8 Great TED Talks That Give Really Good Advice

Listen, laugh, learn, and be amused…tune into these favorite TED talks for inspiration and information.

Every few weeks I find that I need to expand my intellect beyond what my daily routine requires. So I turn to TED talks. If picked carefully, these talks are usually short (under 10 minutes), and they condense ideas big enough to make you think, which is incredibly efficient, and refreshing. They are sometimes informational, sometimes inspirational, and often times practical. And for a busy mom, that’s three wins. Here I’ve gathered eight of my favorite TED talks.

• Elizabeth Gilbert’s Your Elusive Creative Genius

Ok, so it’s longer than 10 minutes but don’t disregard this one by author Elizabeth Gilbert who often talks about creativity. In this talk, she shares the idea that instead of being a genius, we all have a genius. And for creatives, that’s empowering and relieving since we tend to be brutally self-critical and doubtful. It’s a little more anecdotal and personal but entertaining and interesting.

Kelly McGonigal’s How to Make Stress Your Friend

My natural reaction to stress is to let it overwhelm to the point of feeling helpless. This talk by McGonigal enlightened my perspective on stress and how to cope with it most effectively.

3) Laura Vanderkam’s How to Gain Control of Your Free Time

I’ve often defaulted to the “I don’t have time” excuse but in this talk Vanderkam shows how we all have time to what matters most to us.

4) Adam Grant’s The Surprising Habit of Original Thinkers

This one shows how failure and procrastination can lead to greatness. It was surprising, eye-opening, and funny.

5) Sandra Aamodt’s Why Dieting Doesn’t Usually Work

In this talk, neuroscientist Aamodt proves how diets usually fail and how you can reach a healthy weight intuitively by being mindful. A must-see.

6) Angela Lee Duckworth’s Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

We all want our children to succeed. In this talk, Duckworth, a teacher-turned-psychologist, shows us how children with grit have the highest chance of succeeding. Spoiler alert: She doesn’t tell you how to infuse your children with that passion and perseverance.

7) Eli Beer’s The Fastest Ambulance? The Motorcycle

In this inspiring talk, the founder of hatzalah shares the story of how he came to build the fastest EMT responders by using local volunteers.

8) Susan Cain’s The Power of Introverts

Cain’s talk was my first introduction to TED Talks and the reason I came back for more. She enlightens the listeners on the power of introverts in a world that values extroverts. With some anecdotal stories and charming wit, she shows the influence introverts have on society in their unique, quiet way. So if you, like me, aren’t the life of the party, listen in because it’s totally legitimate to think a coffee date sounds like fun without moving into grandma status.