Learnt ! And then ?

Learning 9 of 8

I spent the last 8 weeks learning. And while I did learn more in the 8 weeks than I did in most years, 1 thought kept nagging me. I've learnt. So what ? What difference has it made. To my life. Or anybody else's.

And it seemd to me that this may be a common issue. And sure enough it was. I'm not sure that this TED Talk will change my behavior, but at the very least I don't need to feel terribly guilty.

Why TED Talks don't change people's behaviors
Tom Asacker

Author and speaker Tom Asacker wondered why so many people watch TED talks and yet so few change their behaviors as a result. His answer? That only one of three elements of our irrational, but innately human, decision-making process truly makes for lasting change.

Humor !

Learning 8 of 8

I've kept my favorite subject for last. Humor. I believe that the most important quality of a person should be a sense of humor. Especially the ability to not take oneself too seriously and to be able to laugh. Especially at yourself. So it was interesting to see what the "... world’s first Humor Engineer" had to say.

The Skill of Humor
Andrew Tarvin

Humor is something that transcends most barriers. It is a common unification; a concept understood by all. Despite this, there exists a large portion of the population that does not think they can utilize humor. Andrew Tarvin will show you that everyone can use humor.

Andrew Tarvin is the world’s first Humor Engineer teaching people how to get better results while having more fun. He has worked with thousands of people at 200+ organizations, including P&G, GE, and Microsoft. Combining his background as a project manager at Procter & Gamble with his experience as an international comedian, Andrew’s program are engaging, entertaining, and most important, effective. He is a best-selling author, has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and TEDx, and has delivered programs in 50 states, 18 countries, and 3 continents. He loves the color orange and is obsessed with chocolate.

Religion !

Learning 7 of 8

Religion is ironically a subject that rises the maximum conflict. From believers. And non-believers. Atheism 2.0 has a unique take on religion and atheism that should work for all reasonable people. Both Believers. And Non-Believers.

Atheism 2.0
Alain de Botton

What aspects of religion should atheists (respectfully) adopt? Alain de Botton suggests a "religion for atheists" -- call it Atheism 2.0 -- that incorporates religious forms and traditions to satisfy our human need for connection, ritual and transcendence.

Remembering !

Learning : 6 of 8

One of my fears that comes true more often than I'd like is not being able to remember. And my current solution is to memorialize things I'd like to remember. Unfortunately, that doesn't always help. Like when you run into someone and just can't remember their name. Or the company they work for. Or where you met. And keeping the brain young is what I was looking for. And while there are several talks on the subject, I found this one the most interesting, and simplest to implement, albeit its commercial angle was a marginal turn off.

Top 10 Tips to Keep Your Brain Young
Elizabeth Amini

Elizabeth Amini is a social entrepreneur with a background in science. She learned data analysis while working as a scientist at JPL/NASA. Elizabeth earned a bachelors degree in Cognitive Science (the study of the brain) from Occidental College and an M.B.A. from University of Southern California. Her Anti-AgingGames.com business plan won the USC Business Plan contest as well as the YPO (Young Presidents' Organization) award for promising new companies.