April 13, 2016

Regardless of how much you love what you do, there are inevitably doing to be times when you're feeling down, or uninspired, or are simply suffering from a lack of motivation (I know those feels).

When I'm feeling down I like to find a fun project to work on (like doing some writing, editing photos, etc) and put on a good TED Talk to listen to while I work. I love hearing other people's thoughts and stories, and have actually been using TED Talks to get inspired since 2007, when I worked a mind-numbingly dull job as an accounting assistant in a government office. I hated my job, and listening to people with big ideas, dreams, and goals made me feel a little less crazy for being underwhelmed with my current circumstances.

These days I certainly feel a lot better about what I do day-to-day, there are still times when a little verbal pick-me-up is required to get those creative juices flowing again. With that in mind, I wanted to share some of my favourite talks to help you stay motivated:

*I also happen to have ASMR, and for those of you lucky enough to experience the same lovely sensations when listening to people speak, I've put a little asterisk next to the ones that give me the best kinds of brain-tingles.

Inspiring Talks

I'm a sucker for a good cheesy talk, and nothing snaps me out of a funk faster than listening to a few talks about dreaming big and going for it. In particular I'd recommend checking out Amanda Palmer's talk; hearing hers was pivotal for me in learning to ask other people for help and admitting that (gulp!) maybe I don't know everything.

Steve Jobs: How to Live Before You Die

Simon Sinek: How Great Leaders Inspire Action

Adam Grant: The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers

Dan Pink: The Puzzle of Motivation

Amanda Palmer: The Art of Asking

Business & Success Talks

I've been listening to talks about business since... well, long before running my own business ever crossed my mind. In particular I'm drawn to talks that tackle issues like healthy workplaces, finding work that matters to you, and spreading your ideas successfully.

Bill Gross: The Single Biggest Reason Why Startups Succeed

Barry Schwartz: The Way We Think About Work is Broken

Scott Dinsmore: How to Find Work You Love

Seth Godin: How to Get Your Ideas to Spread

Dan Ariely: What Makes Us Feel Good About Our Work?*

Yves Morieux: As Work Gets More Complex, 6 Rules to Simplify*

Creativity & Happiness Talks

Two of the talks in this category are ones I've been listening to for several years. They're always good to come back to when I need a refresher that creativity isn't something that just disappears (though sometimes it feels that way) and that I have to actively work at being happy.

Matthieu Ricard: The Habits of Happiness*

Carol Dweck: The Power of Believing That You Can Improve

Ken Robinson: Do Schools Kill Creativity?*

Dan Gilbert: The Surprising Science of Happiness

Tim Harford: How Frustration Can Make Us More Creative

General Interesting Talks

Below are a few of my favourite talks that didn't really fit into any of the above categories, but I find myself revisiting again and again because they're just that good.

Ole Scheeren: Why Great Architecture Should Tell a Story*

Yanis Varoufakis: Capitalism Will Eat Democracy -- Unless We Speak Up

Yves Morieux: How Too Many Rules at Work Keep You From Getting Things Done*

Dan Gross: Why Gun Violence Can't Be Our New Normal

Do you have any favourite videos that you play to stay motivated and find inspiration? Tweet them at me or tell me in the comments!