.
30 yrs old. college graduate.. currently looking for a job. wish me luck
As someone who has always had diverse interests, this is almost making me tear up. Especially now, when after staying home with kids for 14 years, getting divorced, and starting in on a career path I'd never worked in, only to find that it wasn't the path, and then having to recalibrate. It's taken years to figure it out, and I'd criticize myself constantly for not just having plowed ahead with the first thing. This talk is enlightening.
As a late starter aged 25 when I started college and continued to post grad, I spent many years watching sooo many school leavers pushed into courses just because their parents expected it. It upset me that a lot of these kids were wasting their time and money in courses that either did not suit them or that they had little interest. They treated it like an extension of school and lacked the maturity on so many levels to understand fully, the industries they wanted to work in. I remember thinking that most would benefit from a bit of life/work experience and some time to explore what makes them tick before embarking on any career path that basically starts with accumulating debt, this is essentially the reality for most students, mistakes are expensive and some only get one chance to get it right.
As a startup founder at the age of 25, I felt like I'm far behind my friends who opted for a job in the IT industry. The level of uncertainty drives me crazy and I end up feeling like I'm not living my life anymore. I hope it all makes sense one day.
This was a great talk man. Thank you for sharing!
@Marianne Amen
Best of luck with the company bro. You got this.
Bud your 25 come on
@@AshishYadav-qc7hr may i ask
What is your startup about
Hope you make it big...don't stop!!
The feeling of left behind is not easy. I keep questioning myself about my intention, my motivation doo I try to learn new thing or I'm just wasted my time playing around as I see my friend whose specialized became more success
As a 22 year old who graduated from college last June 2021, and now it's almost a year that I still have no full time work or job to sustain myself. This message is heartwarming and I felt reassured for hearing this. Thank you so much for this wonderful talk, TEDx! 😊
Good luck 😊
What was your major ?
I’m 33 and quite late in life compared to my peers who have it all figured out. Failed at Maths and finance in first of uni and currently studying a business degree which I am still unsure of if I will finish because it’s quite boring. I love to draw from a young age and I am an aspiring artist. Maths was never my thing, I was just pressured to do it. Let’s hope I make something out of my passion for art and drawing. May God bless us late bloomers.
I'm going to turn 28 in August and my story is quite similar to yours. I failed twice at maths - I'm just so bad at it. I prefer arts and creativity... I ended up studying fine arts but I soon found out I didn't really liked it. Although it's still arts, I work as digital illustrator now and I think I've found my purpose... For now.
And amen!
My suggestion to you is to pursue your passion like arts only on the side. At this age, having no job can make us feel guilty by the day.
I was a bright student and excelled in a number of areas in academics. Went through a number of interests growing up, but always gravitated towards music. Even within music, I've explored dozens of instruments and many genres. At about 15, I became very sick and I eventually dropped out of high school. Got my GED and went to college, only to drop out twice. Now I'm disabled and living with my partner who supports both of us (with the exception of a couple hundred a month from the state).
With all that being said, I'm doing so much better and have much more clarity now than I ever did being scouted by academic and musical talent agencies, being in contention for full ride scholarships for elite boarding schools, or at any height of my academic or musical careers growing up. I've developed an emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and broader worldview that informs how I go through every day, and incorporates many ideas and adversities many won't ever have to think about or know as intimately as I do in their lifetimes. I don't know exactly what it will manifest itself as, but I know I have a great wealth to draw from whichever direction I head.
You seem to be a very self-aware person. Best of luck on whatever you plan to do next. :)
Holy sh!t are you my brother!?
YES. This is so important!! I became chronically ill at 21, and I so often feel that a decade-plus of living this way has given me insight I couldn't have gotten any other way. I was also a "gifted child" who was used to being book smart, and had a plan mapped out for my life that never happened. It's been a total paradigm shift. Obviously there are times that it's been difficult and exhausting- that's the part other people see. But I wish we talked more about the good that can result from becoming disabled or chronically ill. Not in a toxic positivity, everything-works-out way, but in the way that it can deeply change you as a person for the better
Thank you for an amazing speech. The topic of career specialisation has been swirling around my mind a lot recently as I'm coming to the point of choosing a university course to study. I have always jumped around in interests and I sometimes get frustrated with myself that I cannot stick to one hobby. I invest myself fully in one field and convince myself this is what I am meant to do until I burn out and switch to an entirely different subject. It started with maths, then I tried animation, rowing to cycling, chess, psychology, literature and philosophy etc. I sometimes worry that I cannot devote myself to one subject. I feel pressured to specialise in one thing, to the point where if I currently focus on maths, I feel like I shouldn't enjoy the arts. We are all multi-dimensional people. This speech has compelled me to believe that success can come from broad interests, not hyper-specialisation. I am really glad you did this speech. You chose a new perspective and managed to articulate yourself eloquently backed up with great research.
AbelCain last line 💕 💯
Great story! It hits personally too, I try to convince myself something is good for me but then I switch over to something else.
Why not dual major? Or take on a minor?
I tried environmental science. It is the best generalist study! Math/physics/chems, and a bit of all natural sciences really. Here in NL, environmental science also have courses related to spatial planning, investment decision tools, policy-making and a bit psychology/ethics. In my elective courses I learned languages. You learn about (and perhaps special later on) water, air, soil, industries. Unfortunately it is difficult to choose a job after graduation because I feel like they want you to focus on one specialty and I am afraid that if I do that then all the things I learned get stagnated. If later I want to switch to a different specialty within envtal science (ex. From policy-making to something more technical) then my professional experience is back to zero.
My friend, you might have ADHD
32 years old... still dont know what do to... but i have to start life and leave past behind.... this is only solution
My education was a mishmash of stops and starts in multiple disciplines and even at 40 years old I was way behind my peers. But at 60 years old I ended up way ahead because I am using all of them in a very unique way that not many can match.
Hello. Your story is like mine. I was looking for some encouragement because I have fallen behind my peers at 41. I'd love to hear how you were able to get back on top if you don't mind.
I’m 30. Graduating this year. Wish me good Luck to find internship!
God bless everyone
best of luck to you! :]
Best of luck to you! It’ll work out for ya, don’t be too hard on yourself.
@@Nwakaego_ bless you!
Bless bro/sis, bless
Thank god for you dude. I really needed this. I’m the late bloomer/try it all-er and it’s been hard to watch my friends have success in their linear trajectories. This gives me hope that that doesn’t have to be the only success story. Thank you!!!
I feel the same..for the longest time I have felt guilty about having multiple interests. I am 31 and everybody around me knows exactly what they want and I only know all the experiences I want to have
hi both of you, I feel the exact same, can you give a 1 year update?
As someone who was obsessed with specialisation but now running out of steam in 3rd year of university… I agree that getting a head start is not everything. I dropped all of my hobbies to focus on my grades and now I feel lost, as I don’t even remember my hobbies. However, each life leads a different role and I don’t think it’s necessary to undermine certain lifestyles. Some people become specialists and still contribute to society in meaningful ways. Some people are not specialist, but I find them preaching ideas without having researched enough to understand what they were talking about…
I am 17 years old, in the midst of the college application process, and I hate when people ask me “what are you going to be in life?”
It’s hard to explain that I am driven, I’m not without big dreams, I’m just driven in so many directions and I’m excited to pursue where they all take me (especially at a liberal arts college). Thank you thank you for one of the best TedTalks I’ve heard, which inspires me to persevere in a multifaceted mindset.
I'm in the same situation and the same age :( I feel the exact same. Just what do I pick as my course? Have you decided? May I know what helped you make a decision? Thank u 🩷
@@piposcat I made the decision to go to a liberal arts college because it is built upon learning critical thinking and un-specialized learning that can apply in all areas. (Because of this liberal arts colleges also have a greater ROI according to Forbes.). I decided on a philosophy degree because I thought about what I wanted to learn *specifically* in an academic environment. I like reading fiction and learning about brain science, but not so much when I'm being graded on it. But I want to be graded on philosophy by professors, because I want to better examine the moral ideas that have shaped our world and communicate my arguments of them. (Plus philosophy majors have gone into any field and out-earned all other humanities majors as well as chemistry- Payscale). Studies show college degrees still are worth the money no matter what you do, and I think college is the best environment to find out what career you want, so I don't feel the pressure to decide on my career yet and I don't think anyone else should. always do your own research though and consider that a gap year and/or online college are also options to give you more freedom. hope this helps
As an electrical engineering student who ended up in application development writing mobile apps, to creating UA-cam cartoons to finally getting into a maths intensive AI robotics masters program.
I agree 100 percent with this Ted talk. The meandering life learnings really do complement future skills Big time. I know I wouldn’t understand half the things I can do today were it not for the totally unrelated things I did in the past. The ability to learn and use obscure stuff really shapes the mind.
Learning to learn is the most important skill. Once a person gets that, they can grasp and distill anything you apply it quickly and generate results.
You will also realise at some point that learning to ask the right questions is more important than learning to learn.
Hows your masters going? I work in IT and I want to switch to AI and neuroscience but my fears are holding me down
@@Abeer11 It's going really well, currently in the top GPAs in my class. I learnt a lot and currently I am focused on ML/DL and Reinforcement Learning, i am planning to segue into Robotics to be able to put practical use of all the methodologies. AS far as I see, MAchine Learning or Robotics has the greatest amount of jobs after graduation to immediately put to use a degree in AI/ML/Robotics. That or it is going into the research route as a Phd.
@@Abeer11 Make sure your understanding of probabilty and calculus is good, atleast with the basics, most AI atleast from what I have learnt is probability/expectation + optimization methodologies packaged in a way to make these agents do stuff in as optimal a fashion as possible. Robotics involves controls and some linear algebra, i guess that will be enough to be relevant in the real world.
@@neoblackcyptron thats amazing. Glad to hear its going well. How was the transition from EE to AI? I am not good at math yet and i have minimal knowledge in programming. I am trying to build the confidence to restart my education after being in the IT field for over 11 years 😔
I have always been intrested in very different domains like engineering, pure science (physics), clinical psychology and arts, I was always told that you are gonna fail, there is no need for different knowledge as I am an engineering graduate and wanna be teacher and entrepreneur (starting own ventures).
Well, Thank you for this ted talk.
Lot of respect from India. 🇮🇳
Congratulations my friend. Im 43 and this TED talk just solved my depression because I don't have a degree ...yet.
Have you thought about architecture or industrial design?
Woww ! I too have very similar interest like you sir !!
I have interest in physics, maths, drawing, history , teaching , english literature, physical sports and meditation!
@@jennifergersch9126 design yes, as I am an mechanical engineer. I can't say about architecture.
@@SivaKumar-AoT that's so nice man. Good luck. Infact I too have started meditation and gym recently.
Exactly when I needed it. I am a late starter, it feels Encouraging to know I am not alone.
I am 27, figuring out what should I do next, while everybody around me is saying you're too late in life, I am completely depressed and worse I can't even share it with anyone.
I made wrong decisions in life.
I don't know if I can come back or not. Life really got me. All this time I thought I was standing on my own untill I realized I am not. Hard truth, still digesting it.
Thanks for the video, it helped.
I went to Georgia Tech for about a year before dropping out. So many people hyped up that school because of status and because it's easier to get a higher paying job right after graduation. I felt so behind when I dropped out, but here I am now a year later and all of a sudden I feel miles ahead of people my age. I tried a bunch of different things (and still am), and I actually found a few specific things I REALLY enjoy doing. I started seeking help from experts (therapist, vocal/songwriting teacher, political organizers, artists), and now the things I'm doing are on a whole other level. I thought I was giving up the 'safe' path when I dropped out, but I ended up discovering this path was a million times safer in the long-run.
My plan was to go from undergrad to med school directly. After trying really hard I wasn't able to get into med school (took the MCAT 3 times). I realized that it wasn't for me and this was the best thing that could have happened. I picked up an industry job, started exploring real estate investing, and began developing an interest in socially geared startups. I realized there are other ways to impact people and medicine is not the only one. I fully agree with this TED talk that trying different things gives you so much more perspective which is invaluable later on when you begin to specialize.
I went to acting school, never finished it. Dropped out of University for a teaching certificate in literature and education, started Physiotherapy, never finished it, Ayurvedic studies, guess what .. Yoga, arts, language school uncompleted.
This talk is very encouraging and inspirational ... I'm 53 years old.
Me too💪🙌😊💯🤣🙏
52 1/2 hated not finishing so I finished what I started and I hate everything. We are in the same spot after all.
I can’t say finishing all that meant anything if I’m not interested in any of it right now.
All the best🙏🏽
Wow. As an architecture student where talent and skills badly influence our grades and output, and having a head start in specializing a specific skill is admired but I am slow with it. I’m always frustrated with how I’m so left behind but I can’t stop with trying different things and different form of art. This made me accept my own pace and appreciate my own progress. Thank you
I went back to school for something I didn’t even want to do, and now I’m without a real job and have lost drive and passion for everything. All it takes is taking one test, and I’m an EMT. I did what other people asked me to, and I’m drained and broke. I need a lot of prayer for movement and motivation in my life.