I get inspiration from all sorts of sources. Today I will talk (maybe more correct to say write) to you about TedXSydney.
Never been to TedX, let me tell you how it goes. The format with music, film, speeches and activation within the Hub, means you leave satiated and brimming with inspiration. Because each speaker selected is run through their paces by a speech coach, you are unlikely as hell to get a dud speaker. All the music was great, including Handsome, Joyride and Deep Sea Astronauts. All designed to get you to feel all the feels.
This year they were celebrating 10 years, so the theme was Legacy. For now, I will concentrate on my top 5 speakers. The part I find surprising is where the best stories come from. The ones that don’t solve a problem or present a divergent thought, an unexpected twist that intrigue me the most. As a result I don’t do a lot of research before hand, and just go with the flow. So lets go…..
Eddie Jaku
There is no way that you cannot be inspired by a man who at 99 years of age, describes himself as the Happiest Man. He had survived being a Jew in Nazi Germany and having his whole family killed. Instead of being bitter he decided that 'Happiness was a choice' and he choose to be that way each day. Powerful and compelling.
Happiness is a choice - Eddie Jaku
Yve Blake
Yve talked us through her obsession, Fan girls of Boy bands. Fascinating and well structured, the she tricked us into loving them, by pointing out our conditional bias. Boys yelling at a football match, all good. Girls doing the same at a concert insane, hysterical. Perfect and oh so right, biases and conditioning galore. Plus we got too scream and that is always super satisfying. Followed her on the spot!
Tom Nash
I love that we got to meet a Pirate at TedXSydney 2019. Tom had a disease that took, both his arms below the elbow and his legs below the knees. His story was very funny and engaging. He found that he become braver and more embracing of things then he did before his illness. He can problem solve much faster than he could as a “able bodied” person. Tom is a Professional DJ, I bet you didn’t see that coming. Super inspiring and challenging us all to live more fully - go Tom!
Maxine Beneba Clarke
Now an author, she was one of the kids that read in the library, escaping to distant lands with distant people and exploring new places, all through books. I found her story of moving from a reader, to a slam poet to a writer poignant and thought provoking. I look forward to reading her books, which have won awards across 4 different literary fields, fiction, non-fiction, poetry and picture books.
David Wenham
David did exactly what he does for a living he told stories, engagingly and completely enthralling. He told stories of how he would embody the teaching of his acting school teacher to “Behave truthfully in an imaginary situation” and provided evidence of why he is sooo good at what he does.
Behave truthfully, in an imaginary situation - David Wenham
We also heard amazing stories from cryptographer, geneticist, geographer, dentist, tiler and many more.
While I could brag all day about being at TedXSydney (did you know it was my third time), really what I am wanting you to think about is…….
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Build opportunities into the year, month or week where you can get inspired to think differently, or be challenged, or better understand a different perspective from yours. Inspiration is all around you, draw upon it and soak in it.
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About CMM
Christina Morgan-Meldrum (CMM) is an author, speaker, curator, change professional and podcaster. She particularly loves helping people and organisations unearth what’s possible to design a future that suits you perfectly (Organisations often call it a Strategic Roadmap).
She has cultivated the ability to walk into any industry; see what is not seen, distil what is complicated, and simplify the chaos. This skill has been forged in a deliberate and concentrated way for over 20 years, through Personal Coaching and working in Organisational Change Management (before it was even a thing).
Christina fills her time on various side hustles, blogging, podcasting - Quirky & Chenille (Christina is Quirky), and learning the piano. If you are looking for her, she is likely at her spiritual home JB Hi-Fi or exploring stationery stores or artisan markets.