"All Aboard: Staying on Track to Achieve your Goals" | Theodore Ouyang | TEDxTheWeissSchool

Summary

Theodore Young, a 7th grader, delivers an inspiring speech on setting and achieving goals, using the metaphor of a train from 'The Little Engine That Could'. He emphasizes the importance of setting SMART goals and maintaining motivation through self-reflection, as exemplified by Steve Jobs' routine. Young encourages overcoming obstacles and striving for excellence, reminding listeners to never be average and always pursue their best.

Takeaways

• 🚂 The metaphor of a train is used to represent the journey towards achieving one's goals, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and determination.
• 📚 The story of 'The Little Engine That Could' is referenced to illustrate the power of positive self-talk and belief in one's ability to succeed.
• 🎯 The importance of setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely) goals is highlighted to ensure they are realistic and attainable.
• 🚫 Unrealistic goals are discouraged, and the example of wanting a 12-figure paycheck in high school is given to show the need for grounded aspirations.
• 🌟 The speaker encourages aiming high, suggesting that if one wants to be a doctor, they should aim to be an attending physician or medical director.
• 🤔 The necessity of understanding 'why' one is pursuing a goal is emphasized, as it fuels motivation and provides a clear direction.
• 🔥 The analogy of a train's engine and coal box is used to explain the foundational elements needed to power one's journey towards their goals.
• 🤳 A daily mirror exercise inspired by Steve Jobs is suggested to evaluate whether daily actions align with one's goals and to make necessary adjustments.
• 📅 For those who struggle with focus or procrastination, using a planner and taking breaks are recommended strategies to maintain momentum.
• 🚪 The script discusses the importance of seizing opportunities and overcoming obstacles, like closed gates, on the path to success.
• 💪 The final reminders are to never run out of steam (motivation) and to always strive for excellence rather than settling for average.

Q & A

What is the main theme of Theodore Young's speech?

The main theme of Theodore Young's speech is the importance of setting and pursuing goals, using the metaphor of a train to represent the journey towards one's aspirations.

What book does Theodore reference in his speech?

Theodore references 'The Little Engine That Could' in his speech, highlighting the importance of determination and self-belief in achieving goals.

What does Theodore suggest as a good approach to setting goals?

Theodore suggests setting SMART goals, which should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely.

Why does Theodore emphasize the importance of the 'engine' and 'coal box' in the train analogy?

The 'engine' and 'coal box' represent the motivation and fuel needed to move towards one's goals, emphasizing the necessity of a strong drive and purpose.

What question does Theodore recommend asking oneself to maintain motivation?

Theodore recommends asking oneself, 'Is what I'm doing today going to help me achieve my goal?' to maintain motivation and stay on track.

What advice does Theodore give for overcoming procrastination?

Theodore advises using a planner to stay organized and taking short breaks to regain focus when working, as strategies to overcome procrastination.

How does Theodore relate the theme of 'steam' to his speech?

Theodore relates 'steam' to his speech by likening it to the steam engine that powers a train, symbolizing the drive and energy needed to pursue one's goals.

What does Theodore mean when he says 'never run out of steam'?

When Theodore says 'never run out of steam,' he is encouraging continuous effort and perseverance in the pursuit of one's goals.

What is the significance of the 'lazy villages' and 'mountain chain of success' in the speech?

The 'lazy villages' and 'mountain chain of success' symbolize the challenges and obstacles one might face on the journey to achieving goals, with the latter representing the ultimate destination of success.

What two reminders does Theodore give at the end of his speech?

Theodore gives two reminders: to never run out of steam and to never be average, always striving to be the best one can be.

Outlines

00:00

🚂 Setting Metaphorical Life Goals

The speaker, Theodore Young, introduces the concept of metaphorical trains to represent the journey towards personal goals. Drawing inspiration from the book 'The Little Engine That Could,' he emphasizes the importance of determination and willpower in achieving one's aspirations. Theodore encourages setting SMART goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. He also stresses the need for realistic and high aspirations, using examples to illustrate the point. The speaker likens the engine and coal box of a train to the driving force and fuel behind one's motivation, suggesting that understanding 'why' one is pursuing a goal is crucial for progress.

05:01

🚀 Maintaining Momentum Towards Success

In the second paragraph, Theodore discusses strategies for maintaining the momentum towards one's goals. He suggests a daily self-reflection practice inspired by Steve Jobs, where one asks if the current actions align with long-term goals. For overcoming procrastination, he recommends using a planner and taking short breaks to recharge. Theodore also talks about seizing opportunities and breaking down barriers, using the metaphor of a train passing through various landscapes to represent the journey of personal and professional growth. He concludes with advice to never settle for average and to always strive for excellence, leaving the audience with a call to action to conduct their own metaphorical train towards success.

Keywords

💡Metaphorical trains

Metaphorical trains in the script represent the journey one undertakes to achieve their goals. The concept is used to illustrate the idea that just as a train moves towards its destination, individuals can progress towards their aspirations. The metaphor is introduced to inspire the audience to think about their goals and the effort required to reach them, similar to how a train moves from one station to another.

💡Disinflation destinations

This term seems to be a play on words, possibly intended to mean 'destinations of success' or 'achieving one's goals.' It is used to set the stage for the metaphor of trains, suggesting that the journey towards one's goals is like a train reaching its final stop. The term is not a standard financial or economic term but is creatively used in the context of the speech to engage the audience.

💡The Little Engine That Could

This is a reference to the classic children's book where a small train engine overcomes challenges to reach its destination. In the script, it is used as an analogy for perseverance and self-belief. The character's mantra, 'I think I can,' is highlighted to emphasize the power of positive thinking and determination in achieving one's goals.

💡STEAM

STEAM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. It is mentioned to connect the theme of the speech with educational disciplines that are often associated with innovation and problem-solving. The script uses the STEAM concept to inspire students to pursue their goals within these fields, drawing a parallel between the STEAM disciplines and the journey of the little engine.

💡SMART goals

SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. It is used in the script to guide the audience on how to set effective goals. The speaker explains that goals should be realistic and well-defined, using the acronym as a checklist to ensure that the goals are set correctly, which is crucial for motivation and success.

💡Engine and Coal Box

In the context of the train metaphor, the 'engine' and 'coal box' represent the driving force and fuel necessary to move towards one's goals. The speaker uses these terms to explain the importance of having a strong 'why' behind one's actions, which provides the motivation and energy to keep pursuing the goal.

💡Steve Jobs routine

The script refers to Steve Jobs' morning routine as an example of a practice that can help individuals stay focused on their goals. The routine involves asking oneself if the day's actions align with one's ultimate goals. This practice is suggested as a method to maintain direction and motivation, ensuring that daily activities contribute to long-term objectives.

💡Planner

A planner is mentioned as a tool for those who struggle with procrastination. It is suggested as a way to organize tasks and stay on track with goal achievement. The speaker implies that a planner can help in managing time effectively and ensuring that progress towards goals is consistent and deliberate.

💡Breaks

The concept of taking breaks is introduced as a strategy to maintain productivity and focus, especially for those who find it difficult to concentrate for long periods. The speaker suggests that short breaks can rejuvenate energy and improve the quality of work, which is essential for continuous progress towards one's goals.

💡Opportunities

Opportunities in the script are depicted as gateways or doors that can either be open or closed. They symbolize the various chances and challenges one might encounter on the path to achieving their goals. The speaker encourages the audience to seek out opportunities and be prepared to overcome obstacles, as they are integral to the journey of success.

💡Success

Success is a recurring theme in the script, often tied to the achievement of goals and the overcoming of challenges. It is described as a destination, akin to the top of a mountain, that one must strive to reach. The speaker uses the concept of success to motivate the audience, emphasizing the importance of persistence and the pursuit of excellence.

Highlights

The metaphor of trains is introduced to symbolize the journey towards personal goals.

Reference to the book 'The Little Engine That Could' to illustrate the power of determination.

The importance of setting SMART goals is emphasized: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely.

The speaker warns against setting unrealistic goals, using the example of a 12-figure paycheck in high school.

The concept of aiming high is discussed, encouraging to aim to be the best in one's field.

The analogy of a train is used to explain the components necessary for achieving goals.

The significance of the 'engine' and 'coal box' in the train analogy, representing motivation and fuel.

A question to ask oneself to build the 'engine': 'Why am I doing this?'

The necessity of having a clear answer to the 'why' question for progress.

Steve Jobs' morning routine is mentioned as a method to stay aligned with one's goals.

Advice for procrastinators to use a planner and take breaks to maintain momentum.

The idea of breaking down opportunities into manageable parts is discussed.

The story of a friend, Boquete Miller, is shared as an example of someone pursuing opportunities.

Encouragement to overcome closed gates by breaking them down, inspired by the character Harvey Specter.

The journey through the 'villages of laziness' towards the 'mountain chain of success' is described.

Two reminders are given: to never run out of steam and to never be average.

The speech concludes with an encouragement to strive to be the best and to conduct one's own 'train'.

Transcripts

good morning I'm Theodore young and I'm

a 7th grader here at the Y school and

today I'd like to talk to you a little

bit about trains no not literal trains

where they bring your way to

disinflation destinations but

metaphorical trains the idea that you

can toggle away at your goals in order

to get your final destination what you

aspire to be who here has read this book

the little engine that could for those

of you who haven't out put in a nutshell

for you a little mg wants to go over a

big hill however his small engine can

barely get him moving on the tracks

however he keeps on thinking to himself

I think I can I think I can I think I

can and sooner or later he goes over the

top of the hill and he easily glides

downhill he went over the hill he was he

had the drive to do it he had the

willpower to go over the hill he in

summation he had this game to do it

funny enough today's theme is seen as

many of you know steam stands for

science technology engineering the arts

and mathematics when I think of steam I

think of a steam flame like the little

engine that could

barely going over the hill so all aboard

as I take you on a journey to show you

how do you set your own goal I doubt the

drive to follow through with your goal

and what you would discover along the

way let's start by setting your goal

your goal is what you want to be your

goal can be anything do you want to be a

doctor do you want to be a lawyer

scientists politicians engineer the

choice is yours put out that goal you're

a sea horse however your goal can't be

unrealistic I won't hurt a friend state

he wanted a 12 figure paycheck while he

was in high school

sadly enough that's never gonna happen

in the near future unless if he lives in

a country with hyper inflated currency

more importantly how would this kid earn

that much dough without a proper formal

education information this goal isn't

smart specific measurable achievable

relevant and timely but your goal can't

be too low if you aim low

you'll get lured always aim to be the

crime kilogram if you want to be a

doctor aim to be an attending physician

or a medical director if you want to be

a lawyer aim to be a senior partner or

managing partner always aim to be the

best do you want to be that shark the

happy shark or do you want to be the sad

fish obviously you want to be the shark

so I've given you a destination but how

do you get to that destination keep on

their steam train analogy let's put it

in words like a train

you have your train all these train cars

on your train are relevant except for

the first two the first two is your

engine and your coal box these are the

most important because the engine moves

your train and your coal box fuels your

engine so let's build that engine let's

fuel that coal box in order to do that

all you need to do is ask yourself one

simple question why am i doing this why

does this how does this help me how does

help the people I care about which

includes me how does this help society

and more importantly how does this help

the world if the answer is I don't know

then you have to change something your

answer can't be I don't know your answer

has to be a clear defiant on definition

was in set parameters with this your

train will move from a stop to a slow

start but you started your train how do

you keep the scheme going if your friend

starts moving

we have no way of keeping a train moving

then you might as well have not started

it at all so now I'm going to help you

keep this team running how many of you

are familiar it was Steve Jobs routine

his morning routine

a few of you so I'll tell you about it

well actually I don't know if it's a few

of you because I like you to blaring

basically with Steve Jobs we do in the

morning is he'd wake up he'd take a

shower brush his teeth and then he'd

look in his bathroom mirror and ask

themselves is what I'm doing today it

tells my last day what I want to be

doing today what I want to be doing what

I'm doing today if it's Angela's no one

too many times can fit something about

your life so now I told you you you and

all of you to do a similar thing every

day look in the mirror and ask yourself

is what I'm doing today going to help me

achieve my goal and the answer is no fix

something if you're a procrastinator

like me get a planner if you can't focus

while doing your work if you can't focus

while doing your work take a five minute

break and then tack your work was three

times the energy this will help you keep

the steam running now if the gauge of

the opportunity are clothes for you you

have to break them down but a large all

the time they'll be open our friend

boquete Miller he's not in the audience

right now as he's in classes but I

already told him that I'll give a shout

out to him he aspires to be a narcissist

the school the white school is school my

school in this school gives him space

related opportunities so he can be well

versed in the general topic of space

additionally it'll help him get better

formal education in later in life and

finally it'll land him the job that he

wants however sometimes those gates will

be closed do we shut together and

they'll be tied together with a padlock

sometimes you'll feel back against the

wall if that happens just quote

fictional speech attorney Harvey Specter

if your back against the wall break this

thing down

so the train is slowly moving through

the lazy villages of laziness

procrastinate and procrastination you

move into a better part of the country

and you can see the basis amount

professionalism intelligence and

ambition as you see the bottom of the

mountain chain of success I hope you are

on your way to achieving your goal and

you know what you have to do you know

what your good habits are you know what

your bad habits are and you know how to

get rid of your bad habits you know how

to emphasize your good habits and you

want how to decrease the sets of your

bad habits I hope there you know what is

successful and what was bringing you

down so as we move to the last part of

our journey I'd like to give you two

reminders first of all never run out of

steam second of all never be average

always strive to be the very best that

you can be so I tip my conductors hat to

you even though I'm not wearing one but

that would be weird

but I tip it I kept my fake height

that's not even there to you and I

passed the cap on to you so you can

conduct your very own train thank you

[Applause]