6 www.alliancecom.net No Time for Self-Help Books? Watch TED Instead! TED talks are typically delivered by one person in a presenter-to-audience format, and they’re designed to help jump-start personal progress for people, one by one. With TED talks, you don’t have to spend hours reading a book about improving your life. Just a few minutes with TED can be a game-changer. Here are a few key reasons to watch these videos. Learning TED talks are brief and easy to understand, which means you can easily learn about something new, even during busy days. Examples include innovations or situations you hear about in the news, things like friendship that can make your life better, and hobbies like gardening or photography. You can also find TED talks on many topics traditionally taught in school, such as government, history, math, and biology. Inspiration Some TED talks may inspire you to do further research, change your habits, or get involved in a cause. For example, a talk about travel might move you to take a trip. One about veganism might encourage you to give up eating animal products. One about poverty might lead you to volunteer for an aid agency. Success Many TED talks are about things that can help you succeed at school, in business, or at maintaining physical and mental health. They include topics like work-life balance, the reasons startups succeed, steps to boost financial health, and how to have a good night’s sleep. Entertainment While most TED talks are meant to be primarily educational, many of them are entertaining as well. Part of the reason is the quality of the speakers, who are frequently as witty as they are smart. For example, comedian Gina Brillon’s talk, When people are “suspiciously kind,” is both enlightening and amusing. TED Talks to Make You Laugh Sure, you can turn to funny TV shows, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and live comedy for laughs. But it never hurts to have one more source for a good giggle. Check out these popular TED talks when you want a laugh, and search for more fun options at TED.com. • Inside the mind of a master procrastinator by Tim Urban, creator and owner of the WaitButWhy (waitbutwhy.com) blog – He encourages viewers to take a hard look at their procrastination and think about it in a new way. • I got 99 problems…palsy is just one by Maysoon Zayid, actress, comedian, and disability advocate (maysoon.com) – She uses humor to share a lifelong journey with cerebral palsy. • Comics that ask “what if?” by Randall Munroe, engineer, author, and cartoonist (xkcd.com) – He humorously provides answers to interesting what-if questions. • The happy secret to better work by Shawn Achor, happiness consultant (goodthinkinc.com) – He entertainingly discusses methods for creating greater happiness at work. QUICK TIP: For a small fee, you can join TED to access member exclusives and support the TED mission.
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