Do What You Like, Like What You Do: Bert Jacobs at TEDxBeaconStreet

Summary

In this inspiring TED talk, the speaker emphasizes the power of optimism, drawing from personal experiences with his nephew, family, and business. He highlights how focusing on what’s right in life rather than what’s wrong can bring happiness and foster positive change. Through stories of growing a business based on optimism and contributing to social good, the speaker demonstrates the transformative impact of maintaining a positive outlook. The Life is Good brand, which began with a simple idea, showcases how optimism can shape both business and lives, proving that focusing on the good can lead to extraordinary results.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focusing on what's right in life, rather than what's wrong, helps to improve both our personal lives and the world around us.
• 😀 Children, like the speaker's 3-year-old nephew Oliver, show us the power of optimism and the joy that comes from looking at life with a positive outlook.
• 😀 A positive mindset, cultivated early in life, can help us overcome obstacles and focus on opportunities instead of barriers.
• 😀 Gratitude, even for simple things like being able to see or walk, can shift our perspective and make us appreciate what we have.
• 😀 Optimism is contagious; small acts of joy and positivity can lead to meaningful connections and change in the world.
• 😀 The simple act of asking, 'Tell me something good that happened today,' can help create a positive energy in a room and shift focus away from negativity.
• 😀 Life is good, the brand, was born from the idea of promoting positivity, showing that optimistic messages can resonate with people and be commercially viable.
• 😀 Business success can be aligned with a greater purpose, using profits to support meaningful causes, such as children facing adversity.
• 😀 The Life is Good Festival, which started as a small event, raised money and awareness for children in need and grew into a large-scale charity event.
• 😀 Optimism, open-mindedness, and a focus on doing good can turn business ventures into tools for social change, benefiting both people and causes.
• 😀 Life is a journey, and by embracing optimism, love, and gratitude, we can enjoy the ride and make a positive impact on those around us.

Q & A

What is the main message of the TED talk?

The main message of the TED talk is the power of optimism. The speaker encourages focusing on what is right with life and the world, rather than what is wrong, and illustrates how this mindset can lead to positive personal and societal change.

How does the speaker demonstrate the power of optimism through his nephew, Oliver?

The speaker shares a story about his nephew, Oliver, who exemplifies pure optimism in a simple encounter with an elderly woman. Oliver's playful, innocent exchange—asking the woman to guess his age and suggesting she was 'a thousand'—illustrates how children naturally focus on opportunities rather than obstacles.

What role did the speaker's mother, Joan, play in shaping his outlook on life?

Joan, the speaker's mother, instilled in him and his siblings the importance of focusing on the positive. At family dinners, she would ask, 'Tell me something good that happened today,' which helped shift the energy in the room toward optimism and gratitude, even in difficult circumstances.

What significant business did the speaker and his brother, John, start?

The speaker and his brother, John, started the Life is Good brand, which initially involved designing and selling T-shirts. Their business grew from street sales to a multimillion-dollar enterprise, with a focus on promoting positivity and optimism.

How did the Life is Good brand initially prove its concept?

The brand proved its concept by selling 48 T-shirts in 45 minutes on the streets of Cambridge. This quick success demonstrated that people were interested in purchasing optimistic messages, validating their belief in the power of positivity.

What role did adversity play in the development of the Life is Good brand?

Adversity played a key role in shaping the brand's mission. As the business grew, the founders began receiving letters from children facing severe challenges, inspiring them to integrate social causes into their business model and raise money for children in need.

What is the Life is Good Pumpkin Festival, and what impact did it have?

The Life is Good Pumpkin Festival was an event started to raise awareness and funds for children facing challenges. The festival grew in size and eventually set a Guinness World Record for the most lit pumpkins in one place, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for children's causes.

How has Life is Good integrated its social mission with its business model?

Life is Good integrates its social mission by donating 10% of its profits to help children facing challenges. Additionally, they have partnered with large corporations like Hallmark and Smuckers, ensuring that a portion of profits from these ventures also goes to supporting children in need.

How does the speaker view capitalism and its potential for social good?

The speaker views capitalism as a tool that can be used for good, emphasizing that it is not broken but rather has been abused. He believes that by embracing optimism and open-mindedness, businesses can create positive change and contribute to social causes.

What final message does the speaker leave with the audience?

The speaker encourages the audience to view life as a road trip, emphasizing the importance of love, kindness, and optimism. He stresses that focusing on the good in life and supporting each other can make the journey enjoyable and meaningful.