Here’s what I chose for week 4

The Happy Secret to Better Work
Shawn Achor
TEDx Bloomington, May 2011
1. This guy is hysterical 2. Working harder and achieving goals does not bring happiness because the line of success is constantly moving. 3. You can change the way your brain processes how you engage this world- your attitude and perspective – the key factors of happiness. 4. Retrain your brain by listing things you are grateful for, keeping a journal, exercise, meditation, acts of kindness.

The Puzzle of Motivation
Daniel Pink
TED Global Oxford England, July 2009
Carrot and stick motivators impair creative thinking. Instead foster intrinsic motivators- doing things because they matter, because we enjoy it, because it’s interesting, because it’s part of something important. Creativity flourishes in environments of autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

The four fish we’re overeating- and what to eat instead
Paul Greenberg
Mission Blue II, October 2015
A sobering talk on the evolution of fishing, it’s impact on our oceans, and what to do about it.

The Unheard Story of the Sistine Chapel
Elizabeth Lev
TED Global Geneva, December 2015
A passionate and fascinating discussion of the influence of exploration and invention on the visual theology of the Sistine Chapel.  

You can grow new brain cells. Here’s how.
Sandrine Thuret
TED@BCG London, June 2015
Solid science to back up the practices which we have long thought increase mental health, memory, and mood: lifelong learning, sex, food choices, sleep, low stress, and regular cardio to get oxygen to the brain.

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I’m trying an experiment in 2016. Maybe you’d like to try it with me.

Here’s where I am
I’m tired of the spin. I’m tired of ideas, news, and entertainment really being one long sales pitch for profit or power.

I’m longing for creativity, curiosity, and inspiration. I’m in search of passionate people willing to speak to the truth and complexity of living with a heart of hope. I want to hear from authentic humans who are in the trenches working for the greater good.

I think I’ve found them in the TED community.

“TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world. On TED.com, we’re building a clearinghouse of free knowledge from the world’s most inspired thinkers — and a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other, both online and at TED and TEDx events around the world, all year long.”

TED’s been around for 30 years. I’ve heard about them and even watched a couple of talks, but I’ve never spent any concentrated time mining the good stuff. So….

Here’s the plan
Watch 5 enthusiastic, inspiring TED Talk presenters a week for a year.
Apply and share the goodness.