The period before and during exams can be tricky as you come across the fleeting nature of human motivation. There are days when you’re immensely focused and are doing everything by the schedule and then there are days where you are questioning your existence while lying on the bed, not able to face the pile of books which are yet to be read. So, for the latter sort of days, here’s a list of five inspirational TED Talks, sure to evoke your slumbering motivation and help you ace this semester.
1. For a change of perspective
Many a times, we become so engulfed in the petty problems of our day to day life that we forget about the people fighting and trying to overcome even bigger obstacles with twice our enthusiasm and positivity. Here’s a video by Amy Purdy, who loved to skateboard and travel. She wanted her life to be a series of adventures till an unexpected disease made her lose both her legs below the knee. Witness the journey which made her believe that her legs didn’t disable her but rather enabled her to achieve her goals and dreams.
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2QZM7azGoA” width=”500″ height=”300″]
2. Developing grit and a stronger work-ethic
Angela Lee Duckworth is a management consultant turned New York maths teacher who talks about how the ability to learn is not fixed and can change with your effort. She believes that the formula to do well at life isn’t IQ or the ability to learn things quickly but is ‘grit’
“Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals,” she says. “Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H14bBuluwB8″ width=”500″ height=”300″]
3. Changing stress from a foe to a friend
Kelly McGonigal, PhD and a health psychologist, has a golden rule to make life easier: Make stress your friend. She says that when you change your approach towards stress, you can change your body’s response towards stress, as well. So, stress doesn’t need to be a dreaded thing. Rather, we all can embrace and appreciate it.
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcGyVTAoXEU” width=”500″ height=”300″]
4. To avoid procrastination
We’re all guilty of this, aren’t we? I say this while writing an article just a few hours before my deadline. So, to make us understand more about this oh-so-familiar habit, we have a video of Tim Urban, explaining about procrastination through the amusing characters inside our heads. There is an ‘instant gratification money’ telling us to to enjoy and be carefree and then there’s the ‘rational decision maker’ who wants to secure our future. He also outlines some very helpful tips to beat this habit, provided you don’t procrastinate to apply them in your own life.
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arj7oStGLkU” width=”500″ height=”300″]
5. For a visual treat and rejuvenation
Louie Schwartzberg’s time-lapse photography will leave you in a state of awe. His project ‘Happiness Revealed’ will make you realise the importance of ‘today’ and how an appropriate response to the present day should only be gratefulness and gratitude.
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lXYZ6s3Dfk” width=”500″ height=”300″]
Image credits: youtube.com
Nishita Agarwal
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