Faith - And The Power It Brings You | Eric Smith | TEDxDover

TEDx Talks

20 Mar 201707:49

Summary

TLDRIn this inspiring speech, Eric Smith shares his journey of rediscovering faith after losing it due to life's challenges. He emphasizes the importance of faith in overcoming obstacles and becoming the best version of oneself. Smith's own experience of starting a charity that helped thousands demonstrates the transformative power of faith in action.

Takeaways

🌟 Faith is essential for personal growth and success.
🎓 Historical figures like Dr. King and Nelson Mandela exemplify the power of faith.
💪 Faith in oneself is the purest form of faith and is crucial for overcoming obstacles.
🤔 Many people struggle with self-doubt instead of having faith in their own abilities.
📚 The speaker found his faith again by starting to help others and creating 'the charity company'.
🔄 Losing faith in oneself can feel like drowning, but it's possible to regain it.
🌱 Faith allows us to see challenges as stepping stones rather than roadblocks.
👥 The speaker's faith was reinforced by helping his community and making a difference.
📈 The charity company's success, starting from nothing but faith, demonstrates the power of belief.
🗣️ The speaker encourages everyone to find their faith to unlock their potential and change their lives.

Q & A

Who is Eric Smith?
-Eric Smith is a 26-year-old individual from a small community named Claymont, Delaware.
How did Eric Smith feel when he was invited to speak?
-Initially, Eric Smith felt extremely excited to be invited to speak, but his excitement quickly turned to overwhelming feelings because he couldn't believe it.
What does Eric Smith believe is essential for people to keep moving forward?
-Eric Smith believes that faith is essential for people to keep moving forward, overcome challenges, and succeed.
Who are some historical figures Eric Smith mentions as having faith?
-Eric Smith mentions Dr. King, who inspired millions, Malala Yousafzai, who found her voice and spread it around the world, and Nelson Mandela, who kept faith while in prison and as president of South Africa.
What does Eric Smith consider the purest form of faith?
-The purest form of faith, according to Eric Smith, is faith in oneself.
Why does Eric Smith think people often become their own worst enemy?
-Eric Smith suggests that people become their own worst enemy because they might be told they're not smart or talented enough, or they're taught to believe in the system more than in themselves.
How did Eric Smith regain his faith in himself?
-Eric Smith regained his faith by starting to do things he believed in, such as helping others, and by starting a group called the Charity Company with his best friend.
What was the main activity of the Charity Company?
-The Charity Company focused on helping the less fortunate by providing books, school supplies, clothing, food, and gifts.
How much impact did the Charity Company have in their community after 12 months?
-After 12 months, the Charity Company had given back over 17,000 books and school supplies, and clothing and food and gifts to those in need in their community.
What message does Eric Smith want to share with the audience about faith?
-Eric Smith wants the audience to find their faith, whatever it is that moves them forward, because once they have it, their life will change forever.
How does Eric Smith describe the feeling of losing faith in oneself?
-Eric Smith describes losing faith in oneself as being like drowning above water, where one doesn't know how it's happening but it is, and if nothing is done, one will 'drown'.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 The Power of Faith

Eric Smith, a 26-year-old from Claymont Delaware, shares his journey of finding and maintaining faith. Initially overwhelmed by the opportunity to speak, he reflects on the importance of faith in overcoming challenges. He draws examples from influential figures like Dr. King, Malala Yousafzai, and Nelson Mandela, emphasizing how faith empowers individuals to move forward despite setbacks. Eric discusses the concept of faith in different aspects of life, such as family and self, and stresses the significance of having faith in oneself. He admits to losing faith in himself over time but rediscovers it by starting a charity group with his best friend, which helps the less fortunate in his community.

05:02

🚀 Embracing Faith for Personal Growth

In the second paragraph, Eric Smith delves into his personal commitment to becoming a better person through faith. He acknowledges the doubts and challenges but remains steadfast in his belief in himself and his ability to make a difference. Eric shares how his faith guided him through mistakes and imperfections, leading to the establishment of 'the charity company' with his friend. Over a year, they managed to provide significant aid to their community, demonstrating the transformative power of faith. Eric concludes by encouraging the audience to find their faith, whatever form it may take, as it can lead to extraordinary achievements and personal growth.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Faith

Faith, in the context of the video, is defined as a strong belief or trust in oneself, others, or a higher power. It is portrayed as a driving force that empowers individuals to overcome obstacles and move forward despite challenges. Eric Smith uses faith as the central theme of his speech, illustrating its importance through historical figures like Dr. King and Nelson Mandela, who used faith to inspire change. Smith also shares his personal journey of rediscovering faith to overcome self-doubt and inaction.

💡Overwhelmed

Overwhelmed refers to the feeling of being excessively burdened or unable to cope due to the magnitude of a task or responsibility. In the script, Eric Smith mentions feeling overwhelmed after being invited to speak, which signifies the weight of expectation and the pressure to deliver a meaningful message to the audience.

💡Resilient

Resilient describes the ability to recover quickly from difficulties or to withstand hardships. The video emphasizes the role of faith in fostering resilience, as it helps individuals bounce back from setbacks. Smith's narrative of losing and regaining faith illustrates the concept, showing how faith can be a source of strength and recovery.

💡Inspire

To inspire means to motivate or encourage someone to do something, often by making them feel more confident or hopeful. The video mentions Dr. King and Malala Yousafzai as figures who inspired others through their faith. Smith's speech aims to inspire the audience to find and hold onto their faith to achieve their goals.

💡Doubt

Doubt, in this context, represents uncertainty or a lack of conviction. Smith discusses the struggle with self-doubt and how it can lead to a loss of faith in oneself. Overcoming doubt is crucial for personal growth and maintaining faith, as illustrated by Smith's journey to reestablish his belief in his abilities.

💡Change

Change refers to the process of becoming different or making something different. The video script highlights the necessity of change for personal growth and achieving success. Smith's realization that he needed to change to regain his faith is a pivotal moment in his narrative, demonstrating the power of embracing change.

💡Charity Company

Charity Company is the name of the group that Smith and his best friend started to help others. It serves as a practical example of how faith can translate into action and create a positive impact. The company's mission to help the less fortunate embodies the video's theme of using faith to drive meaningful change.

💡Community

Community refers to a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. In the script, Smith talks about the impact his charity work had on his community, emphasizing the collective benefits of faith-driven actions and the importance of contributing to the well-being of others.

💡Perfection

Perfection is the state of being completely free from flaws or errors. Smith mentions that his faith reminded him that no one is perfect, which is a comforting realization that allows individuals to accept their imperfections and learn from their mistakes without being held back by unrealistic expectations.

💡Worst Enemy

The phrase 'worst enemy' is used metaphorically to describe the negative voice within oneself that can hinder progress. Smith reflects on how many people spend time being their own worst enemy by doubting themselves instead of having faith and supporting themselves, which is a call to action for self-compassion and self-belief.

💡Drowning

Drowning is used metaphorically in the script to describe the feeling of losing faith and being overwhelmed by the sense of hopelessness. Smith vividly describes the sensation of losing faith as 'drowning above water,' which helps the audience understand the urgency and importance of holding onto faith to prevent being overwhelmed by life's challenges.

Highlights

Eric Smith's excitement and subsequent overwhelm at being invited to speak.

The realization that faith is essential for overcoming challenges and moving forward.

Faith's role in history, from Dr. King to Malala Yousafzai to Nelson Mandela.

The definition of faith as the power to continue moving forward despite setbacks.

The importance of faith in oneself as the purest form of faith.

The common struggle of being one's own worst enemy instead of having faith in oneself.

The necessity of change and the role of faith in personal transformation.

Eric's personal journey of losing and regaining faith in himself.

The metaphor of losing faith as 'drowning above water'.

The decision to change and the rediscovery of faith through action.

The establishment of 'the charity company' as a means to regain faith and help others.

The commitment to becoming the best version of oneself despite self-doubt.

The lessons of faith: making mistakes is okay, and perfection does not exist.

The impact of the charity company after a year of operation.

The transformative power of faith in achieving extraordinary things.

The message to find one's faith to change one's life forever.

Eric's personal faith in overcoming nervousness and delivering the speech.