My journey to yo-yo mastery | BLACK

Summary

At 14, the speaker struggled with low self-esteem and a lack of talent, but found a passion in yo-yoing. After years of practice, they won the World YoYo Contest at 18. However, societal recognition was lacking, leading them to quit their job as a systems engineer and pursue a career as a performer. They honed new skills in ballet, jazz dance, and acrobatics to improve their performances. Ultimately, they won the World YoYo Contest again, passed an audition for Cirque Du Soleil, and shared their journey on the TED stage, illustrating the power of passion and dedication.

Takeaways

• 😀 At 14, the speaker struggled with low self-esteem and felt untalented at anything.
• 😀 The speaker initially struggled with yo-yo tricks but persevered and began improving after one week of practice.
• 😀 After hours of practice, the speaker discovered a deep passion for yo-yoing, something they felt good at for the first time.
• 😀 By the age of 18, the speaker won the World YoYo Contest, which seemed like the pinnacle of success.
• 😀 Despite winning the contest, nothing in the speaker's life changed, revealing that society did not value their passion.
• 😀 The speaker shifted to a traditional job as a systems engineer, but felt disconnected from their passion and true self.
• 😀 Realizing their dissatisfaction, the speaker decided to pursue a career as a professional performer to elevate the art of yo-yoing.
• 😀 To improve their performance, the speaker studied ballet, jazz dance, and acrobatics, blending multiple skills into their act.
• 😀 As a result of their dedication, the speaker won the World YoYo Contest again in the artistic performance division and auditioned for Cirque Du Soleil.
• 😀 Today, the speaker stands on the TED stage, sharing their passion for yo-yoing, proving that with enough effort and passion, nothing is impossible.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial feeling about his talents and abilities at the age of 14?

The speaker felt he had low self-esteem and believed he was not talented at anything.

How did the speaker begin his journey to find a passion?

The speaker bought a yo-yo and began practicing tricks, starting with simple ones despite initial difficulty.

What was the speaker’s reaction after winning the World YoYo Contest at 18?

He was initially excited and thought that winning would lead to fame, sponsors, and interviews, but nothing changed in his life afterward.

What realization did the speaker have after returning to Japan from the World YoYo Contest?

He realized that society did not value his passion for yo-yoing, and his life did not change as he had expected.

What career path did the speaker follow after his realization about society's lack of appreciation for his passion?

He went back to college and became a systems engineer, feeling disconnected from his passion and soul.

What steps did the speaker take to reignite his passion for yo-yoing?

He decided to improve his performance and change the public’s perception of yo-yoing by quitting his job and pursuing a career as a professional performer.

How did the speaker enhance his performance as a yo-yo artist?

He learned classic ballet, jazz dance, acrobatics, and other skills to improve his performances.

What were the results of the speaker’s efforts to improve his performance?

He won the World YoYo Contest again, this time in the artistic performance division, and also passed an audition for Cirque Du Soleil.

What is the key lesson the speaker learned from his experience with yo-yoing?

The key lesson is that with enough effort and passion, nothing is impossible.

What request does the speaker make at the end of the speech?

He asks the audience if they would allow him to share his passion through a performance.