What makes you come alive? | Sean Aiken | TEDxVancouver

Summary

In this inspiring talk, the speaker shares his journey from academic success to self-realization, revealing the importance of passion and personal fulfillment over societal expectations. He recounts his One Week Job project, where he worked 52 different jobs in a year, exploring the deeper meaning behind work. The speaker encourages listeners to seek their life's work, emphasizing that true fulfillment comes from expressing one's unique gifts, whether through work or personal pursuits. Ultimately, he calls for a shift in consciousness, urging everyone to find what makes them come alive and contribute it to the world.

Takeaways

• 😀 The value of a person is often associated with grades, but true fulfillment comes from understanding one’s passions and gifts.
• 😀 School and traditional education systems often focus on grades rather than personal growth or self-discovery.
• 😀 Achieving academic success doesn’t guarantee happiness or knowing what you want to do in life.
• 😀 It’s common to feel lost after graduation, unsure about the next steps or one's purpose.
• 😀 A parent’s advice about pursuing passion, even when unsure of what that passion is, can provide insight into life’s deeper questions.
• 😀 Many people struggle to identify their passions, despite the emphasis on finding them for happiness and fulfillment.
• 😀 The One Week Job Project (working 52 jobs in 52 weeks) was created to explore different careers and find personal meaning in work.
• 😀 The search for passion is a shared human experience, whether one is just starting their career or going through a major life transition.
• 😀 Taking the time to reflect on life’s purpose and what contribution one wants to make to the world is essential to avoid regret.
• 😀 People often find greater fulfillment in their work when it is connected to meaning and a sense of purpose, not just financial security.
• 😀 Fulfilling work is not just about the job itself, but about feeling connected to the impact one is making and the relationships built through it.
• 😀 Giving yourself permission to express your unique gifts in any area of life is essential to feeling alive and fulfilled.
• 😀 The world needs people who are truly alive, who are following their passions and sharing their gifts with others.
• 😀 Embracing our passions and sharing them with the world can lead to a more compassionate, energized, and connected life, benefiting our families, communities, and the world.

Q & A

What was the initial realization that changed the speaker's perspective on education?

The speaker realized that in the school system, it wasn’t about truly learning the material, but rather about figuring out how to get good grades by understanding what the teachers wanted.

How did the speaker approach their education during school and college?

The speaker focused not on the subjects but on studying their teachers, learning what they wanted, and delivering accordingly to receive high grades, ultimately achieving a 4.0 GPA in college.

What did the speaker feel after graduating from college with a business degree?

The speaker felt lost and unfulfilled despite graduating with top honors, realizing they knew nothing about themselves or what they wanted to do with their life, aside from wanting to be happy and fulfilled.

What advice did the speaker's father give, and what did it reveal about the concept of passion?

The speaker's father advised that it didn’t matter what the speaker did, as long as it was something they were passionate about. However, he also revealed that he had never found something he was passionate about, highlighting the difficulty many people face in identifying their passion.

What did the speaker do to explore their passion?

To explore their passion, the speaker created the One Week Job project, working a different job each week for a year, completing 52 jobs in 52 weeks, and documenting the experience.

What was the outcome of the One Week Job project?

The project revealed that the search for meaning and passion is a common struggle, as the speaker met many people who, regardless of their stage in life, were also questioning their career choices and life purpose.

What did the speaker learn from the people they met during the One Week Job project?

The speaker learned that many people were more motivated by the meaning and impact of their work rather than by money or job security. Their fulfillment came from knowing their contributions made a difference in the world.

How did the speaker describe the shift happening in the culture of work?

The speaker described a cultural shift where people no longer see work as something to merely endure for financial security, but instead view it as a meaningful opportunity to contribute their unique gifts and connect with their life's purpose.

What is the significance of the story about Linda and her mother?

The story about Linda and her mother illustrates the emotional toll of not pursuing one’s passions. Linda’s mother, facing the end of her life, regrets not following her dreams and is now terrified of dying without having truly lived.

What does the speaker suggest is most important when it comes to work?

The speaker suggests that it is not the specific job itself that matters most, but the relationship to the work and the meaning behind it. Finding fulfillment comes from expressing one’s gifts, whether in a paid job or through other avenues of life.

What quote does the speaker use to emphasize the importance of finding what makes us come alive?

The speaker quotes Howard Thurman: 'Don’t ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.'

What is the speaker's call to action at the end of the talk?

The speaker calls on the audience to ask themselves what their gift is and what contribution they can make to the world, encouraging them to seek what makes them come alive and live fully in that pursuit.