+eurikamerleau Many people need to be kicked in the face, by a talk like this, to realize how silly they are being. Can't really blame them with such a conformal society.
I am currently driving a school bus. Pay is shit, but the fact is, best job I have ever had. The shift is over before it begins, 4 hours, goes by fast, leaves me plenty of time to continue my education at a self pace. Getting paid to cruise around the city, while being admired by youth is fulfilling. Can't say I love it, but it beats most of the higher paying full time jobs I have held that only left me with a large bank account but in a dead end. At least this job gives me the free time and opportunity to upgrade my skills. Time is more valuable than money.
I agree, time really is more important. As long as you have enough money to get by, it's better to have a job you enjoy, and more time to do what you want.
I don't know you. For all I know, you might be cool. But you are very, very, very gay. Who takes topless photos of themselves and posts that as their youtube photo? hah! gaaaaaaay.Monty K
+Malavika Nair It's not easy, but it's simple. You need to make a career of whatever it is that you find the most interesting. The thing that you spend the most time with. The most money on. That is the direction of your passion. The thing that you love to think about and learn about when no one else is telling you what you should be doing.
Watched this 10 years ago when I was at a crossroads in my life. I had been waiting tables for 7 years after graduating high school and felt completely lost. I always wanted to pursue art, but told myself it was impossible because I was too poor to afford school and probably wasn’t smart, or talented enough. This video was what started my journey. I have since graduated from one of the top animation schools in the world, am a published illustrator, worked on various animated projects including a film that won an Oscar, and now teach at multiple universities to inspire young people to do the same. Wild to think it all started here. This video always stuck with me and I can’t thank you enough! (:
@@nosemeocurreunnombredeusua2655 Erin McDermott is a published editorial cartoonist, design artist, and filmmaker from Charlotte, NC. She graduated CalArts with a BFA in Character Animation and has worked on projects such as the Oscar winning short, Hair Love, by Sony Pictures Animation.
this is AMAZING! I'm 24 and two years ago I decided to pursue art even though my family repeatedly warned me against it. Now I'm in galleries, hotels, collaborating with designers, and was offered a residency in Brooklyn a few days ago! It's worth it, always. Love to see a fellow artist succeeding, it makes my heart happy :)
This almost had me crying. I'm sitting her at work (at an okay job) listening to him thinking "damn....". I've been mulling over the thought of going to med. school..... This TED talk, along with so many other conversations with peers, have made me make up my mind to go.
You dont want to be on your death bed thinking of all the things you could've done when you had time.... YOU HAVE TIME NOW! DO IT!! DON'T THINK! FOLLOW YOUR HEART !
I think it's also important to note that passion can die. Take me for example: I followed my dream. I did what I really wanted to do: I studied language and literature and I was really good at it. They offered me a job in research at college which was what I always dreamt of since my senior years in high school. But then... But then... I realised the price you pay for "following your dream/your passion". And I'm not only talking about stress, insecurity concerning the renewal of your contract (at least that's how it works in research in the country I'm from), but also on a much deeper level. Having to produce "results". Seeing oneself forced to "lower the standards of research", because of dead lines etc. Having to agree with positions of superiors even though your research contradicts them and your conscience is not clear while doing so. Notising after a while of working in your field, that research, especially in the humanities is not based on "truth" and "true findings", based on plausibility etc., but rather just a vast collection of simple opinions, ideas and your personal conclusion that you yourself and your whole field are actually not really "productive", but rather simply talking, discussing numerous topics. I really did what I always wanted to do, what I was passionate about. But in the end after all the disappointments concerning the field I was in, the "laws" which structured it and much more, I actually lost my passion. I lost my respect for the field, and subsequently for myself as I was working in that field, as I chose something nobody could really benifit from, something that was just passion and dream and in the end not even that. I know for a fact that there are many people who are at the same point as I am. Even if you succeed, even if you get the job you always dreamt of in the field you were always passionate about... you can still "fail". You can loose your passion due to so many aspects of your "job". For example a teacher: passionate about teaching but confronted with students who are not interested. Don't you think he will loose his passion in the long run? Or even if the students are participating and so on. What about bad working conditions, educational politics which make your job unnecessary hard etc. If you follow your dream - even if you succeed - chances are you're going to not have a great career after all. And the thing is: If you see your job as one part of the equation of life. If you just want it to be okay, to be somewhat secure etc., you'll probably succeed in achieving that and will be contempt. And there will be so much more which make life worth living, so many other factors in your life which add to the contempt in your job; add up to happiness. But if you "only" follow your passion, if you place all your bets on one card, if you're willing to sacrifice a lot for that passion, chances are, even if you succeed, even if you reach the goal you always dreamt of, it won't be the great thing you and your idealistic mind made it out to be and you will struggle with your "fate". Sucessfull actors and actresses, sucessful painters, musicians. Don't they all have a really high rate of suicide and mental ilness amongst them? Even those who weren't famous during their lifetime (Nietzsche (philosopher), Van Gogh etc.)... They had great careers, they followed their passions and succeeded. But still lots of them were unhappy... And isn't that what it's all about? Being happy? The misleading conception a great career would make you happy? Maybe it's time to rethink that concept. Maybe the "great career" is not the "sure ingredient for happiness" people always made and still make it out to be. Jst a thought. :-) PS: Sorry for my English.
DemocracyHypocricy In my opinion,you get paid for a great career and you pay for your passion.If I got paid to run 6 hours in the scorching sun,I would have retired long ago.
DemocracyHypocricy It was nice reading your letter here, but... life is about living. Living meaning crying, laughing, dancing, arguing, confronting, betraying, obeying, anxiety, curiosity, exploring, working, studying, listening, depression, disappointment etc.. you get the point. Life is about expression. Life gives us the opportunity to experience every role even if we don't choose it. My concern would have to be, how to keep unblocking ourselves emotionally and mentally to reach new levels of enlightenment.
For the last 20 years,my wife wakes me up with a nice cup of tea.I still climb trees when we go out with our 3 teenage kids.Won an 800m track race running barefoot last year.Ran from work,18k,with homemade sandals,yesterday.Having breakfast with the whole family now,for me this is happiness,for the time being, and a great career is way down my happiness list although I enjoy my work as a medical imaging tech. Yes,life is about living and going out of your comfort zone to experiment new things or you will never know what you have been missing.My guess is that it may have something to do with the way our brain is wired and our environment not to mention our genetics.Wishing you a nice day.
Anna M. I really loved your comment, you described my thoughts completely, screw passion, go for balance and happiness! I, myself gave up a career in dentistry after completing school because it made me miserable and I lost sight of what is important in life.
There is no garantee that you would have succeed at what you don't like. Better fail at what you like than what you don't like...that's living. What I would say to someone who want to follow his dream is that, even if you follow your dream you just have to keep in my that there will be time you will want to rethink your decision and give up but that's just part of the game, those time will always be there no matter what career you choose. Just keep in mind that you have to keep going...keep believe and always remind yourself why you where there at the first place and it will be so much rewarding. Sure there are people who follow their dream and fall into depression but what would you say about those who don't must of the time they are always depression 'cause they fall into a trap that they might never get out of." You can fail at what you like, but you can as well fail at what you don't like but you have the chance to live the best like. But imagine failing at something you don't like, something that you did because of what others told you would be best for you. That's even more devasting. ALWAYS GO FOR YOUR DREAMS, YES YOU WILL FAIL AT SOMEPOINT. YOU WILL WANT TO GIVE UP FOR SURE JUST AS ANY OTHER THING DO CHOOSE TO DO WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. BUT IN CASE YOU SUCCEED YIUR HAPPYNESS WILL BE ACCOMPLISH.
To finish off. Unless. Unless you get up and do something about it and follow your passion to the full. Let nothing stop you. If you fail at your passion it's because you were afraid to try again. Keep trying. Get up when you fall. You will never have a great career, unless you are willing to sacrifice a bit of sleep, a bit of safety and security that you currently have. Fuck what society tells you and follow your passion.
I have your comment printed out and pasted on my wall. Thank you. Thank you so much for this comment. I've seen so many negative comments that claim to see the world in a "realistic" view and for people to stop following their dreams, it's hard to ignore the majority of the society that thinks that. And your one comment is a rarity that people need, the last sentence is my mantra. Fuck what society tells you.
No kidding. I always loved art. From a little kid to a senior in highschool. Yet society loves to devalue the hell out of artists, musicians, actors etc. So I thought there was no way to make a viable career out of art. In college I tried computer science and engineering. I love computers, I like understanding how things work. But I could tell that I'd be miserable with that as a living. I'm now building up my illustration portfolio and already have some contact in EA. It's more work than I have ever done before trying to get my work to a decent quality, but it's an effort I could have never done for anything else.
He makes a lot of great points. Just a few additional thoughts: 1) A meaningful life certainly relies on the pursuit of one's passion. BUT this doesn't have to be in the form of a career (e.g. a person could be incredibly passionate about raising children as such and therefore also not be bitter about their children's dreams later on because they DID pursue their own passion by having children). In other words, finding and pursuing one's passion is vital, but the concept of what constitutes "meaning" is more general. It might not always be in the form of what we commonly regard as a "career", although it may well deserve that name in terms of the effort and skill that people put into it. I say this not because one shouldn't pursue the kind of great corporate or artistic career that many might think of when watching this video, but simply to argue that the points of Mr. Smith should not be viewed in a restrictive sense. 2) If you have found your passion, pursue it relentlessly, but don't expect that you will be able to make a) money right away b) a lot of money c) money at all. Pursuing your passion may come at the price of having to work odd jobs until you can monetize your passion or it may involve pursuing your passion (e.g. painting) privately as a hobby if the market currently doesn't value your work a lot. Still, the most depressing thing you can do is to remove your passion from your life completely, just because it doesn't make money or doesn't make money yet. Passions are at the center of a fulfilling life and so they HAVE to be pursued if we want to live a life that we won't regret in the end. But rather than to think that our passions will either a) lead to an amazingly successful career right away or b) lead to nothing, we should focus on how we can incorporate our passion into our life under all circumstances. That way, our lives will always contain that which is most meaningful to us and we still give ourselves the chance for it to grow into something bigger. 3) A "great" career might include high status and wealth, but in the end, it is fulfillment that matters the most. The rest is a bonus. Hence, if a person realizes that they are most passionate about being a kindergarten teacher or gardener or nurse, they might not make the most money or have the highest social status, but they will be able to claim that they followed their passion and that they would not have wanted to choose a different career just because somebody told them that their's wasn't "great". (Of course, if you settle for a job that you don't really want and you simply try to rationalize that "this is really an honorable career, you know!", then you might want to reconsider if there isn't another thing that you would rather like to do, but haven't dared to pursue yet. Also, given the importance of certain jobs, we should certainly reconsider the wages of those who are actually willing to do those important jobs.) 4) In the same sense, a "passion" doesn't have to be an incredibly extroverted affair. A person's greatest passion may be to work as a forest warden, taking care of the local environment etc. Again, if that is fulfilling for this particular person and if that person, in their heart of hearts, would not want to be anywhere else, that would be a "great" career based on the pursuit of personal passion, even if it doesn't look like a spectacular, high-energy thing from the outside. 5) It is very true that fear is probably the greates obstacle in the pursuit of our passions: Fear of disapproval, fear of social isolation, fear of poverty, fear of uncertainty, fear of injury. But, while this is true, we should not think of this issue as a personal failure. Mr. Smith's comment should not be understood as an accusation of weakness, even though that's how many people might hear it (and how some people may actually say it). Instead, we should recognize the obstacle of fear as a neutral fact, because once we have recognized it as an obstacle, we can now work on how to overcome it. We should not think of fear as a thing that successful people just don't have and the rest is unlucky. We should realize that emotional health and the ability to not stand in our own way is a matter of personal fitness & development and that personal development is just another part of striving for a great career (e.g. we would never "accuse" a person, like: "You know why you will never finish a marathon?!?! BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT IN SHAPE!!!". Well...duh! Instead, we would regard it as an obvious fact that anyone who wants to run a marathon has to improve their fitness to a sufficient degree first.) So, instead of treating your current emotional/cognitive configuration as an unchangeable fact, treat it as something that can be developed in such ways as to enable you to pursue what you're passionate about.
Wow, this man is amazing. This world desperately needs more brutally honest people like him, who will tell it like it is while offering hope at the same time. He pinpoints exactly what holds us back from becoming more than what we currently are. I'm done settling for an "okay job that pays the bills". Yes, we, unfortunately, need to pay for expenses and other things that require monetary compensation. However, if we suppress our individual purpose for this life we're currently living, we'll continue to feel stifled and unfulfilled. Yes, you can do "great" jobs all your life and still be fine, as long as you incorporate your true passion. You'd be surprised how your passion can, in fact, create a nice salary in the long-run. You just need to do the research and learn the ins and outs of your trade. Also, you MUST value yourself. As Larry mentioned, we're socially programmed to not be selfish and to only give ourselves "enough" credit to where it isn't excessive. Because of this conditioning, I'm still struggling to forget all that and be okay with loving myself. It's extremely hard, but only because my brain has been hardwired from a young age to accept limitations and to be "grateful" for the bare minimum. It's only recently that I truly discovered how limitless my potential really is, which ignited my passion even further. However, in order to move forward, I need to appreciate and love myself, flaws and all. Accepting failure has always been something I've never been able to accomplish and I know I'll need professional help with it. Gaining confidence after a life of believing I'm a burden on the world is gonna be a long road, but worth it in the end. Just know that your passion will benefit other people. It's in our nature to help each other, so we feel the most fulfillment when we've done something good for another. Love is greatest when it's shared. I hope that, when I finally find love and peace within myself, I can offer that love to as many people as possible in an even greater abundance. In fact, I share that with you all now. :) You're ALL loved, even if you don't believe it. You deserve happiness, fulfillment, laughter, joy, and above all, love.
Love this one so much. Watched it at the beginning of my art career, taking a total risk. Now it's my full time job, my gallery exhibitions sell out, and I can't even keep up with the demand for my work. Total dream job. It was so scary when I began, I had to white knuckle my way through it. Totally worth the risk.
Hey , thank you for sharing . A post or a comments like yours are basically the Real life experiences and examples we need to hear or know about. I become genuinely happy when i see someone achieved what all of us are trying to achieve…
I was afraid to persue my dreams, of course. Larry Smith, with this speech, helped to accept my son's dream to became a coach (sports). I was so sad about his dream then I rememberd this speech, I listened one more time and I told the kid to go for it. Thank you, Larry.
This guy should be the next Batman villain. I can picture him now. Trapping Batman, then sitting him tied up in a chair. And walking back and forth telling Batman, how he will never have a great career. And Batman crying saying, "Stop it...Enough!"
***** Could be, but for me The Riddler is this tall lanky guy wearing a spandex suit. Can't and don't want to imagine Larry Smith in a spandex suit. :?
"So, I can stand around and I can try to be The Riddler...but I know that I'll fail to be The Riddler. And then you think, 'but there are people out there who succeed at becoming The Riddler, but they are villains--but I'm not a villain! When I was five, I thought I was a villain...but Batman has beaten that idea out of my head long since..." And it just goes on like that. For hours.
This video got me to Hollywood and I’m extremely grateful it helped eject me from my corporate life and onto a wilder, bumpier road. But I feel alive. And I’m safe.
The time is now folks. Live your life, without any excuses. Say NO to making excuses in regard to making your own life better. Keep pressing forward. For the young, this video is a wake up call, for the old(er), it's also never too late... UNLESS...
I was doing my biographic research and I was asked about my mentors back in 2011/2012. Larry came to mind... this TED specifically... I can remember clearly the day I saw this on TED website... It opened up a journey of self-discovery. I have seen it over and over again. There is something that always hits me... he is going so deep into human awareness and self-esteem that I really don't understand why the crowd laughs during some deep bits. I ask myself if they grasp the raw meaning of what he is sharing/teaching there... to be honest, with 32, two kids, and becoming very good at something I didn't like, I related instantly ... today I come back here to listen and extract the energy to teach other people about it... ... and those awkward laughs still remind me that we still need to foster his message.
What a great message. I need to dig deep and jump start my life. I've been in a rut for a good 5 years and it's not good. My confidence is shot to shit and my anxiety is through the roof. Something needs to change and quickly before it's too late. Great video! It's nice to watch or receive positive reinforcement. We all need a good push from time to time.
Caius Filimon Actually, I have. I got a decent job with a ton of potential, I'm dating someone I care about a lot, got a truck I've wanted for years and now I have a nice place to live, so yeah, I am making progress.
This talk was the greatest thing I have ever heard. There is no excuses, we either really love and are going to do what we want, or are just not enough, we don't exist.
I found this video in 2014 when I had just become a new father. We had moved and purchased a home in a mountain town renowned as the mecca of ski guiding. With my prior experience managing hotels. I hated it but it paid the bills. I listened to this talk in my shared office on an evening shift and as a new parent and husband, it hit me like a ton of bricks. The university students laughing at the line about having your family as jailors was anything but comical to me. I was so close to my passion but never even considered it for myself, I was surrounded and reminded every single day as the helicopters flew overhead early in the morning and again in the afternoon. A couple more play-throughs of this talk and I wrote my resignation letter with the help of an incredibly supportive partner and chased my passion. I had plenty of well-meaning non solicited advice from family sowing doubt in the early stages of my transition but with the words " unless " ringing between the ears I continued. Best decision I have ever made. I am happy, curious and filled with excitement for life and what's to come. As a result, I am a much better parent and role model than I would have otherwise been.
Sometimes you have to walk a great circle to make an obvious statement. But it did reach me more than just saying the word, you know. What a great speech. I wish i'd stop making excuses and i wish i could stop caring about the opinions of others. Then i'd be invincible.
Seek failure. Google's philosophy is the best. The sooner you fail, the sooner you'll be free to try something else. Help your children do whatever they wish, really well.
What does it mean to have a great career anyway? I've heard people say that they want one but I don't know what it means. Does it mean you get paid a lot? Does it mean you get a lot of recognition for your achievements? I just want to be able to have a job where I can come into work everyday and be able to be tired, hungry or stressed but not care because I love what I do. I want a job where I can touch people's hearts and influence them and put out new thoughts and conversations out into the world.
+Kira Suzuki Having great career is having the career that u've always been dreaming of. So if you haven't dreamt of one, you won't have one. As simple as it is.
You, my dear, in your last paragraph, described exactly what a great career is. People often place too much importance on monetary gain and status when it comes to a job they want. You described what we're all naturally meant to do: make the world a better place by helping others and spread positivity. It's a dream I'm also pursuing currently. Never let your dreams go, for they're what will help ensure you live a fulfilling life. :)
I just found this talk years later. This made me cry because I have felt so stuck for so long, so frustrated, gave up on dreaming after a failure trying to bridge into a new career. It didn't work out for many reasons, but I have put my passion on hold out of fear. This talk helped me realize, the time is now! I have to dream again, I have to open up my possibilities.
This guy is fabulous, fear is the thought pattern that is between us and the great career that we would like, our passion, our purpose, our calling can just happen when we consistently ask the question "What can I do right now to keep me happy?" and courageously follow the path of happiness moment by moment. We can let go of the other thought patterns that get in the way, as well as fear there is anger, jealousy, blame, guilt, resentment, sorrow, irritation, frustration, criticism, stress, tension. Live the dream and shine, only you can do this for yourself. I believe in your power to do this, do you?
Wow. I was at a loss to know what is Passion, my Passion, my interest or whatsoever.. this Q. What can I do right now to keep me happy ? seem to dig out my lost Passion ..if at all , there were any ... Thanks.!
Eat, drink and be merry (in a healthy way). If you are destined to do something great, then you will feel it in your bones. You will be driven no matter what. If you don't have it, don't beat yourself up over it and make your life and the lives of the people around you miserable. Be a good person, be open-minded, be happy.
I followed my passion to be a professional gamble for twenty years and ended up waiting tables. However I learned statistics from gambling and now I'm a university professor. Sometimes following your passion can have positive consequences even when you fail.
"If only I had...if you ever have that thought ricocheting in your brain, it will hurt a lot." Such wise words. I always believed and still do that the happiest people in the world are those who have nothing to regret
One of the best short talks. Most of us fail due to the fear of failure and thinking about future consequences which itself is uncertain! The key is to have a versatile career and a passionate heart! Yes we fail and we rise!
I'm just 6 minutes into the video and couldn't stop myself from writing that this is one of the best ted talks i have ever watched. That guy just rocked the stage.
What if I don't know what my greatest passion in life is?? Like till in high school I thought Engineering was my greatest passion but when I joined college and discovered the actual detail working it does not fascinate me anymore, like right now I have a job in IT, and feel that journalism might be my passion but what if it turns out the same way it did with engineering?Plus like a job in journalism is that of much more struggle and low pay than than that of IT. Thinking that these factors are giving me second thoughts, it is really not that much of a passion for me but a mere interest.
+feludaify Investigate your passions and interests in your spare time. Journalism is writing - just write. Start a blog and write about whatever you care about. You'll know pretty quickly if it's something you want to do. You don't have to quit your job and enroll in college to find out if you have a passion.
Unless you make peace with your ego and the world. I'm amazed at the positive response to this. The solution is NOT to sacrifice everything in pursuit of a goal, because whatever the goal is, when you reach it, you will find something else to strive for, and feel unhappy for not having. First let go of your ego. Then you will do whatever flows naturally from you. It will also help you find whatever it is that you do enjoy for its own sake. It will never be a strain. I'm not a good example. There are many people I look up to and want to emulate, in all kinds of directions. So much so that what hurts me is that I am not them. Note that this is markedly different from feeling an urge to do what they are doing. It is simply a convoluted sense of guilt. I need to lose that before I can even contemplate what my passion might be.
I feel like this guy formulated a great point for a very small group of people...like he hasn't interacted with enough real people or something to actually apply a general idea.
This is a very inspiring video. I have trouble deciding between 3 things as my career. Military & UA-cam/Twitch & A counselor. I have a long story of my life I'll save towards the end but I will admit I'm full of excuses. I'm afraid to fail, I'm afraid to be laughed at, I'm afraid of hard work, I'm lazy, and more importantly I'm afraid to try. If I come up with an excuse I just replace it with another. I'm an open minded person who sucks at common sense but is good at thinking outside the box. I love the feeling of helping people through giving advice and gaming was my excape through the hard times at school and home. Being depressed and growing a fear and hatred for selfish and people who are dicks, with limited thinking and only seeing what's in front of me.. started developing these depressed and very depressed thoughts. I've even debated suicide but once I think about leaving those who might love me and hurting others.. I stopped thinking it as much. eventually I thought well.. it's harder to live then die and it's only selfish to deny me that option. my life is full of passion killers and people who would laugh at me. My dad's an alcoholic and afraid to deal with my mom and my mom's just unexplainable. emotionally and physically abused me by throwing me against walls as a child and smacking me to me opening up to her for my problems and she laughing at me and saying I have problems while my dad stays quiet crying in his chair from what i said. never believing in me and comparing me to my successful brother. talking badly about my family to her friends and other family members. The pain she brings to my dad always saying she will leave him and already 2 times but there still together. gaming really helps me cope with this and my parents being so negative all the time gives me the perspective of how awful life is. even tho we are middle classed. I found a girl I really love and want to spend the rest of my life with but it'll take a lot of money so more than ever I have tried to get a job now. now I'm passionate about life. but with all the passion and motivation, I still have days I just feel so lazy and unmotivated and i sont understand why. I feel haunted by my past and currently this family problems still happen. well, apart from my dad drinking as much he still does, and any physical attacks. And I've grown to hate wanting money because how I see the world and how much I hate people only grows by living with them. from being so closed off as a child, I'm 19 and opening up to anyone who can give me any advice or anything honestly. idk what to do with myself. I want to live a happy life and help others. I want military for a good job that pays well to support a family even tho I'm not too happy about joining, or UA-cam/twitch laughing and having a good time playing games with my friends I made online.
Im not really able to give such good advice or anything, but youtube/twitch sounds like something that lights you up! Even if you didnt make a career out of them, I hope you still get to enjoy both of those with your pals. Most of all I hope you are doing well or will be!, and healing.
I've listened to so many TedX talks, and this is my favorite one. This guy has overwhelming passion that doesn't just bubble over as overwhelming energy. Love it.
From what I understood, he ended with "unless" which same as saying "unless I do something". Notice that he didn't continue with "if only I had". It's the same as saying "No excuses".
Only video I watch when I loose focus or start complaining, I don't watch any other motivational videos ever since I watched it the first time in 2017, it made a great impact, it made me change my career and I have been a teacher ever since. I don't know to describe what aspect of his speech made an impact, but I have recommended this to as many people I know when they are in need of motivation, when they keep blaming situations and people and not take responsibility.
One of the most real, most honest discussions about career. He may scare some people because the real world isn't all Disney endings and ambition-based meteoric rise to success. Personally, I've lived long enough on this earth and seen enough to know that most of the self-help and career books are just rubbish. Young folks will hate/fear this guy. Older, smarter folks will know exactly what he is saying. The fact is, we've all been lied to.
True. His passion seems to motivate people while he keeps walking and talking even if he is gasping for breath and the camera men are finding it difficult to contain him in a frame.
I love this speech. easily one of my favorite Ted talks to this day! It's a kick in the ass. It's a fiery rant on a serious subject. Self fulfillment is something that everyone talks about. They go on and on about finding passion and developing skills and finding direction and that it's the best thing ever, but no one talks about the nagging fear inside. Mr.Smith wanted to bring that fact to light. He wanted to make excuses and fear (even rational ones like crappy job markets and daunting competition) part of a public conversation. It was honest. It was terrifying. It was awesome.
OMG this brought me to tears I had a dream as a child to be an actor, script writer, they told me I'd fail its sad because the very same university I went to there was a girl in my class who is now in Hollywood acting. What if my parents had motivated me where would I be now. I really want to persue all the other dreams I have while I still can. I hope to be discovered one day. I hope someone will give me my change to shine.
bleh, the first part about passion was great... But I tell you what, passions are fleeting, they change with time, an ebb and flow of an ocean.... My love for my wife and kids, now that is an ever lasting force that inspires me to be a better person... ANYONE that looks at their wife and kids as jailers and blames them for their failures, is a coward, and is afraid to look at the real blame, themselves... because if your children don't inspire you to greatness, nothing will.
I don't think anybody would have the time to be an Einstein or Nikola Tesla with a wife and kids you just would not have the time or resources I think this is what he means specifically if your career has you traveling at different times and for long periods of time
He's saying to not give up on your dreams in order to have a family. First focus on achievement, and then when your satisfied, look for a partner. Because if you spent your youth on pursuing your passion and your career, you will have more potential partners to choose from. And when your kids one day want to pursue a risky dream, you won't look at them as the premature dream-destroyer that stopped you from satisfying your passion. Stop taking the path of parent so early, and take some damn risks for once in your lives!!
Right, but what if you just say, "Screw the career, I am going to make my relationships number one." Then you proceed to do so, and you're happy. Because the career really wasn't your goal. I think the underlying message here is not to follow your passion at work, but to do so in life. Figure out what you want to do with yourself, and do it.
Yes, I'm pretty sure the point of the example of the relationships was just one of the big excuses which people use to justify not following their passion to a great career. His talk isn't why you'll fail to be happy (despite how depressing it might be at points). It's why you will fail to have a great career. Unless.
Well, the problem with relationships is that they dont depend only on us. There is a risk that one day the other side of relationship break out of it. Besides usually when one has a career (or is realising passion), it works like a magnet for relationships. And it doesnt work the opposit way that often..
bigzbigi1 Most things in life aren't secure. Yes, people can pull away from a relationship. But you can also get fired or grow tired of your job. You can lose your passion. Personally, I think people are far more important than a career, but, like I said, it's not about everyone following one goal. It's about figuring out what your own goal is and going for it.
Notorietypulp Ever heard of the term "doing what you love"? There are those who depends their happiness to their career, and those that don't. Most problem with people is when to think relatively and holistically. They just need to give their passion not to just relationships but also in a career, and that career is usually in what they are mostly good at. You can learn to do it, or just go with the job that you can easily and naturally do because you are passionate about it.
Apart from being one the best ted talks i've ever watched, the delivery, the absolutely shakespearean delievry of this talk makes it so engaging, fun and a delight to listen. 10/10 Recommend. Also, fills you with passion for engaging in your craft, work that you chose, not that which was imposed on you. Dead Poet society-esque
This is genuinely, shockingly terrible advice and I hope none of the kids here followed it. Full disclosure: I took an economics course with Larry at UW before he retired and I have the utmost respect for the guy. But the recommendation that you always follow your greatest passion is completely irrational. Why? Because your greatest passion probably isn't bankable. Remember the 99% movement. There are millions of students who pursued their passion in the "arts" who are now stuck flipping burgers with a mountain of student debt they will never escape. Do those kids look happy to you? Or perhaps you really love hockey. But only 1 in 100,000 are realistically capable of making a worthy career out of it, and we all know the guy who failed and now cuts your lawn for a living. It's not enough to really, really love something. A) you have to be really good at it, B) other people must value your career enough to actually pay you and C) you must make a rational decision about risk reward (i.e are you willing to accept the risk that you will be one of the 99,999 that fails in light of what you get paid if you succeed).
I absolutely agree with you. It needs a wider look on all factors than only in your passion. Following your passion and fighting for every cent won't make you happy.
dick i believe you are absolutely 98%correct, and that means i totally agree with your comment. I've known and know people who have immense passion for something that feels great to dream about, to think about and to project themself into but they will NEVER be able to do it. These type of speeches are OK at best, but like 'the secret' and all the motivational stuff that promotes visualizing what you want and it will happen etc : Bullshit. MOST people cannot be what they really really desire. So they have to settle for something that works, and there's nothing at all wrong with working a job. Tho surely it's not easy if you want passionately to be another Elton John
Yes, I thought since he came from an economics background, he would continue the presentation to explain a gap between what people say they are passionate about and the number of those positions available. What he's giving is an motivational speech. The best real process seems to be a continual negotiation between what you like doing, what you have to offer, and what the world wants to get from you. If you decide to do things that are not in demand or not something you're good at, you'll have to sacrifice some time or money at least in the short term to pursue that.
This is so true. It's ironic because 99% of people watching this, perhaps in 4 or 5 weeks will have completely forgotten his words and will revert back to the standard, non-passion pursuing lifestyle. Watching this won't do shit in your life, you're still going to fail to have a great career. That is unless you continuously and passionately follow you desire.
I watched this video 11 years ago. Every since then, when I have doubts about a career decision. I remember that phrase "Does the word 'destiny' scare you?" that reflection always gives me the mental freedom to grow.
Any career can be a great career, it all depends on the way you think of it. And if you are able to change the way you think about what you doing, you'll be more passionate about it.
If you're good at cleaning you open your own biz and have your own crew. Doing commercial projects, not so bad right? Change the way you think... and you'll see more opportunities in anything you do.
I feel like the whole point of the video is not to think like this; not to resign yourself (and that is indeed what you are doing) to such mediocrity. I get what you're trying to say, but the fact that you have to "change" the way you feel about whatever you're doing is to say that it wasn't something that you willingly entered into. This would mean A.) you had no other options or B.) you were convinced into doing it. At this point trying to become more "passionate" is to say "Hey, this is the life I was given and I can't change it so I may as well try to enjoy it." Not to get off track, but this mindset has been drilled into the lower class especially, to keep them happy and free of thoughts of rising up. This video is speaking to those who haven't yet given up on their dreams, saying the only thing holding you back is yourself.
You are 100% correct. Happiness is not an outer game it is an inner game. So if you aren't happy now than change the way you think so that you are happy now then you can at least feel good no matter what you do.
What an amazing talk! Larry's delivery and sharing of his thoughts was amazing and thought provoking. Thanks......and yes...people can use their children and family as shields as they try to be super...everything...Great talk
Rather than convincing you that you can do it by saying so, this guy makes you believe you can do it by saying you can't- it's reverse psychology, and I love it.
This talk always rubbed me the wrong way, and now I'm pretty sure I know why. It is Larry's assertion that: "If you're not optimally engaged in your life and career at all times, you are making excuses and not making the hard choices to follow your passion". So, many people who watch this, will feel some self-loathing. Well its BS. Not everyone has a singular "passion" and following a perceived passion will still lead you to a life where you sometimes question what you are doing, and have bad days and struggles. Resilience and resistance to jumping ship, just because you're not having a great time at the moment, are also what will get you somewhere. I'd have to say that this is a bunch of fluff propped up by Larry Smith's forceful style. Just because Larry Smith says it doesn't make it true. I think next time I see Larry, on campus, I might just stop him and tell him its BS, in a nice way, but that wouldn't accomplish much. I'd get a lecture and look like a petty jerk, but I do believe it to be true. This is what I think every time I walk by big posters advertising Smith's Book. I think it will serve to accomplish the opposite of what he thinks it will.
It's good to see someone thought of what I did, too. Not everyone has a definite or specific passion, as you said. Life is dynamic and people's passions change, too. It's good to know I'm not the only one who thought of this.
His talk was particularly aimed at people who WANTED great careers. Not everyone wants to achieve in the sense of careers but would find it more passionate to achieve as a homemaker, a good father or an average joe, and there is nothing wrong with this path of life. If you're 40 and listening to this talk then the matter of the talk is irrelevant to you as you've already are pursuing something. This talk is for young students who are looking forward to their future.
@@willowforrest854we're all in the same boat. I've seen his background through the comment section as well, working people. Oh well, i sure am not gonna risk pursuing if the cost is my mom living all by herself with no children of hers to be by her side on her old days, or worse i can't make enough money for us. Guess if my passion have a way of making stability, i'll go through, who knows. But if i don't, i'm a failure i guess for taking my own responsibilities? Sorry, "excuses" as he said..
This has always helped me in life. "Never have a plan B, it just distracts you from plan A" When you want to pursue your dream make sure you dont have a plan B in case you fail, because that only leaves one option, to not fail! Because you wount fail. NEVER HAVE A PLAN B!
I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. Michael Jordan
Have to look outside the family for people who have better ideas, who can help guide you to find other ways to express your dream into fruitful form. Sometimes one has to get a 'day job', and express their passion in hobbies. Better, is to find ways to express at least some of your passion in the 'day job'. If family debt loads are overwhelming, you need to find those who can council on how best to resolve those; maybe by learning how family got so deep in debt--that's behaviors and choices...need to learn what led to it, to learn how to stop falling in the debt-hole. Then be persistent in the solutions, to get out of debt and find better ways to get needs [not wants] met. Student loans? What about no loans? What about creatively bootstrapping your way to your dream, using stepping-stone jobs, each of which teaches some skills needed to achieve that dream? It can be tough;nothing comes without a price. It can be done; people do it all the time. Sure, they lack the degrees hung on the wall...but one can also take a class at a time, to eventually achieve even those...paid as you go, leaves no loan debt. Now, too, there are online free college courses. No, you don't get official credit for them, but, the knowledge gained, coupled with passion, helps sell your abilities to a good employer, if that is what you want. Their are also grants one can apply for. Share your dream with a group of like-minded people; people are problem-solvers; people are meant to work together. Each state their dreams, and also state what is blocking them. The group members start trying to solve the blocks, and usually find solutions.; the larger the group, the more successfully and faster the solutions are found. Please don't allow your dreams to be thwarted by crushing family, friends. or debts. Identify the dream carried in your heart, then find ways to express it, even if that means working under your family's radar. If they expect you to have a 'day-job" to pay bills, find a job that allows you to express a facet of your dream, until you can bootstrap to the next level of job, and so on. One messed-up young person, finally 'got-it', that they had to choose to make their life better. Broke, bankrupt, a flimsy high school diploma, edging off drug addictions....did listen. Started off getting a job that necessitated one of the _worst_ commutes; stuck with that for a year, then applied for a job in a related field, which used skills learned in the 1st, halved the terrible commute, and offered more training. Stuck with that for a bit over a year and lucked into a higher position at a related job, right in their hometown. Very successful. They still had an invisible 'ceiling' blocking their rise to executive positions in that business, but if they'd wanted, likely could have found a different field using similar abilities, that would have allowed a rise to executive levels, without the college degrees. You just have to get ahold of yourself, determine to better your lot in life, and stick to it! People usually want to help; you are tasked with finding the ones who can best do that for your circumstances....always look to those who are successful...because you know that old saying...'if you sleep with dogs, you wake up with fleas'? That means, you are affected by the quality of people you associate with...you can determine to find good ones, who can advise, guide and be supportive of your progress. Counselling, or even watching TedTalks, or other online sites, can help learn how to overcome negative inner programming. There are counselors who work for reduced rates, or even some amount for free...just have to keep asking, to locate, and be creative in how to get to the appointments...some even use Skype. People all have some bad programming to overcome; it might be worth it to learn better tools for coping with life. Please find people to help you find good ways to achieve your dream!
Thanks. Needed this too. My family's putting great stress and pressure on me to find work after graduating. I've sent myself to school with my own money since they wouldn't help me out. I don't know what they're thinking but I secretly hate them. It hurts to think that I have a dream/passion but the people who have been with me for years do not understand how important it is to me. Again. Thanks. This may be one hell of a ride but I won't fail because I know I won't give up.
sheen ponce Please DO keep up that progress! I faced plenty of obstacles, too. Dad could only picture me being a secretary [as-IF!] Other parent units [too many], also had low expectations; basically, I was a reminder of their own fallibilities. Even a college councilor threatened to expel me, if I dared signed up for a class he didn't think fitting for a female to be in. I had to find OTHER paths to the goals....which ended up my taking a path unintended....but which worked out OK. I relegated my other dreams, to being hobbies, for gifting, etc. I put myself through school using grants, minimal loans, part time jobs, trades. Only little financial support from family. I chose community colleges, because those were cheaper. I sat in the student union and canvassed other students, to learn which instructors might be a good fit, for what I wanted, and how I might learn best. If there was a choice, I used that. Sometimes there was only one, and some of those were duds...but I made the best of them, and kept bootstrapping from one level to the next. I achieved the original dreams; and only part of the one I worked so hard to achieve. But it served good purpose. Sure, I was angry that my seemingly decently-off parent units never paid a thin dime towards my schooling. But, I also knew I had to "get over it".....it's always counter-productive to carry anger that festers. _The only anger that might help, is the kind that motivates one to keep going for the goal._ Once you start achieving goals, don't be surprised if some of those adults in your life, refuse to show up to congratulate you on your success. It happens. This is when you must learn to nurture and congratulate yourself! Comes under the heading of learning to parent oneself. If we don't learn that, we keep looking to fill holes in our hearts....that can be deadly. Sometimes, it's trade-offs: They pressure you to get a job after graduation; you do that, but...use that as a spring-board towards what you do want. They will see you working, and may insist you contribute...make sure it's fair. Keep in mind: parents want to see their kids succeed in Life. To most parents, that looks like: a kid gets a job right out of school, to 'earn a living'; they have little or no example, to show them anything else can succeed. This is especially tough in small towns in the rural areas...But not impossible! You are actually more in control of your life, than society lets us believe. The limitations set-in only when we stop thinking, dreaming, and planning ways to achieve our goals. Go for the gusto!
+Winter Star ... And after taking this long, winding path which inevitably set you behind the competition, are you starring in a TED video like the one above?
Watched this 10 years ago! Was too afraid to follow my passion, took the safe route. I did a good job but I’m not happy 🥺! Company going through layoffs and i find myself rethinking life! This is my new opportunity to follow my passion once and for all
I did the same. I had about 7 years of independence, and 3 years of slavery pre and post COVID. Just quit my day job and I'm getting back out there. It's never too late
I cant believe how many ppl here are so stupid to not get this is a cynic irony.........irony that supposed to make you believe in yourself!! Like a distorting mirror and final realization that you can actually break it! One of the greatest speeches I've heard!
The comments below are excuses based on hypothetical monetary, family, financial situations. Yes, but you are what you do. If you spend each day thinking of these things. This becomes your destiny. Steve Jobs, who collected coke bottles for cash said "Stay hungry, stay foolish". In other words, do stuff you want to and don't worry about the details as long as you hold on to your passion.
The general consensus I have heard regarding Steve Jobs from people who knew him well was that he was kind of an asshole. I would rather be remember by my close friends/family members as a kind and thoughtful person, not a ruthless dick.
Euph That "ruthless dick" revolutionized and improved millions of people's lives. He has had a more positive impact than you or anyone ever will by simply being "a kind and thoughtful person."
I think he was talking about Steve Jobs as a person, you're describing him as the CEO of Apple. Nearly all CEOs have a "super nice guy" approach to the public and the general company but I'm sure if you're with them in the boardroom, you'll see an asshole. People who are at the apex of an organization, have found or initiated a vision, will fight to maintain that direction and goal and others will try to put in their input and perhaps even change that direction, CEOs need to be assertive. They need to accept input from others and disregard others and they need to hold their ground, hence, are assholes.
This is one of my favorite Ted talks! It verbalizes something I have felt for yearsl, but never had words for. I had my children of watch this with me Father's Day this year.As a small business owner living my dream, I wanted them to learn something about success and hopefully understand me a little better.
This talk touts empty platitudes like learned words of wisdom. Not everyone is extraordinary. And, that is ok. Being a kind, compassionate person is what is more important. Being loyal is important. Some people are not leaders, visionaries...ect. The great illusion of the "American Dream" is that if you '"follow your passion" or "follow your dreams" you will have a happy life. Another fallacy of the "American Dream" is that if you start from the bottom in a trade or a company and work very hard--you will eventually climb as high as you want to go--no limits. However, everyone has limited abilities--and--the social dynamics of office politics oftentimes acts as the facilitator and/or roadblock to success of any kind in America. "You can do anything" is a feel good platitude that is a nauseating remnant of the 1970's "self-esteem" movement. People need to be adults and realize that they have limitations. Right now, I am in a Literary Theory class with a person who can barely read aloud to the class. She can barely pronounce basic words. Guess what her major is: Education. lol
He didn't really say you'd be happy if you followed your passion, either. And, obviously, the extraordinary people are the people who don't have great careers. Most people won't have great careers because of the reasons he said. But some of us will. Or at least we'll try.
We'll, I am quite blatantly analytical & straightforward myself, but this man has set some new benchmarks, taught me a thing or two about taking risks, but educated risk with some sprinkle of satire!
You just have to keep trying things. You're doing things every day that pique your interest. If you keep returning to the same thing over and over again, maybe it's a big interest. If you want to devote your whole life to doing it, then maybe it's your passion. I don't know anyone who doesn't have several interests.
You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.
-Jim Carrey
this is good. I'd say I get more out of this quote than the video.
aDotFromTheFuture Wonderful quote.
+eurikamerleau Many people need to be kicked in the face, by a talk like this, to realize how silly they are being. Can't really blame them with such a conformal society.
+aDotFromTheFuture A text means nothing.
-a random fucking guy on the internet
joemiknor A random text indeed might not mean nothing, but the meaning behind that text does.
I am currently driving a school bus. Pay is shit, but the fact is, best job I have ever had. The shift is over before it begins, 4 hours, goes by fast, leaves me plenty of time to continue my education at a self pace. Getting paid to cruise around the city, while being admired by youth is fulfilling. Can't say I love it, but it beats most of the higher paying full time jobs I have held that only left me with a large bank account but in a dead end. At least this job gives me the free time and opportunity to upgrade my skills. Time is more valuable than money.
I agree, time really is more important. As long as you have enough money to get by, it's better to have a job you enjoy, and more time to do what you want.
+Cleveland Indians Unless...
I don't know you. For all I know, you might be cool. But you are very, very, very gay. Who takes topless photos of themselves and posts that as their youtube photo? hah! gaaaaaaay.Monty K
Cleveland Indians Well, girls like masculine body. If you can only think of gays liking masculine body then indeed you are gay.
Monty K
I think you're bisexual. Showing off your body to everyone.
I love the ending holy fuck. just ends in unless. just gave me tingles
he doesn't tell us what to do...
because he knows we already know what to do
+cr7ck5 BU WHAT IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO :'(
+Malavika Nair But you do. Think about it.
+Malavika Nair It's not easy, but it's simple. You need to make a career of whatever it is that you find the most interesting. The thing that you spend the most time with. The most money on. That is the direction of your passion. The thing that you love to think about and learn about when no one else is telling you what you should be doing.
+cr7ck5 it's exactly what i feel,,, i am afraid,,," unless"
+NI Founder Alright, mate. I will become a fucking amazing game developer.
Watched this 10 years ago when I was at a crossroads in my life. I had been waiting tables for 7 years after graduating high school and felt completely lost.
I always wanted to pursue art, but told myself it was impossible because I was too poor to afford school and probably wasn’t smart, or talented enough. This video was what started my journey.
I have since graduated from one of the top animation schools in the world, am a published illustrator, worked on various animated projects including a film that won an Oscar, and now teach at multiple universities to inspire young people to do the same.
Wild to think it all started here. This video always stuck with me and I can’t thank you enough! (:
Wow, what´s the name of the film?
@@nosemeocurreunnombredeusua2655 Erin McDermott is a published editorial cartoonist, design artist, and filmmaker from Charlotte, NC. She graduated CalArts with a BFA in Character Animation and has worked on projects such as the Oscar winning short, Hair Love, by Sony Pictures Animation.
@@ArifBasri 😂 detective
this is AMAZING! I'm 24 and two years ago I decided to pursue art even though my family repeatedly warned me against it. Now I'm in galleries, hotels, collaborating with designers, and was offered a residency in Brooklyn a few days ago! It's worth it, always. Love to see a fellow artist succeeding, it makes my heart happy :)
@@ArifBasri calarts.... *oh no*
This almost had me crying. I'm sitting her at work (at an okay job) listening to him thinking "damn....". I've been mulling over the thought of going to med. school..... This TED talk, along with so many other conversations with peers, have made me make up my mind to go.
That's awesome!
Go for it ! you only live once :D
+Bob from Accounting Smash it!!!! You can do it mate!
As he said, don't wait until you'll say "if only I had".. go for it!
Thanks guys. I think I am.
You dont want to be on your death bed thinking of all the things you could've done when you had time.... YOU HAVE TIME NOW! DO IT!! DON'T THINK! FOLLOW YOUR HEART !
I think it's also important to note that passion can die.
Take me for example: I followed my dream. I did what I really wanted to do: I studied language and literature and I was really good at it. They offered me a job in research at college which was what I always dreamt of since my senior years in high school.
But then...
But then...
I realised the price you pay for "following your dream/your passion". And I'm not only talking about stress, insecurity concerning the renewal of your contract (at least that's how it works in research in the country I'm from), but also on a much deeper level.
Having to produce "results". Seeing oneself forced to "lower the standards of research", because of dead lines etc.
Having to agree with positions of superiors even though your research contradicts them and your conscience is not clear while doing so.
Notising after a while of working in your field, that research, especially in the humanities is not based on "truth" and "true findings", based on plausibility etc., but rather just a vast collection of simple opinions, ideas and your personal conclusion that you yourself and your whole field are actually not really "productive", but rather simply talking, discussing numerous topics.
I really did what I always wanted to do, what I was passionate about. But in the end after all the disappointments concerning the field I was in, the "laws" which structured it and much more, I actually lost my passion. I lost my respect for the field, and subsequently for myself as I was working in that field, as I chose something nobody could really benifit from, something that was just passion and dream and in the end not even that.
I know for a fact that there are many people who are at the same point as I am. Even if you succeed, even if you get the job you always dreamt of in the field you were always passionate about... you can still "fail". You can loose your passion due to so many aspects of your "job". For example a teacher: passionate about teaching but confronted with students who are not interested. Don't you think he will loose his passion in the long run? Or even if the students are participating and so on. What about bad working conditions, educational politics which make your job unnecessary hard etc.
If you follow your dream - even if you succeed - chances are you're going to not have a great career after all. And the thing is:
If you see your job as one part of the equation of life. If you just want it to be okay, to be somewhat secure etc., you'll probably succeed in achieving that and will be contempt. And there will be so much more which make life worth living, so many other factors in your life which add to the contempt in your job; add up to happiness. But if you "only" follow your passion, if you place all your bets on one card, if you're willing to sacrifice a lot for that passion, chances are, even if you succeed, even if you reach the goal you always dreamt of, it won't be the great thing you and your idealistic mind made it out to be and you will struggle with your "fate".
Sucessfull actors and actresses, sucessful painters, musicians. Don't they all have a really high rate of suicide and mental ilness amongst them? Even those who weren't famous during their lifetime (Nietzsche (philosopher), Van Gogh etc.)... They had great careers, they followed their passions and succeeded. But still lots of them were unhappy...
And isn't that what it's all about? Being happy? The misleading conception a great career would make you happy?
Maybe it's time to rethink that concept. Maybe the "great career" is not the "sure ingredient for happiness" people always made and still make it out to be.
Jst a thought. :-)
PS: Sorry for my English.
DemocracyHypocricy In my opinion,you get paid for a great career and you pay for your passion.If I got paid to run 6 hours in the scorching sun,I would have retired long ago.
DemocracyHypocricy It was nice reading your letter here, but... life is about living. Living meaning crying, laughing, dancing, arguing, confronting, betraying, obeying, anxiety, curiosity, exploring, working, studying, listening, depression, disappointment etc.. you get the point. Life is about expression. Life gives us the opportunity to experience every role even if we don't choose it. My concern would have to be, how to keep unblocking ourselves emotionally and mentally to reach new levels of enlightenment.
For the last 20 years,my wife wakes me up with a nice cup of tea.I still climb trees when we go out with our 3 teenage kids.Won an 800m track race running barefoot last year.Ran from work,18k,with homemade sandals,yesterday.Having breakfast with the whole family now,for me this is happiness,for the time being, and a great career is way down my happiness list although I enjoy my work as a medical imaging tech.
Yes,life is about living and going out of your comfort zone to experiment new things or you will never know what you have been missing.My guess is that it may have something to do with the way our brain is wired and our environment not to mention our genetics.Wishing you a nice day.
Anna M. I really loved your comment, you described my thoughts completely, screw passion, go for balance and happiness!
I, myself gave up a career in dentistry after completing school because it made me miserable and I lost sight of what is important in life.
There is no garantee that you would have succeed at what you don't like. Better fail at what you like than what you don't like...that's living. What I would say to someone who want to follow his dream is that, even if you follow your dream you just have to keep in my that there will be time you will want to rethink your decision and give up but that's just part of the game, those time will always be there no matter what career you choose. Just keep in mind that you have to keep going...keep believe and always remind yourself why you where there at the first place and it will be so much rewarding. Sure there are people who follow their dream and fall into depression but what would you say about those who don't must of the time they are always depression 'cause they fall into a trap that they might never get out of." You can fail at what you like, but you can as well fail at what you don't like but you have the chance to live the best like. But imagine failing at something you don't like, something that you did because of what others told you would be best for you. That's even more devasting. ALWAYS GO FOR YOUR DREAMS, YES YOU WILL FAIL AT SOMEPOINT. YOU WILL WANT TO GIVE UP FOR SURE JUST AS ANY OTHER THING DO CHOOSE TO DO WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. BUT IN CASE YOU SUCCEED YIUR HAPPYNESS WILL BE ACCOMPLISH.
This guy's a master storyteller, probably the best and quirkiest of all the ted speakers
+Jam Mangubat Very quirky, haha
To finish off. Unless. Unless you get up and do something about it and follow your passion to the full. Let nothing stop you. If you fail at your passion it's because you were afraid to try again. Keep trying. Get up when you fall. You will never have a great career, unless you are willing to sacrifice a bit of sleep, a bit of safety and security that you currently have. Fuck what society tells you and follow your passion.
I have your comment printed out and pasted on my wall.
Thank you. Thank you so much for this comment. I've seen so many negative comments that claim to see the world in a "realistic" view and for people to stop following their dreams, it's hard to ignore the majority of the society that thinks that. And your one comment is a rarity that people need, the last sentence is my mantra. Fuck what society tells you.
Among all these comments here,I like yours the best. Thank you for posting your comments. Its helps a lot
Great comment mate! very well put :D
No kidding. I always loved art. From a little kid to a senior in highschool. Yet society loves to devalue the hell out of artists, musicians, actors etc. So I thought there was no way to make a viable career out of art. In college I tried computer science and engineering. I love computers, I like understanding how things work. But I could tell that I'd be miserable with that as a living. I'm now building up my illustration portfolio and already have some contact in EA. It's more work than I have ever done before trying to get my work to a decent quality, but it's an effort I could have never done for anything else.
Survivorship-Biaaasss
He makes a lot of great points. Just a few additional thoughts:
1) A meaningful life certainly relies on the pursuit of one's passion. BUT this doesn't have to be in the form of a career (e.g. a person could be incredibly passionate about raising children as such and therefore also not be bitter about their children's dreams later on because they DID pursue their own passion by having children). In other words, finding and pursuing one's passion is vital, but the concept of what constitutes "meaning" is more general. It might not always be in the form of what we commonly regard as a "career", although it may well deserve that name in terms of the effort and skill that people put into it.
I say this not because one shouldn't pursue the kind of great corporate or artistic career that many might think of when watching this video, but simply to argue that the points of Mr. Smith should not be viewed in a restrictive sense.
2) If you have found your passion, pursue it relentlessly, but don't expect that you will be able to make a) money right away b) a lot of money c) money at all. Pursuing your passion may come at the price of having to work odd jobs until you can monetize your passion or it may involve pursuing your passion (e.g. painting) privately as a hobby if the market currently doesn't value your work a lot. Still, the most depressing thing you can do is to remove your passion from your life completely, just because it doesn't make money or doesn't make money yet. Passions are at the center of a fulfilling life and so they HAVE to be pursued if we want to live a life that we won't regret in the end. But rather than to think that our passions will either a) lead to an amazingly successful career right away or b) lead to nothing, we should focus on how we can incorporate our passion into our life under all circumstances. That way, our lives will always contain that which is most meaningful to us and we still give ourselves the chance for it to grow into something bigger.
3) A "great" career might include high status and wealth, but in the end, it is fulfillment that matters the most. The rest is a bonus. Hence, if a person realizes that they are most passionate about being a kindergarten teacher or gardener or nurse, they might not make the most money or have the highest social status, but they will be able to claim that they followed their passion and that they would not have wanted to choose a different career just because somebody told them that their's wasn't "great". (Of course, if you settle for a job that you don't really want and you simply try to rationalize that "this is really an honorable career, you know!", then you might want to reconsider if there isn't another thing that you would rather like to do, but haven't dared to pursue yet. Also, given the importance of certain jobs, we should certainly reconsider the wages of those who are actually willing to do those important jobs.)
4) In the same sense, a "passion" doesn't have to be an incredibly extroverted affair. A person's greatest passion may be to work as a forest warden, taking care of the local environment etc. Again, if that is fulfilling for this particular person and if that person, in their heart of hearts, would not want to be anywhere else, that would be a "great" career based on the pursuit of personal passion, even if it doesn't look like a spectacular, high-energy thing from the outside.
5) It is very true that fear is probably the greates obstacle in the pursuit of our passions: Fear of disapproval, fear of social isolation, fear of poverty, fear of uncertainty, fear of injury. But, while this is true, we should not think of this issue as a personal failure. Mr. Smith's comment should not be understood as an accusation of weakness, even though that's how many people might hear it (and how some people may actually say it).
Instead, we should recognize the obstacle of fear as a neutral fact, because once we have recognized it as an obstacle, we can now work on how to overcome it. We should not think of fear as a thing that successful people just don't have and the rest is unlucky. We should realize that emotional health and the ability to not stand in our own way is a matter of personal fitness & development and that personal development is just another part of striving for a great career (e.g. we would never "accuse" a person, like: "You know why you will never finish a marathon?!?! BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT IN SHAPE!!!". Well...duh! Instead, we would regard it as an obvious fact that anyone who wants to run a marathon has to improve their fitness to a sufficient degree first.)
So, instead of treating your current emotional/cognitive configuration as an unchangeable fact, treat it as something that can be developed in such ways as to enable you to pursue what you're passionate about.
+Joseph Okori I am over here crying laughin my side hurts
So much can be said and understood in very little words lol
***** when I saw the long comment he wrote...I kept scrolling and It was easy to see your response which tickled me because I felt you!
I totally get you Goodlife
People just don't get it
We are so self centered it is almost impossible to comprehend another person's understanding
Mr. Johnson are you saying this because of the above comments?
I've watched thousands of TED Talks and this one is still my favorite.
130starfish
did they survive it? :D
130starfish HILARIOUS!!!!
LOL!!!
The antonym of fail is my favorite.
Wow, this man is amazing. This world desperately needs more brutally honest people like him, who will tell it like it is while offering hope at the same time. He pinpoints exactly what holds us back from becoming more than what we currently are. I'm done settling for an "okay job that pays the bills". Yes, we, unfortunately, need to pay for expenses and other things that require monetary compensation. However, if we suppress our individual purpose for this life we're currently living, we'll continue to feel stifled and unfulfilled. Yes, you can do "great" jobs all your life and still be fine, as long as you incorporate your true passion. You'd be surprised how your passion can, in fact, create a nice salary in the long-run. You just need to do the research and learn the ins and outs of your trade.
Also, you MUST value yourself. As Larry mentioned, we're socially programmed to not be selfish and to only give ourselves "enough" credit to where it isn't excessive. Because of this conditioning, I'm still struggling to forget all that and be okay with loving myself. It's extremely hard, but only because my brain has been hardwired from a young age to accept limitations and to be "grateful" for the bare minimum. It's only recently that I truly discovered how limitless my potential really is, which ignited my passion even further. However, in order to move forward, I need to appreciate and love myself, flaws and all. Accepting failure has always been something I've never been able to accomplish and I know I'll need professional help with it. Gaining confidence after a life of believing I'm a burden on the world is gonna be a long road, but worth it in the end.
Just know that your passion will benefit other people. It's in our nature to help each other, so we feel the most fulfillment when we've done something good for another. Love is greatest when it's shared. I hope that, when I finally find love and peace within myself, I can offer that love to as many people as possible in an even greater abundance. In fact, I share that with you all now. :) You're ALL loved, even if you don't believe it. You deserve happiness, fulfillment, laughter, joy, and above all, love.
one of my favourite TED talks
Thank you for your great words! It was a pleasure to read this!
Such an inspiring post. Thank you!
and love is free
wow thank you for this beautfull words
That last part about picking up relationships as human shields to justify our failures hit my head like a hammer
Love this one so much. Watched it at the beginning of my art career, taking a total risk. Now it's my full time job, my gallery exhibitions sell out, and I can't even keep up with the demand for my work. Total dream job. It was so scary when I began, I had to white knuckle my way through it. Totally worth the risk.
Hey , thank you for sharing . A post or a comments like yours are basically the Real life experiences and examples we need to hear or know about. I become genuinely happy when i see someone achieved what all of us are trying to achieve…
I was afraid to persue my dreams, of course. Larry Smith, with this speech, helped to accept my son's dream to became a coach (sports). I was so sad about his dream then I rememberd this speech, I listened one more time and I told the kid to go for it. Thank you, Larry.
This guy should be the next Batman villain. I can picture him now. Trapping Batman, then sitting him tied up in a chair. And walking back and forth telling Batman, how he will never have a great career. And Batman crying saying, "Stop it...Enough!"
Unless. Unless...
I can totally imagine this guy as the The Penguin.
***** Could be, but for me The Riddler is this tall lanky guy wearing a spandex suit. Can't and don't want to imagine Larry Smith in a spandex suit. :?
"So, I can stand around and I can try to be The Riddler...but I know that I'll fail to be The Riddler. And then you think, 'but there are people out there who succeed at becoming The Riddler, but they are villains--but I'm not a villain! When I was five, I thought I was a villain...but Batman has beaten that idea out of my head long since..."
And it just goes on like that. For hours.
Oh i know i know lets name him DR EVIL!
This video got me to Hollywood and I’m extremely grateful it helped eject me from my corporate life and onto a wilder, bumpier road. But I feel alive. And I’m safe.
Nice talk - Don't be afraid of your dreams ... don't be afraid to fail ... your fears just make you stay where you are.
The time is now folks.
Live your life, without any excuses. Say NO to making excuses in regard to making your own life better.
Keep pressing forward.
For the young, this video is a wake up call, for the old(er), it's also never too late...
UNLESS...
This Still hits me hard & gives me courage
Same
Lol i was bing watching your shorts 10 mins ago...never knew i would see you here😂
I was doing my biographic research and I was asked about my mentors back in 2011/2012. Larry came to mind... this TED specifically... I can remember clearly the day I saw this on TED website... It opened up a journey of self-discovery. I have seen it over and over again.
There is something that always hits me... he is going so deep into human awareness and self-esteem that I really don't understand why the crowd laughs during some deep bits. I ask myself if they grasp the raw meaning of what he is sharing/teaching there... to be honest, with 32, two kids, and becoming very good at something I didn't like, I related instantly ... today I come back here to listen and extract the energy to teach other people about it...
... and those awkward laughs still remind me that we still need to foster his message.
What a great message. I need to dig deep and jump start my life. I've been in a rut for a good 5 years and it's not good. My confidence is shot to shit and my anxiety is through the roof. Something needs to change and quickly before it's too late. Great video! It's nice to watch or receive positive reinforcement. We all need a good push from time to time.
***** Keep it going! We'll get where we need to be, just hang in there.
Goin Through The Same Shit,... All The Best Fot The Push.
Samvit Kalla It sucks...
good luck! I offer you my greatest encouragement!
Caius Filimon Actually, I have. I got a decent job with a ton of potential, I'm dating someone I care about a lot, got a truck I've wanted for years and now I have a nice place to live, so yeah, I am making progress.
Very good talk. Bit harsh on the guy who invented velcro though.
Danny James the Velcro guy should have stuck to it:)
This talk was the greatest thing I have ever heard. There is no excuses, we either really love and are going to do what we want, or are just not enough, we don't exist.
I found this video in 2014 when I had just become a new father. We had moved and purchased a home in a mountain town renowned as the mecca of ski guiding. With my prior experience managing hotels. I hated it but it paid the bills. I listened to this talk in my shared office on an evening shift and as a new parent and husband, it hit me like a ton of bricks. The university students laughing at the line about having your family as jailors was anything but comical to me. I was so close to my passion but never even considered it for myself, I was surrounded and reminded every single day as the helicopters flew overhead early in the morning and again in the afternoon. A couple more play-throughs of this talk and I wrote my resignation letter with the help of an incredibly supportive partner and chased my passion. I had plenty of well-meaning non solicited advice from family sowing doubt in the early stages of my transition but with the words " unless " ringing between the ears I continued. Best decision I have ever made. I am happy, curious and filled with excitement for life and what's to come. As a result, I am a much better parent and role model than I would have otherwise been.
This man can even motivate a cat to be the lion.
True!
We are lions! We only need remember it :)
Shivam Maurya Agee
real talk
Being cat is better tho. Ez life.
It's videos like these that remind me of why I love TED Talks
I’ve watched this talk about twenty or more times, it still inspires me a lot every time.
Thank you for a great inspiration.
I've heard Wim Hof say this: "I do not fear death, I fear not living fully"
This man is brilliant. All too many times do we as humans give in to our pack mentality, even when it means denying our individuality.
Sometimes you have to walk a great circle to make an obvious statement. But it did reach me more than just saying the word, you know. What a great speech.
I wish i'd stop making excuses and i wish i could stop caring about the opinions of others. Then i'd be invincible.
same here sighs... but we gotta do it, now or never
I had watched this speech so many times since 2014 ,and it always touch my heart. Remind me to pursue what I want and wish.
When I watched it for the first time, I was still single and didn't feel deeply. Now that I am a father, it hits my heart even more
Look at Larry!! How he is engaging the audience !! These guys are gem man!!
Seek failure. Google's philosophy is the best. The sooner you fail, the sooner you'll be free to try something else. Help your children do whatever they wish, really well.
What does it mean to have a great career anyway? I've heard people say that they want one but I don't know what it means. Does it mean you get paid a lot? Does it mean you get a lot of recognition for your achievements?
I just want to be able to have a job where I can come into work everyday and be able to be tired, hungry or stressed but not care because I love what I do. I want a job where I can touch people's hearts and influence them and put out new thoughts and conversations out into the world.
+Kira Suzuki thank you for putting it in words :)
+Kira Suzuki I think it means you are really happy and satisfied.
+Kira Suzuki Having great career is having the career that u've always been dreaming of. So if you haven't dreamt of one, you won't have one. As simple as it is.
+Hammad Ali to the top...good ol sir😂
You, my dear, in your last paragraph, described exactly what a great career is. People often place too much importance on monetary gain and status when it comes to a job they want. You described what we're all naturally meant to do: make the world a better place by helping others and spread positivity. It's a dream I'm also pursuing currently. Never let your dreams go, for they're what will help ensure you live a fulfilling life. :)
I just found this talk years later. This made me cry because I have felt so stuck for so long, so frustrated, gave up on dreaming after a failure trying to bridge into a new career. It didn't work out for many reasons, but I have put my passion on hold out of fear. This talk helped me realize, the time is now! I have to dream again, I have to open up my possibilities.
This guy is fabulous, fear is the thought pattern that is between us and the great career that we would like, our passion, our purpose, our calling can just happen when we consistently ask the question "What can I do right now to keep me happy?" and courageously follow the path of happiness moment by moment. We can let go of the other thought patterns that get in the way, as well as fear there is anger, jealousy, blame, guilt, resentment, sorrow, irritation, frustration, criticism, stress, tension. Live the dream and shine, only you can do this for yourself. I believe in your power to do this, do you?
Wow. I was at a loss to know what is Passion, my Passion, my interest or whatsoever.. this Q. What can I do right now to keep me happy ? seem to dig out my lost Passion ..if at all , there were any ... Thanks.!
Eat, drink and be merry (in a healthy way). If you are destined to do something great, then you will feel it in your bones. You will be driven no matter what. If you don't have it, don't beat yourself up over it and make your life and the lives of the people around you miserable. Be a good person, be open-minded, be happy.
That I like! :)
BEST ADVICE YET, im screenshotting this :)
This video changed my life. I'm back in school and I'm on my way to my PhD because thats what "I" want.
So what's now
Did you completed your PHD now?
Atleast he went you two jokers
Yes I did. I wrote Mr. Smith as well to thank him for this video. He wrote back and was very nice.
To quote Joe Jackson: "You can't get what you want 'til you know what you want".
+HumanoidOrganism "You can't always get what you want But if you try sometimes well you just might find You get what you need "
Good point. I suppose you can.
+HumanoidOrganism Written by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards
I followed my passion to be a professional gamble for twenty years and ended up waiting tables. However I learned statistics from gambling and now I'm a university professor. Sometimes following your passion can have positive consequences even when you fail.
"If only I had...if you ever have that thought ricocheting in your brain, it will hurt a lot." Such wise words. I always believed and still do that the happiest people in the world are those who have nothing to regret
We all have regrets. So in the end, no one is really happy
One of the best short talks. Most of us fail due to the fear of failure and thinking about future consequences which itself is uncertain! The key is to have a versatile career and a passionate heart! Yes we fail and we rise!
I'm just 6 minutes into the video and couldn't stop myself from writing that this is one of the best ted talks i have ever watched. That guy just rocked the stage.
Is Batman aware of this guy?
LALFAST i had to pretend to cough in class after reading ur comment
Yes
Not this time baby!
I spit my drink out reading this comment. 😂
Brilliant! Mmwaahahaha😈
This guy is fricking brilliant. Amazing stuff. Love the honesty too.. People are just too soft now..
Wow, this was deep. Every Entrepreneur should watch this, then be prepared too take action. Nothing is worst then living a life full of regrets.
This is probably the most kind TEDx talk about careers I've seen. His honesty is far more useful than false promises. I can work with that.
What if I don't know what my greatest passion in life is?? Like till in high school I thought Engineering was my greatest passion but when I joined college and discovered the actual detail working it does not fascinate me anymore, like right now I have a job in IT, and feel that journalism might be my passion but what if it turns out the same way it did with engineering?Plus like a job in journalism is that of much more struggle and low pay than than that of IT. Thinking that these factors are giving me second thoughts, it is really not that much of a passion for me but a mere interest.
+feludaify Yes passion never changes. It is the interest which may change over time.
+feludaify I have had one passion from the day I started talking till now and pursuing it. :)
+feludaify *friendly tone* Or maybe you just have to admit you are afraid.
+feludaify Investigate your passions and interests in your spare time. Journalism is writing - just write. Start a blog and write about whatever you care about. You'll know pretty quickly if it's something you want to do.
You don't have to quit your job and enroll in college to find out if you have a passion.
+feludaify What would you want to do to improve the lives of the people around you or the world at large if you didn't have to worry about income?
I turn to this talk whenever I need someone to wake me up
It's great to watch again
Unless you make peace with your ego and the world. I'm amazed at the positive response to this. The solution is NOT to sacrifice everything in pursuit of a goal, because whatever the goal is, when you reach it, you will find something else to strive for, and feel unhappy for not having. First let go of your ego. Then you will do whatever flows naturally from you. It will also help you find whatever it is that you do enjoy for its own sake. It will never be a strain. I'm not a good example. There are many people I look up to and want to emulate, in all kinds of directions. So much so that what hurts me is that I am not them. Note that this is markedly different from feeling an urge to do what they are doing. It is simply a convoluted sense of guilt. I need to lose that before I can even contemplate what my passion might be.
Right now.. I'm SO GLAD AND HAPPY that I'm not too late to watch this talk. This is my favorite talk.
I feel like this guy formulated a great point for a very small group of people...like he hasn't interacted with enough real people or something to actually apply a general idea.
This was the best of all the speech's given. Loved it, great man!
This is a very inspiring video. I have trouble deciding between 3 things as my career. Military & UA-cam/Twitch & A counselor. I have a long story of my life I'll save towards the end but I will admit I'm full of excuses. I'm afraid to fail, I'm afraid to be laughed at, I'm afraid of hard work, I'm lazy, and more importantly I'm afraid to try. If I come up with an excuse I just replace it with another. I'm an open minded person who sucks at common sense but is good at thinking outside the box. I love the feeling of helping people through giving advice and gaming was my excape through the hard times at school and home. Being depressed and growing a fear and hatred for selfish and people who are dicks, with limited thinking and only seeing what's in front of me.. started developing these depressed and very depressed thoughts. I've even debated suicide but once I think about leaving those who might love me and hurting others.. I stopped thinking it as much. eventually I thought well.. it's harder to live then die and it's only selfish to deny me that option. my life is full of passion killers and people who would laugh at me. My dad's an alcoholic and afraid to deal with my mom and my mom's just unexplainable. emotionally and physically abused me by throwing me against walls as a child and smacking me to me opening up to her for my problems and she laughing at me and saying I have problems while my dad stays quiet crying in his chair from what i said. never believing in me and comparing me to my successful brother. talking badly about my family to her friends and other family members. The pain she brings to my dad always saying she will leave him and already 2 times but there still together. gaming really helps me cope with this and my parents being so negative all the time gives me the perspective of how awful life is. even tho we are middle classed. I found a girl I really love and want to spend the rest of my life with but it'll take a lot of money so more than ever I have tried to get a job now. now I'm passionate about life. but with all the passion and motivation, I still have days I just feel so lazy and unmotivated and i sont understand why. I feel haunted by my past and currently this family problems still happen. well, apart from my dad drinking as much he still does, and any physical attacks. And I've grown to hate wanting money because how I see the world and how much I hate people only grows by living with them. from being so closed off as a child, I'm 19 and opening up to anyone who can give me any advice or anything honestly. idk what to do with myself. I want to live a happy life and help others. I want military for a good job that pays well to support a family even tho I'm not too happy about joining, or UA-cam/twitch laughing and having a good time playing games with my friends I made online.
Hope you're doing fine brother! Please let us know what happened
Im not really able to give such good advice or anything, but youtube/twitch sounds like something that lights you up! Even if you didnt make a career out of them, I hope you still get to enjoy both of those with your pals. Most of all I hope you are doing well or will be!, and healing.
I've listened to so many TedX talks, and this is my favorite one. This guy has overwhelming passion that doesn't just bubble over as overwhelming energy. Love it.
One of the best things I've heard in life is " WE ARE NOT OUR JOBS"
I just want to cut hair. I want to make people silky smooth
If that's your passion then go for it.
lmao
PowerNoob9000 a good line for business communication. U will catch s lot of attention n get customers! Use it
Bahahahaha!!!
This is a quote from zohan an Adam Sandler movie
From what I understood, he ended with "unless" which same as saying "unless I do something". Notice that he didn't continue with "if only I had". It's the same as saying "No excuses".
Only video I watch when I loose focus or start complaining, I don't watch any other motivational videos ever since I watched it the first time in 2017, it made a great impact, it made me change my career and I have been a teacher ever since. I don't know to describe what aspect of his speech made an impact, but I have recommended this to as many people I know when they are in need of motivation, when they keep blaming situations and people and not take responsibility.
One of the most real, most honest discussions about career. He may scare some people because the real world isn't all Disney endings and ambition-based meteoric rise to success. Personally, I've lived long enough on this earth and seen enough to know that most of the self-help and career books are just rubbish. Young folks will hate/fear this guy. Older, smarter folks will know exactly what he is saying. The fact is, we've all been lied to.
To me this is a hell of a lot more motivating than someone saying "You can do it!"
Unless..
Lots of good stuff on that there UA-cam.
Libosi unless next video auto plays. ( you don’t even have to click it)
True. His passion seems to motivate people while he keeps walking and talking even if he is gasping for breath and the camera men are finding it difficult to contain him in a frame.
I love this speech. easily one of my favorite Ted talks to this day! It's a kick in the ass. It's a fiery rant on a serious subject. Self fulfillment is something that everyone talks about. They go on and on about finding passion and developing skills and finding direction and that it's the best thing ever, but no one talks about the nagging fear inside. Mr.Smith wanted to bring that fact to light. He wanted to make excuses and fear (even rational ones like crappy job markets and daunting competition) part of a public conversation. It was honest. It was terrifying. It was awesome.
"Don't use your children as a shield." I'm going to start living by these words.
After a year of watching videos like this and almost doing nothing about it, I left my advertising job to go to med school.
Aimee Dyamond how did that turn out??
You a doctor now I hope??
You doctah yet?
How about now?
Not a doctor yet?
OMG this brought me to tears I had a dream as a child to be an actor, script writer, they told me I'd fail its sad because the very same university I went to there was a girl in my class who is now in Hollywood acting. What if my parents had motivated me where would I be now. I really want to persue all the other dreams I have while I still can. I hope to be discovered one day. I hope someone will give me my change to shine.
bleh, the first part about passion was great... But I tell you what, passions are fleeting, they change with time, an ebb and flow of an ocean.... My love for my wife and kids, now that is an ever lasting force that inspires me to be a better person... ANYONE that looks at their wife and kids as jailers and blames them for their failures, is a coward, and is afraid to look at the real blame, themselves... because if your children don't inspire you to greatness, nothing will.
I don't think anybody would have the time to be an Einstein or Nikola Tesla with a wife and kids you just would not have the time or resources I think this is what he means specifically if your career has you traveling at different times and for long periods of time
what the hell that's exactly what this guy meant. "don't be afraid"
well i know its just I'm tired of accidentally starting comment wars for voicing my thoughts
well said.
He's saying to not give up on your dreams in order to have a family. First focus on achievement, and then when your satisfied, look for a partner. Because if you spent your youth on pursuing your passion and your career, you will have more potential partners to choose from. And when your kids one day want to pursue a risky dream, you won't look at them as the premature dream-destroyer that stopped you from satisfying your passion. Stop taking the path of parent so early, and take some damn risks for once in your lives!!
Right, but what if you just say, "Screw the career, I am going to make my relationships number one." Then you proceed to do so, and you're happy. Because the career really wasn't your goal. I think the underlying message here is not to follow your passion at work, but to do so in life. Figure out what you want to do with yourself, and do it.
Yes, I'm pretty sure the point of the example of the relationships was just one of the big excuses which people use to justify not following their passion to a great career. His talk isn't why you'll fail to be happy (despite how depressing it might be at points). It's why you will fail to have a great career. Unless.
Well, the problem with relationships is that they dont depend only on us. There is a risk that one day the other side of relationship break out of it. Besides usually when one has a career (or is realising passion), it works like a magnet for relationships. And it doesnt work the opposit way that often..
bigzbigi1 Most things in life aren't secure. Yes, people can pull away from a relationship. But you can also get fired or grow tired of your job. You can lose your passion. Personally, I think people are far more important than a career, but, like I said, it's not about everyone following one goal. It's about figuring out what your own goal is and going for it.
True, everybody has different needs. Having balanced life seems to be the best solution.
Notorietypulp Ever heard of the term "doing what you love"? There are those who depends their happiness to their career, and those that don't.
Most problem with people is when to think relatively and holistically. They just need to give their passion not to just relationships but also in a career, and that career is usually in what they are mostly good at. You can learn to do it, or just go with the job that you can easily and naturally do because you are passionate about it.
Apart from being one the best ted talks i've ever watched, the delivery, the absolutely shakespearean delievry of this talk makes it so engaging, fun and a delight to listen. 10/10 Recommend.
Also, fills you with passion for engaging in your craft, work that you chose, not that which was imposed on you. Dead Poet society-esque
This is genuinely, shockingly terrible advice and I hope none of the kids here followed it. Full disclosure: I took an economics course with Larry at UW before he retired and I have the utmost respect for the guy. But the recommendation that you always follow your greatest passion is completely irrational. Why? Because your greatest passion probably isn't bankable. Remember the 99% movement. There are millions of students who pursued their passion in the "arts" who are now stuck flipping burgers with a mountain of student debt they will never escape. Do those kids look happy to you? Or perhaps you really love hockey. But only 1 in 100,000 are realistically capable of making a worthy career out of it, and we all know the guy who failed and now cuts your lawn for a living. It's not enough to really, really love something. A) you have to be really good at it, B) other people must value your career enough to actually pay you and C) you must make a rational decision about risk reward (i.e are you willing to accept the risk that you will be one of the 99,999 that fails in light of what you get paid if you succeed).
You gotta look at yourself from the universe's perspective, from this perspective, you're just as insignificant as the next bunch of atoms.....unless.
I absolutely agree with you. It needs a wider look on all factors than only in your passion. Following your passion and fighting for every cent won't make you happy.
diana Oz You're missing the point, its not about what makes you happy, its about making a difference.
dick i believe you are absolutely 98%correct, and that means i totally agree with your comment. I've known and know people who have immense passion for something that feels great to dream about, to think about and to project themself into but they will NEVER be able to do it.
These type of speeches are OK at best, but like 'the secret' and all the motivational stuff that promotes visualizing what you want and it will happen etc : Bullshit. MOST people cannot be what they really really desire. So they have to settle for something that works, and there's nothing at all wrong with working a job. Tho surely it's not easy if you want passionately to be another Elton John
Yes, I thought since he came from an economics background, he would continue the presentation to explain a gap between what people say they are passionate about and the number of those positions available. What he's giving is an motivational speech. The best real process seems to be a continual negotiation between what you like doing, what you have to offer, and what the world wants to get from you. If you decide to do things that are not in demand or not something you're good at, you'll have to sacrifice some time or money at least in the short term to pursue that.
Brilliant...Captivating..this speech has the power to change the mindset & lives of millions ov people out there....##big fan Sir Larry Smith...
This is so true. It's ironic because 99% of people watching this, perhaps in 4 or 5 weeks will have completely forgotten his words and will revert back to the standard, non-passion pursuing lifestyle. Watching this won't do shit in your life, you're still going to fail to have a great career. That is unless you continuously and passionately follow you desire.
there are actually millions of factors involved in this, the big question is why are people in this world here to do.
I watched this video 11 years ago. Every since then, when I have doubts about a career decision.
I remember that phrase "Does the word 'destiny' scare you?" that reflection always gives me the mental freedom to grow.
The key to success is spending the least amount of time working.
My utmost respect for Larry
Really loved his emotions
Any career can be a great career, it all depends on the way you think of it. And if you are able to change the way you think about what you doing, you'll be more passionate about it.
If you're good at cleaning you open your own biz and have your own crew. Doing commercial projects, not so bad right? Change the way you think... and you'll see more opportunities in anything you do.
Wiping off butts of Alzheimer patients can be a great career too if you are passionate about poop.
well thats called nursing...is it not?
I feel like the whole point of the video is not to think like this; not to resign yourself (and that is indeed what you are doing) to such mediocrity. I get what you're trying to say, but the fact that you have to "change" the way you feel about whatever you're doing is to say that it wasn't something that you willingly entered into. This would mean A.) you had no other options or B.) you were convinced into doing it. At this point trying to become more "passionate" is to say "Hey, this is the life I was given and I can't change it so I may as well try to enjoy it." Not to get off track, but this mindset has been drilled into the lower class especially, to keep them happy and free of thoughts of rising up. This video is speaking to those who haven't yet given up on their dreams, saying the only thing holding you back is yourself.
You are 100% correct. Happiness is not an outer game it is an inner game. So if you aren't happy now than change the way you think so that you are happy now then you can at least feel good no matter what you do.
What an amazing talk! Larry's delivery and sharing of his thoughts was amazing and thought provoking. Thanks......and yes...people can use their children and family as shields as they try to be super...everything...Great talk
Rather than convincing you that you can do it by saying so, this guy makes you believe you can do it by saying you can't- it's reverse psychology, and I love it.
Same energy as Exurb1a (e.g. "A guide to worrying")
I love the way he speaks!
This talk always rubbed me the wrong way, and now I'm pretty sure I know why. It is Larry's assertion that: "If you're not optimally engaged in your life and career at all times, you are making excuses and not making the hard choices to follow your passion". So, many people who watch this, will feel some self-loathing. Well its BS. Not everyone has a singular "passion" and following a perceived passion will still lead you to a life where you sometimes question what you are doing, and have bad days and struggles. Resilience and resistance to jumping ship, just because you're not having a great time at the moment, are also what will get you somewhere.
I'd have to say that this is a bunch of fluff propped up by Larry Smith's forceful style. Just because Larry Smith says it doesn't make it true. I think next time I see Larry, on campus, I might just stop him and tell him its BS, in a nice way, but that wouldn't accomplish much. I'd get a lecture and look like a petty jerk, but I do believe it to be true. This is what I think every time I walk by big posters advertising Smith's Book. I think it will serve to accomplish the opposite of what he thinks it will.
It's good to see someone thought of what I did, too. Not everyone has a definite or specific passion, as you said. Life is dynamic and people's passions change, too. It's good to know I'm not the only one who thought of this.
His talk was particularly aimed at people who WANTED great careers. Not everyone wants to achieve in the sense of careers but would find it more passionate to achieve as a homemaker, a good father or an average joe, and there is nothing wrong with this path of life. If you're 40 and listening to this talk then the matter of the talk is irrelevant to you as you've already are pursuing something. This talk is for young students who are looking forward to their future.
@@willowforrest854we're all in the same boat. I've seen his background through the comment section as well, working people. Oh well, i sure am not gonna risk pursuing if the cost is my mom living all by herself with no children of hers to be by her side on her old days, or worse i can't make enough money for us. Guess if my passion have a way of making stability, i'll go through, who knows. But if i don't, i'm a failure i guess for taking my own responsibilities? Sorry, "excuses" as he said..
This is probably the most Energising TedX Talk so far. . Wonderful! Truly made me sit back in my seat and go through the whole talk again in my head.
This has always helped me in life. "Never have a plan B, it just distracts you from plan A" When you want to pursue your dream make sure you dont have a plan B in case you fail, because that only leaves one option, to not fail! Because you wount fail. NEVER HAVE A PLAN B!
this comment can get real messy xD
Javier Lopez bro. never burn all your bridges tho. you never know when you may need them.
wronx
I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.
Michael Jordan
Larry is so amazing and he's funny
Thank you Larry Smith for your spreading your words. Thank you TED for publishing the video. I will keep listening to this video on a daily base 🙏
Give this guy a sith robe and call him Darth Smith of the TED.
But... what about the crushing family and student debt part?
Have to look outside the family for people who have better ideas, who can help guide you to find other ways to express your dream into fruitful form.
Sometimes one has to get a 'day job', and express their passion in hobbies. Better, is to find ways to express at least some of your passion in the 'day job'.
If family debt loads are overwhelming, you need to find those who can council on how best to resolve those; maybe by learning how family got so deep in debt--that's behaviors and choices...need to learn what led to it, to learn how to stop falling in the debt-hole. Then be persistent in the solutions, to get out of debt and find better ways to get needs [not wants] met.
Student loans? What about no loans? What about creatively bootstrapping your way to your dream, using stepping-stone jobs, each of which teaches some skills needed to achieve that dream? It can be tough;nothing comes without a price. It can be done; people do it all the time. Sure, they lack the degrees hung on the wall...but one can also take a class at a time, to eventually achieve even those...paid as you go, leaves no loan debt.
Now, too, there are online free college courses. No, you don't get official credit for them, but, the knowledge gained, coupled with passion, helps sell your abilities to a good employer, if that is what you want.
Their are also grants one can apply for.
Share your dream with a group of like-minded people; people are problem-solvers; people are meant to work together. Each state their dreams, and also state what is blocking them. The group members start trying to solve the blocks, and usually find solutions.; the larger the group, the more successfully and faster the solutions are found.
Please don't allow your dreams to be thwarted by crushing family, friends. or debts. Identify the dream carried in your heart, then find ways to express it, even if that means working under your family's radar. If they expect you to have a 'day-job" to pay bills, find a job that allows you to express a facet of your dream, until you can bootstrap to the next level of job, and so on.
One messed-up young person, finally 'got-it', that they had to choose to make their life better. Broke, bankrupt, a flimsy high school diploma, edging off drug addictions....did listen. Started off getting a job that necessitated one of the _worst_ commutes; stuck with that for a year, then applied for a job in a related field, which used skills learned in the 1st, halved the terrible commute, and offered more training. Stuck with that for a bit over a year and lucked into a higher position at a related job, right in their hometown. Very successful.
They still had an invisible 'ceiling' blocking their rise to executive positions in that business, but if they'd wanted, likely could have found a different field using similar abilities, that would have allowed a rise to executive levels, without the college degrees.
You just have to get ahold of yourself, determine to better your lot in life, and stick to it! People usually want to help; you are tasked with finding the ones who can best do that for your circumstances....always look to those who are successful...because you know that old saying...'if you sleep with dogs, you wake up with fleas'? That means, you are affected by the quality of people you associate with...you can determine to find good ones, who can advise, guide and be supportive of your progress.
Counselling, or even watching TedTalks, or other online sites, can help learn how to overcome negative inner programming. There are counselors who work for reduced rates, or even some amount for free...just have to keep asking, to locate, and be creative in how to get to the appointments...some even use Skype. People all have some bad programming to overcome; it might be worth it to learn better tools for coping with life.
Please find people to help you find good ways to achieve your dream!
Thanks. Needed this too. My family's putting great stress and pressure on me to find work after graduating. I've sent myself to school with my own money since they wouldn't help me out. I don't know what they're thinking but I secretly hate them. It hurts to think that I have a dream/passion but the people who have been with me for years do not understand how important it is to me.
Again. Thanks. This may be one hell of a ride but I won't fail because I know I won't give up.
sheen ponce Please DO keep up that progress!
I faced plenty of obstacles, too. Dad could only picture me being a secretary [as-IF!] Other parent units [too many], also had low expectations; basically, I was a reminder of their own fallibilities.
Even a college councilor threatened to expel me, if I dared signed up for a class he didn't think fitting for a female to be in.
I had to find OTHER paths to the goals....which ended up my taking a path unintended....but which worked out OK.
I relegated my other dreams, to being hobbies, for gifting, etc.
I put myself through school using grants, minimal loans, part time jobs, trades. Only little financial support from family.
I chose community colleges, because those were cheaper. I sat in the student union and canvassed other students, to learn which instructors might be a good fit, for what I wanted, and how I might learn best.
If there was a choice, I used that.
Sometimes there was only one, and some of those were duds...but I made the best of them, and kept bootstrapping from one level to the next.
I achieved the original dreams; and only part of the one I worked so hard to achieve.
But it served good purpose.
Sure, I was angry that my seemingly decently-off parent units never paid a thin dime towards my schooling. But, I also knew I had to "get over it".....it's always counter-productive to carry anger that festers.
_The only anger that might help, is the kind that motivates one to keep going for the goal._
Once you start achieving goals, don't be surprised if some of those adults in your life, refuse to show up to congratulate you on your success. It happens.
This is when you must learn to nurture and congratulate yourself! Comes under the heading of learning to parent oneself. If we don't learn that, we keep looking to fill holes in our hearts....that can be deadly.
Sometimes, it's trade-offs:
They pressure you to get a job after graduation; you do that, but...use that as a spring-board towards what you do want. They will see you working, and may insist you contribute...make sure it's fair.
Keep in mind: parents want to see their kids succeed in Life.
To most parents, that looks like: a kid gets a job right out of school, to 'earn a living'; they have little or no example, to show them anything else can succeed.
This is especially tough in small towns in the rural areas...But not impossible!
You are actually more in control of your life, than society lets us believe.
The limitations set-in only when we stop thinking, dreaming, and planning ways to achieve our goals.
Go for the gusto!
Well.... He's directing his speech at a trust fund audience.
+Winter Star ... And after taking this long, winding path which inevitably set you behind the competition, are you starring in a TED video like the one above?
This video changed my life a few years ago.
What you are doing now?
What you are doing now?
Watched this 10 years ago! Was too afraid to follow my passion, took the safe route. I did a good job but I’m not happy 🥺! Company going through layoffs and i find myself rethinking life! This is my new opportunity to follow my passion once and for all
I did the same. I had about 7 years of independence, and 3 years of slavery pre and post COVID. Just quit my day job and I'm getting back out there. It's never too late
It’s never too late
I cant believe how many ppl here are so stupid to not get this is a cynic irony.........irony that supposed to make you believe in yourself!! Like a distorting mirror and final realization that you can actually break it!
One of the greatest speeches I've heard!
The comments below are excuses based on hypothetical monetary, family, financial situations. Yes, but you are what you do. If you spend each day thinking of these things. This becomes your destiny. Steve Jobs, who collected coke bottles for cash said "Stay hungry, stay foolish". In other words, do stuff you want to and don't worry about the details as long as you hold on to your passion.
The general consensus I have heard regarding Steve Jobs from people who knew him well was that he was kind of an asshole. I would rather be remember by my close friends/family members as a kind and thoughtful person, not a ruthless dick.
So? How about Mother Theresa? A ruthless dick if ever there was one.
Euph That "ruthless dick" revolutionized and improved millions of people's lives. He has had a more positive impact than you or anyone ever will by simply being "a kind and thoughtful person."
I think he was talking about Steve Jobs as a person, you're describing him as the CEO of Apple.
Nearly all CEOs have a "super nice guy" approach to the public and the general company but I'm sure if you're with them in the boardroom, you'll see an asshole.
People who are at the apex of an organization, have found or initiated a vision, will fight to maintain that direction and goal and others will try to put in their input and perhaps even change that direction, CEOs need to be assertive. They need to accept input from others and disregard others and they need to hold their ground, hence, are assholes.
***** They wouldn't work there if it wasn't the best opportunity they could get.
Sounds poetic, but what is he actually saying? Would have made a great Joker in Batman though.
This is one of my favorite Ted talks! It verbalizes something I have felt for yearsl, but never had words for. I had my children of watch this with me Father's Day this year.As a small business owner living my dream, I wanted them to learn something about success and hopefully understand me a little better.
This talk touts empty platitudes like learned words of wisdom. Not everyone is extraordinary. And, that is ok. Being a kind, compassionate person is what is more important. Being loyal is important. Some people are not leaders, visionaries...ect. The great illusion of the "American Dream" is that if you '"follow your passion" or "follow your dreams" you will have a happy life. Another fallacy of the "American Dream" is that if you start from the bottom in a trade or a company and work very hard--you will eventually climb as high as you want to go--no limits. However, everyone has limited abilities--and--the social dynamics of office politics oftentimes acts as the facilitator and/or roadblock to success of any kind in America. "You can do anything" is a feel good platitude that is a nauseating remnant of the 1970's "self-esteem" movement. People need to be adults and realize that they have limitations. Right now, I am in a Literary Theory class with a person who can barely read aloud to the class. She can barely pronounce basic words. Guess what her major is: Education. lol
He didn't really say you'd be happy if you followed your passion, either. And, obviously, the extraordinary people are the people who don't have great careers. Most people won't have great careers because of the reasons he said. But some of us will. Or at least we'll try.
We'll, I am quite blatantly analytical & straightforward myself, but this man has set some new benchmarks, taught me a thing or two about taking risks, but educated risk with some sprinkle of satire!
What if you're not passionate about anything and you don't realy have any interests?
How do you find an interest or passion?
finally someone asking the real question
Ikigai.
You just have to keep trying things. You're doing things every day that pique your interest. If you keep returning to the same thing over and over again, maybe it's a big interest. If you want to devote your whole life to doing it, then maybe it's your passion. I don't know anyone who doesn't have several interests.
Some people don't. I wish I didn't
I think this is one of the best TEDTalks. It elevates TEDTalks the way things happened to well all of us etc. etc. Unless?