20-Life-Lessons-we-Learned-from-Watching-Ted-Talks-MainPhoto

20-Life-Lessons-we-Learned-from-Watching-Ted-Talks-MainPhoto

If you haven’t seen a TED (Technology, Entertainment & Design) Talk, you’re cheating yourself out of some of the most intellectual and entertaining video out there. TED—whose mission statement is Ideas worth spreading.—began in 1984 as a one-off conference featuring innovators from all three fields. Fast forward to 2001, when it became a non-profit and in 2006 the first six TED Talks were posted online.

In a recent New York Times interview, Chris Anderson, Curator of TED Talks said, “With TED, the end of the talk should not be the end of the idea, but just the beginning.” Given 18 minutes to present their talk, speakers express their ideas on just about any culturally relevant topic—from science to global issues to philosophy and everything in between—with a view to inspire others to take action. We’ve made your life easier by doing a little curating of own to compile some of the top Ted Talks that are replete with insight and inspiration.

1. Looks aren’t everything.
Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a model. by Cameron Russell
In a candid talk, underwear model Cameron Russell discusses the less glamorous side of her industry, how it objectifies women and affects young girls’ self-esteem and how everyone, even models, are judged on their appearance in one way or another. Girls, she argues, should learn that there is no “ideal” beauty.

Read Related: Victoria’s Secret Model’s Empowering TEDx Talk