At the end of the semester — or perhaps more days than not — the hustle and bustle of work, school and family can feel as if it is a burden too large to bear. But it’s not. You can make it through, but sometimes a reminder is needed. Below is a compilation of TED talks that is curated to motivate, empower and help you remember why you chose to pursue your MBU Online degree.
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
What is an integral key to success? At first, family income and IQ may come in mind. But years of research back up Dr. Angela Lee Duckworth’s claim that one factor is more important than income or IQ: grit.
Duckworth defines grit as: “perseverance and passion for long-term goals.” Characteristics of grit include: courage, conscientiousness, follow-through, resilience and excellence vs. perfection. After watching Duckworth’s TED Talk, you can take the Grit Scale here.
Duckworth left her job in consulting to teach math to seventh graders. After witnessing the power of grit, she decided to study grit and complete her Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. She now teaches and researches in the University of Pennsylvania as an assistant professor.
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All It Takes is 10 Mindful Minutes
In the chaos of life, when was the last time you spent 10 minutes on absolutely nothing? This talk from writer Andy Puddicombe focuses in on the importance of taking time out of the day to recollect the mind from the daily stressors, then focus on things of importance such as school, work, family and faith.
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Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are
Social psychologist Dr. Amy Cuddy uncovers how body language not only communicates a person’s identity, but actually shapes it. This famous TED Talk focuses on Cuddy’s research using power poses to trick the mind into feeling confident, surpassing self-doubt. Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves.
Dr. Cuddy is an associate professor at Harvard Business School and researcher.
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How to Make Stress your Friend
What if you could use stress as a superpower? Dr. Kelly McGonigal, a Stanford University psychologist argues that stress can become a useful tool if stress is not feared. When it is time to calm down, McGonigal teaches that reaching out to others is one of the most powerful — and unknown — methods to reduce stress.
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A Life of Purpose
Rick Warren, founder and senior pastor of Saddleback Church, reflects on how he had to find his purpose again after the success his book, “The Purpose-Driven Life,” challenged his belief of purpose. He found that God designed us to live out our talents and gifts for His glory.
