There are countless TED Talks in which experts from various fields share their insights in a short amount of time. Rather than providing in-depth knowledge, these talks are usually aimed at fostering a broad understanding of why their topics are important.
We tend to be particularly drawn to TED Talks that focus on behavioral change—the ones that are so inspiring they encourage you to break old habits and make changes in your daily life, whether it’s related to your career or personal development.
Here are six TED Talks that are sure to pique your interest—and maybe even inspire you to live a better life.
Click on the images to watch the videos.
Sleep is your superpower
"Sleep is your life-sustaining system and Mother Nature's best attempt yet at achieving immortality," says sleep researcher Matt Walker. In this in-depth look at the science of sleep, Walker shares the wonderful things that happen when you sleep—and the alarming things that happen when you don't get enough sleep—both in terms of your brain and your body.
Learn more about how sleep affects your learning, memory, immune system, and even your genetic code, along with some helpful tips.
A simple way to break a bad habit
Can we break bad habits by being more curious about them? Psychiatrist Judson Brewer studies the relationship between mindfulness and addiction—from smoking to overeating to all the other things we do even though we know they’re bad for us.
Learn more about how habits form and discover a simple yet effective strategy that can help you overcome your next urge to smoke, binge eat, or check a text message while driving.
Got a meeting? Take a walk
Nilofer Merchant suggests a simple idea that could have a big impact on your life and health.
The next time you have a one-on-one meeting, turn it into a “walking meeting”—and let the ideas flow as you walk and talk.
Why Reading Matters
The ability to speak is already in our genes. But reading isn’t. Reading 30 pages of fiction every night makes the pathways in the brain thicker and thicker. Our brain needs exercise just like our body does.
Rita Carter is an author, radio host, and journalist who specializes in how the human brain works.
The Power of Fitness
The importance of physical activity has surely not gone unnoticed. Here, you’ll take a closer look at the power of what you already think you know.
Extreme Ownership
War is hell, but war is also a brutal teacher. War teaches you about friendship, honor, humility, and leadership.
In this captivating talk, Jocko Willink draws on his personal experience to explain how war teaches you the most when things go wrong. Jocko argues that when a team takes ownership of its problems, it creates the conditions necessary to solve them.
