I’ve recently discovered TED Talks- I know, I know, where
have I been this whole time? For those
of you who don’t know what TED Talks is: TED is short for technology,
entertainment, and design. It’s a global
non-profit conference whose primary goal is to share “ideas worth
spreading.” The organization has
literally hundreds of conferences and affiliated events each year devoted to
sharing ideas that matter and have the potential to influence the world in a
positive way. In my discovery of this
obviously super-popular think tank I watched a particularly inspiring featured
speaker. He was a 9-year-old named KidPresident. Again, I know what you’re
thinking, and I had heard about this web phenomenon, honest I had. I just never actually watched his video until
today.
Basically, the video is a pep talk to the grown-ups of the
world to “stop being boring” and do something that will “make the world awesome”
and “give the world a reason to dance.”
An exhortation from a most unlikely character to step outside of our
boring comfort zones and find what it is we love to do, even if it’s hard, and
do it already!! Using the example of
Michael Jordan, Kid President presents it better than I’ve ever heard this
explained, “What if Michael Jordan would have given up? He would have never made Space Jam and I love
Space Jam. What would be your Space
Jam?” That thought stuck with me. What
would be the one thing I would do that would be what I love and would impact
the world? Have you ever thought of
that?
I believe human beings long for two things- to fill an
internal void that can only be satisfied by faith and to achieve something
greater than themselves. Some people are
caught in a constant longing to accomplish something great- they are dreamers. They
want nothing more than to have great ideas, never venturing beyond the
conceptualizing stage. Others are aware
there is more out there but are too content to really go after it and last are
the ones who dream and then do. I am
part of the last group. You can be
too. As Kid President said, “We were
made to be awesome.” Don’t settle for
mediocre. Find your “Space Jam” and jam
it! Like a boss! An awesome boss, that is.
