I watched six Ted videos this morning during my 12 mile run. I found each of the talks remarkable and I think I am going to find a way (yes that means running a lot of miles) to watch all 1000+ Ted talks. I figure that if I run 40 miles a week (assuming those miles were on a treadmill) I could watch about 5 hours of Ted videos a week. With the videos ranging from 10-20 minutes that means I could watch on average about 20 Ted videos a week and if there are, say 1,100 Ted videos, then it would take me about 44 weeks to watch them all. So, I will give myself some time to run outside and a little bit of flex on the averages etc and I think I could get it done in a year. So, by February 1, 2014 I could state that I have watched all of the recorded Ted videos on their web site. Seems to me that when completed I would have filled my head with the thoughts, ideas, assertions, experiences and conclusions from some of the most interesting and amazing people on the planet. I dare say that I would be a different person as a result of taking in so much interesting input into this head of mine. I think, though, that watching is not enough, that I would need to figure out how to authentically (see I like that word) mesh what I learned / heard into my life (or at least share some of what I heard with others). There was so much going on in today’s videos that I would do it little justice recapping all of what I heard – instead I pass along a theme I heard that fits with a premise I have had for quite some time – here goes.
One of the videos I saw focused on the topic of fear. The speaker, Karen Thompson Walker, spoke on how to think about fear. To paraphrase her message – fear instigates our imagination and from it we create stories in our heads that create a context around the fear we are feeling. At one level you can easily see how a fear based story can be a disabler or a roadblock on the path to success. Fear creates story lines like “I might lose my job if I try that new idea” or “I am not capable of running a race, that is for others who were athletes in high school” You get the picture – in both cases the story writer (the fearful one) has convinced themselves through the narrative that they wrote - in their head and propelled by fear that they are going to fail, or at least not try. How sad it is that we do this to ourselves. Seems to me that the story writer left out half of the story. Seems rather foolish when you think of it that way, don’t ya think? So, imagine if instead we created a different story, a story of success, one of triumph – “if I start the Sally pushup thing and give myself enough time I can actually get to the end at some point” or “I am an expert in my department and I am going to tell my manager how I think we can save dollars if we just eliminate some unnecessary steps in the process” or my favorite – “ I am sure that if I ask her out she will say yes!” (ok, ok, I went too far). But you get the point.
Maybe it’s just me but it seems quite obvious that the choice to succeed or fail then starts with what you do with your fears – you can write stories that end before they begin - or - you can write stories of success, stories of hope, stories of deciding once and for all that you are going to make the outcome happen. Yup, it is that simple and you have the controls between your ears – give it a try and see how it feels – I am confident you will like the outcome
Danced with Sally – four days and counting I have made it to the end. Still hard but I am starting to… almost…..maybe….like doing it….sort of in a sick way. Another great day twelve meetings, 100 emails, three phone calls, five conversations, a PB&J sandwich (well two), the run, a good hard spin workout, some pull-ups, weights, and got to 175 on the pushup challenge. I think that I am on to something, or as someone told me addicted to feeling good and loving life – that’s all for now
Till tomorrow, roger and out
joe