It's true. I can't help myself. I watch at least one TED talk a day. Sometimes two. Once I even binge-watched four in a row; interesting topics kept popping up, so I kept pressing play.
If you're not familiar then, um, where have you been? Seriously though, these "ideas worth spreading" are just that, even if they oftentimes have not much to do with Technology, Entertainment, or Design. They are absolutely fascinating and, for an open-minded thinker like myself, they can be enlightening and inspiring. Mostly, though, they are very, very helpful.
Before my first Be SMART presentation, I was nervous and anxious and consulted Google for public speaking tips. There were the usual suggestions like look people in the eye for two seconds before moving your gaze to another audience member, speak slowly, and make sure to breathe. But then I came across a TED talk by Amy Cuddy that...queue the dramatic sound effects...really changed my life. That may sound trite but, honestly, she showed me how simple nudges that you intentionally take to improve your sense of presence can make a huge impact on how you perform. I'll save her insights and the impressions her research and her book had on me for a future blog, but I mention it now because it's a perfect example of how awesome TED talks really are.
If you haven't seen one yet, take your pick at the TED website. There's something for any topic of interest, and you might find yourself binge-watching a few, too. That's okay. There's always time for new ideas or exploring a perspective you haven't considered. Go for it. You may fall in love with TED, too.
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