HOW TO GET EVERYTHING YOU WANT, IN A WAY WHICH HELPS THE WHOLE WORLD | Michael Roach | TEDxGraz

Summary

In this TED Talk, the speaker shares his personal journey of seeking enlightenment, from his challenging childhood to his transformative experience in a Tibetan monastery. He explores the concept of enlightenment and its potential for individuals to create a positive impact on the world. Through his teachings, he reveals four steps to plant seeds of change in one's mind, focusing on selflessness and helping others to manifest desires such as financial independence, relationships, health, and world change. He concludes by emphasizing the power of kindness and meditation in creating lasting change for both individuals and the world.

Takeaways

• 😀 Enlightenment is viewed as a light that begins within a person and can spread to others.
• 😀 The speaker reflects on whether it's possible for an individual to become enlightened and help enlighten the world.
• 😀 Personal transformation can begin through learning and understanding deeper life questions, such as death and purpose.
• 😀 The speaker shares his personal story of growing up in a difficult environment, seeking meaning through academics, and being invited to the White House.
• 😀 A life-changing event occurred when the speaker’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, leading him to search for answers in India.
• 😀 The encounter with a spiritual guide in India led the speaker to leave his academic life and travel to India in search of wisdom from Buddhist monks.
• 😀 The speaker joined a Tibetan monastery, where he underwent intense training for 25 years, including meditation, philosophy, and debates.
• 😀 After passing his monastery exam, the speaker was unexpectedly challenged with a second test involving real-world business success.
• 😀 The speaker used Buddhist teachings to create a successful diamond business, eventually selling it for $250 million, and started a project to help Tibetan refugees.
• 😀 The speaker teaches four key steps for planting a seed in your mind to achieve your desires: decide what you want, find someone with the same goal, help them weekly, and use a daily meditation to nurture the seeds of good karma.
• 😀 The final key takeaway is that by helping others selflessly, we plant positive seeds in our own minds, creating the conditions to achieve enlightenment and bring change to the world.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial reaction when invited to give a TED Talk?

The speaker was very happy, as they had been trying to give a TED Talk for a long time.

How did the speaker envision enlightenment before reflecting on it deeply?

The speaker initially imagined enlightenment as a light that comes on in their mind, which could be seen as a halo around a person, later transforming into light inside of the person.

What was the speaker's personal challenge when their mother was diagnosed with cancer?

The speaker felt confused and unsure about their life, questioning whether staying at the university was the right decision in the face of their mother's impending death.

Why did the speaker decide to go to India?

The speaker decided to go to India after meeting a boy from India in class, who advised them that they could not find the answers they were seeking at the university and that they should learn from Buddhist teachings in India.

What was the speaker's experience upon arriving in India?

Upon arriving in India, the speaker was overwhelmed by the chaotic and unfamiliar environment, and they struggled to find their friend. They spent two days locked in a room, afraid to go outside.

What led the speaker to the Tibetan Monastery?

After discovering that there were no Buddhists in India, the speaker was advised to go to the Himalayas, where Tibetan llamas were coming down from the mountains. This led them to join a Tibetan Monastery.

What was the speaker's experience in the monastery?

The speaker spent 25 years in the Tibetan Monastery, following a tough regimen that included learning Tibetan, meditating, and participating in intense philosophical debates and exams.

What special recognition did the speaker receive after completing their training?

The speaker was the first foreigner in 600 years to pass the 'Gishe' examination in the monastery, and the head of the monastery congratulated them for this achievement.

What challenge did the speaker face after becoming a Gishe?

The speaker was given a second challenge to go to New York City, start a business, and make $1 million in one year, to test their understanding of how to change reality, a key teaching in the monastery.

How did the speaker use the teachings from the monastery in the real world?

The speaker applied the teachings from the monastery to start a diamond business in New York, which became successful. They eventually sold the company to Warren Buffett and used the money to help Tibetan refugees.

What are the five life goals mentioned by the speaker?

The five goals are financial independence, meaningful relationships, good health, inner peace, and contributing to the world through actions that help others.

What are the four steps for planting a seed in your mind, according to the speaker?

The four steps are: 1) Decide what you want; 2) Find another person who wants the same thing; 3) Help them weekly; and 4) Reflect on the positive actions you've done for others, especially before bed, to nurture the seed in your mind.