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8LifeChangingLessonsYouCanLearnUnder3Minutes|TIME

B U SIN ESS C A R EER S& WO R K PL A C E

8LifeChangingLessonsYouCan
LearnUnder3Minutes
Minda Zetlin / Inc.

July 10, 2015

Everythingfromhowtobesuccessfultohowtotieyourshoesbetter
MORE

The 4 Biggest Mistakes You Can

Make After a Career Setback

Youdliketobesmarter,moreefficient,more
successful,andhappier.AndyouknowthatTED
Talksarefulloflessonsonhowtogetthatway.
Butmostofthemtake15to20minutestowatch,
andyoujustcantdoitinthemiddleofabusy
day.
Doyouhavethreeminutes?Theeverhelpful
folksatTEDhaveputtogetheracompilationof
amazing,informative,andentertainingtalksthat
eachlastaboutthatlong.Theycovereverything
fromhowtobesuccessful,tohowtotieyour
shoesbetter,tohowalifethreateningdiagnosis
canturnouttobeabeautifulgift.
Theyreallworththetimeinvestmentandthen
some.Hereareafewofthelessonsyoulllearn:

1. Doing 30-day
challenges will give you a
more memorable life.
Theideaisactuallyprettysimple,explains
GoogleengineerMattCutts.Thinkabout
somethingyouvealwayswantedtoaddtoyour
life,andtryitforthenext30days.Itturnsout
30daysisjustabouttherightamountoftimeto
addanewhabitorsubtractahabitlike
watchingthenewsfromyourlife.
Thankstohisown30daychallenges,Cuttssays
hewentfromdeskdwellingcomputernerdto
thekindofguywhobikestowork.Forfun!he
says.Ashedidmoreandharder30day
challenges,hisconfidencegrew,hesays.He
wroteanovel.Lastyear,hehikedupMount
Kilimanjaro,thehighestmountaininAfrica.I
wouldneverhavebeenthatadventurousbefore
Istartedmy30daychallenges,hesays.

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Perhapsmostimportant,thechallengeshave
changedthewayheexperienceshislife.Instead
ofthemonthsflyingby,forgotten,thetimewas
muchmorememorable,hesays.So,heasks,

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8LifeChangingLessonsYouCanLearnUnder3Minutes|TIME
whatareyouwaitingfor?Iguaranteeyouthe
next30daysaregoingtopasswhetheryoulikeit
ornot,sowhynotthinkaboutsomethingyou
havealwayswantedtotryandgiveitashot?For
thenext30days.

2. Here are the eight

things you need to do to be successful.
OnaplaneonthewaytoaTEDconference,ateenagersittingnexttoRichardSt.John
askedasimplequestion:Whatleadstosuccess?Answeringthatquestiongrewintoan
obsession,andSt.Johnspentthenext10yearsasking500verysuccessfulpeoplehow
theyddoneit.
Theresultsmakeforafastpacedandfascinatingtalk,distillingtheirmanyanswersintoa
powerfullesson.(Hint:Ifyouredoingitforthemoney,youreonthewrongtrack.)

3. Meetings work better when youre walking.

Weveallheardthedangersofsittingfortoomanyhours,andyetwealldoit.Authorand
speakerNiloferMerchanthasasolution:Takeallyourmeetingswalkinginsteadof
aroundaconferencetable.Notonlywillitmakeyouhealthiersheherselfwalks20to30
milesaweekthiswayitwillhelpthefreeflowofideas.(Andifthatsnotenoughto
persuadeyou,IlljustmentionthatSteveJobsinsistedonhavingallhisimportant
meetingswhilewalking.)

4. Youve been tying your shoes wrong your

whole life.
No,Imnotkidding.Thewaywealllearnedtotieourshoesaschildrenleadstoaweak
knot,whereasonesmallchangecreatesaknotthatbothholdstogetherbetterandlooksa
lotbetter,asTerryMoore,directoroftheRadiusFoundation,demonstrates.Evenifyou
favorslipons,itsworthtakingthreeminutestoseehow.

5. Emoticons can express more than you

think.
Illadmitit.This3:17talkfromtheperformancepoetRiveswontteachyouverymuch,
unlessyoureacreativeemoticonuser,inwhichcaseitmayprovidesomeinspiration.But
thissweetlittletaleofachanceencounterwillputasmileonyourfaceandmakeyouglad
youtookthetimetowatch.

6. When something awful happens, it can be a

tremendous gift.
WhenStaceyKramer,founderofthebrandingcompanyBrandPlay,foundoutshehada
braintumorcalledhemangioblastoma,itturnedouttobeagift.Notonlydidshegaina
newperspectiveonspirituality,shedevelopedahealthierlifestyle,increasedhervitality,
sawfriendsshehadntbeenintouchwithforyears,gainedserenity,atecountless
gourmetmeals,andreceivedmassesofflowers.Notonlythat,shegottospendeight
weeksdoingabsolutelynothing,andwasgivenalifetimesupplyofgooddrugs.
WhileImOKnow,Iwouldntwishthisgiftforyou,shetellstheaudienceinher
thoughtprovokingtalk.Imnotsureyoudwantit.ButIwouldntchangemyexperience.
ItprofoundlyalteredmylifeinwaysIdidntexpect.
So,sheadvises,thenexttimeyourefacedwithsomethingthatsunexpected,unwanted,
anduncertain,considerthatitjustmaybeagift.

7. Being a follower is surprisingly powerful.

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8LifeChangingLessonsYouCanLearnUnder3Minutes|TIME
Whosthemostimportantpersoninstartingamovement?Itsnotthemovements
leader,itsthefirstfollower,asCDBabyfounderDerekSiversshowsinthisentertaining
talk.Inlessthanthreeminutes,aloneguywithnoshirtdancingonahillwhilemany
otherpeoplesitonthegrassturnsintoahundredorsopeopledancingwithonlyafew
stillsitting.Howdoesithappen?Becauseofthesecondguywhohasthegutstogetup
anddancewiththefirstandshoweveryoneelsehowtofollow,asSiversputsit.
Whatdoesthatmeanintherealworld?Ifyoureallycareaboutstartingamovement,
saysSivers,havethecouragetofollowandshowothershowtofollow.Andwhenyou
findalonenutdoingsomethinggreat,havethegutstobethefirstonetostandupand
joinin.

8. You must give and ask for thanks.

Whyisitwecantellawaiterhowwelikeoursteak,butwecanttellourlovedoneshow
muchweappreciatethemorthatweneedtohearhowmuchtheyappreciateus?Because
byaskingforthanksorpraise,Imgivingyoucriticaldataaboutme,sayscounselorand
lifecoachLauraTriceinthisinspiringtalk.ImtellingyouwhereIminsecure.Imtelling
youwhereIneedyourhelp.AndImtreatingyou,myinnercircle,likeyouretheenemy.
Becausewhatcanyoudowiththatdata?Youcouldneglectme.Youcouldabuseit.Oryou
couldactuallymeetmyneed.
Theonlywaywelleverfindoutistogatherourcourageandtaketheemotionalrisk.And
soTricechallengestheaudienceandallofus:Behonestaboutthepraisethatyouneed
tohear.Whatdoyouneedtohear?Tellyourspouseorpartnerorfamilymemberswhat
youneedtohearfromthemandaskwhattheyneedtohearfromyou.Askthose
questions,andthenhelpthepeoplearoundyou.
ThisarticleoriginallyappearedonInc.com
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9ThingsWarrenBuffettSaysYouShouldDotoBeHappyandSuccessful
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2015TimeInc.Allrightsreserved.

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