The Top 5 TED Talks to Watch in 2021

As entrepreneurs continue to create mind-blowing applications and services that have the power to transform our daily lives forever, it can be overwhelming to try to keep up with the impacts of technology on our lives, our psyches and our society.

In light of that, I’ve handpicked the following TED talks that focus on the future of work and what lessons we can take away from the pandemic to improve our work/life balance. Take some short breaks throughout your day to watch one or two, and equip yourself with wisdom that will carry you through the evolving world.

1. Simon Sinek: How to Discover Your ‘Why’ in Difficult Times
   The last 18 months have led to a lot of introspection, about both our relationships and ourselves. Leadership expert Simon Sinek discusses the importance of friendships, how and why anyone can be a leader, and his view on the ‘secret’ to discovering your inner purpose and channeling it into your day-to-day life. Watch here.

   

2. Patty McCord: 4 Lessons the Pandemic Taught Us about Work, Life and Balance
   Consultant McCord, who focuses on creating cultures based on freedom and responsibility, reviews four key insights that came apparent from the rapid pivot to remote work for many businesses. And most importantly, the talk covers how we can rethink how we do business using these insights as creative stepping stones. Watch here.

3. Marcos Aguiar: 7 Tools for Building a Business People Trust
   Trust is a concept that for many people lies on a bed of insecurity. Aguiar investigates why we naturally trust some businesses inherently with our data and our business, but for others it takes a lot of hard work to convert a lead. Watch this talk to see how to conquer this make-or-break quality to achieve success. Watch here.

4. Dan Goods: How NASA Invented a Ventilator for COVID-19...in 37 Days
   If you need some heart-warming inspiration in a 7-minute video, this is the one for you. We all know the challenges hospitals faced at the start of the pandemic, and this behind-the-scenes story of how NASA robot engineers pivoted to creating life-saving ventilators in less than six weeks will make you re-appreciate the power of the brain to come up with ideas to benefit society. Watch here.

5. Daniel J. Watts: To Accomplish Great Things, You Need to "Let the Paint Dry"
   This one technically is from the end of 2020, but I had to include it because not only does it have a great message, it is a great artistic performance too. Watts, a multidisciplinary artist, shares his personal perspective on the danger of living life at 1000%, and how the pandemic helped reframe priorities. In his words “I have to stop and take a break, because if I don't, my yellows and my blues will make green, even if that's not what I really, really want.” Watch here.

Feeling inspired? If you’d like to know how else you can unlock your potential, check out how Konica Minolta is rethinking the future of work with our intelligent connected workplace.