Draw Your Future - Patti Dobrowolski TED

Summary

The video script emphasizes the power of envisioning one's dreams to transform reality. It suggests that by creating a vivid mental picture of your desired future, you can align your actions with that vision. The speaker illustrates this with the story of 'Joe,' who aspires to change his life by visualizing his goals and taking three bold steps towards them. The script encourages viewers to draw their dreams, use their imagination to overcome the brain's critic, and take action to make their fantasies a reality, as inspired by Maya Angelou's quote on the transformative power of fantasy.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Visualizing your dreams and desires is crucial to turning them into reality. The speaker emphasizes the power of seeing and believing in your vision before it can manifest.
• 🎨 Creating a visual representation of your vision, even if you're not an artist, can serve as a roadmap for change and help you understand your current state and desired future.
• 🔍 Research shows that the odds of making a significant change in life are 9 to 1 against you, even in the face of a life-threatening illness, highlighting the difficulty of change.
• 📈 The example of Ro pharmaceutical demonstrates the impact of a visual representation of a company's vision, increasing employee understanding and alignment with the company's strategy.
• 🤔 The script encourages introspection to identify your current state and what you want to change, using the character 'Joe' to illustrate the process of envisioning a new reality.
• 🧠 The left side of the brain is the critic, while the right side is the source of creativity and imagination. The speaker suggests tricking the brain to activate the creative side.
• 💭 The act of drawing and dreaming stimulates the brain to produce serotonin and oxytocin, leading to feelings of happiness, capability, and creativity.
• 🚀 To move from the current state to the desired reality, the speaker outlines a process of seeing, believing, and acting on your vision, with the brain's ability to guess and construct the path.
• 🤝 The importance of taking action is stressed, suggesting small steps such as reaching out to someone who has achieved what you want or asking for support from loved ones.
• 🛑 The script warns against the rational side of the brain that may try to dissuade you from taking bold steps, advocating for a compelling visual representation to overcome this resistance.
• 📚 The speaker invites the audience to use a provided template to draw their dreams, symbolize their desired reality, and share it, echoing Maya Angelou's message about the transformative power of fantasy.

Q & A

What does Maya Angelou's quote suggest about the power of fantasy?

Maya Angelou's quote suggests that a solitary fantasy has the power to transform a million realities, implying that our dreams and visions can significantly impact and change our lives.

What is the primary challenge mentioned in the script that people face when trying to make a change in their lives?

The primary challenge mentioned is the tendency to continue the same behaviors that prevent change, despite having dreams and discussing them with others.

What are the odds mentioned in the script against making a change in one's life?

The odds against making a change in one's life are stated as 9 to 1, even in the face of a life-threatening illness.

How did the use of a picture impact the employees' understanding of the company's vision at Ro Pharmaceutical?

After seeing the picture of the company's vision, the percentage of employees who understood it increased from less than 40% to 96%, and 84% understood how their daily tasks aligned with that vision.

What is the significance of drawing your own picture to visualize your current state and desired reality?

Drawing your own picture is significant because it creates a roadmap for change, and we remember things better when they are attached to a picture, which can be 65% better.

Who is Joe in the script, and what does he represent?

Joe is a character in the script who represents an average person with a good job and life but desires more, such as reducing workload or dealing with a negative boss. He symbolizes the common struggle to achieve a higher purpose.

What role does the left side of the brain play in the process of envisioning a new reality?

The left side of the brain, which houses the critic, tries to keep one safe from harm and prevent risky or foolish actions. It must be tricked into allowing the use of imagination to activate the right side of the brain for creativity.

What are the three bold steps that the script suggests for achieving one's desired reality?

The script does not explicitly list the three bold steps but implies that they should be derived from looking at one's picture, closing one's eyes, and allowing the brain to suggest the best possible solution.

How does the act of drawing and dreaming make one feel according to the script?

Drawing and dreaming cause the brain to emit serotonin and oxytocin, making one feel happy, capable, creative, and cool.

What is the final call to action in the script, and how does it relate to Maya Angelou's quote?

The final call to action is to draw one's dream into a template, choose a symbol representing the desired new reality, and send it to TEDx. This relates to Maya Angelou's quote by encouraging the transformation of one's reality through solitary fantasy.