If you haven’t already heard – #TEDxcoventryuni is happening on Saturday 23rd january. part of the prestigious event are ted Talks – pretty much the best way to become a learned soul whether you want to expand your mental horizons or discover that burning inspiration within.
The power of youth – George The Poet
George The Poet is a Kings College graduate with a poissant for politically influenced spoken word, whose impassioned love for his community rings true through his work. George’s TEDxYouth talk depicts the stories of two young men, both of whom grew up in similar environments to him, yet managed to find themselves on very different paths – one reflects his environment, the other contradicts it.
The Art of misdirection – Apollo Robins
Please don’t take this next talk as a lesson in pick-pocketing – because that really isn’t the end goal here – and of course Coventry University do not condone it blah blah blah. On a serious note this fantastically entertaining talk from Apollo Robbins (no relation to the Spacecraft) enables us to literally see the power of misdirection, whilst simultaneously gaining an understanding of how it works. How might this help me? You ask. The way we use our attention, a resource of ours, can completely alter the way we develop as people. If we can become more aware of the things around us that may be trying to mis-lead us, we may be able to develop a better understanding of what we really should be applying our focus to – rather than succumbing to the poker chip.
What Really Matters at the End of Life – BJ Miller
SPOILER – This is rather sad, but sometimes the most honest things in life are.
BJ Miller takes us on a journey of personal, and personable struggle, discussing the insights he’s gained from his years of work in palliative care, as well as sharing some of the heartwarming tales of his patients own personal comforts. As students’, we worry so much about our futures and our positions within the world, that we can so easily forget about the lives we lead. It’s important – and necessary – to embrace the world around us whilst we have the opportunity to, as that privilege isn’t eternal, but more limited than we ever appreciate.
I got 99 problems…Palsy is just one – Maysoon Zayid
Once you’ve watched this moving, inspiring, and extremely funny TED Talk from Maysoon Zayid, you will have little to no excuse not to complete – or at least try to accomplish – one of your goals. It could be one you set yourself today, or one you thought up fifteen years ago, but you should give it a go. Having never limited herself by her problems, Maysoon Zayid has accomplished more awesome feats than many of us ever will, and it’s her inspirational no-nonsense approach to life that cannot be ignored, which we must take lessons from.
The Puzzle of Motivation – Dan Pink
This is one for the thinkers out there – not because it’s hard to understand, but simply because it will actually motivate you to question your own approach to life, and some people don’t like that. Dan’s talk explores and challenges the idea of incentives, and the things that motivate us within our daily lives. Calling on working examples Pink justifies how certain motivators, or traditional forms of motivation, can actually act as a hinderance in our everyday lives, to our productivivity in the workplace and our own personal progression. As Dan highlights the greatest form of motivation is the one we create ourselves – we all know this, but few act upon it.
If you’ve been a fan of any of the above TED Talks then please let us know – we’d love to hear – and if there are any you think we should write about, let us know in the comments section bellow and we’ll get watching…if we haven’t already seen them that is!
