The Five Phrases That Can Change Your Life: Adam Braun at TEDxColumbiaCollege
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Published 2013-05-17
has broken ground on more than 80 schools around the world and delivered over 3
million educational hours in its first four years. PoP was founded with just $25 in October
2008 using what Braun describes as a "for-purpose" approach to blending nonprofit
idealism with for-profit business principles.
Braun's passion for international education was ignited when he traveled to over fifty
countries in his early twenties. He graduated magna cum laude from Brown University,
previously worked at Bain & Company, and was recently named to Wired's Smart List:
50 People Who Will Change the World.
This speech was given at TEDxColumbiaCollege in November of 2012, on the campus of Columbia University in the City of New York.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)
All Comments (21)
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Adam you are truly an inspiration. Your giving and helping to those less fortunate is uplifting and breeds hope for everyone's future...the world and its people will benefit from educated people.
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Adam, thank you for speaking from your heart to inspire countless others for their hearts to speak
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The Five Phrases That Can Change Your Life: 1- Get out of your comfort zone 2- Challenge your assumptions 3- Speak the language of the person you seek to become 4- Make the little decision in your head and the big ones with your hearth 5- How can you create the most positive impact on as many lives as possible?
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Right on, Adam. I am absolutely moved by not only what you've done or accomplished, but by your determination to trust your heart and affirm your own truth. Good on you!
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Such a great guy and so inspirational. Imagine if he had been a management consultant! He's really helping the world 😊
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Thanks for the video. I am inspired by Adam's path and the impact he has made to date. If I could do it over against (am 32 now), I would have made it a point to get out my of my comfort zone and be on a path of discovery like Adam. I guess it is never too late to start and I will take those 5 phrases to heart: 1. Get out of your comfort zone. 2. Challenge your assumptions. So you can find your truths. 3. Speak the language of the person you seek to become. 4. Make the little decisions with your head and the big one with your heart. 5. How can you create the most positive impact on as many lives as possible? Keep up the good work!!
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Whether we come from a life of privilege or not is besides the point. We all have to give up some things dear to us and get out of our comfort zone, in order to make a positive difference in the world. Some have to give up a lot, some have to give up less, but all of us have to give of ourselves if we want to impact others. Some of us can do it in bigger ways, some in smaller ways. I think both his book and this TED TALK present challenges to all of us to try to take an extra step to help others. It is inspiring how due to the "Pencils of Promise" concept, a young girl would bike across the US to help others, others would give of what little they have in order to help others. It gives others purpose, meaning and a chance to help others. I have lived outside the US for decades now, and when I return to visit, I see how so many of us live in a world of privilege without realizing us. Granted, we all can't do a Semester as Sea, but we all have so many opportunities that others in the developing world would die for.
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I am really inspired by this guy... in this my quest to setting up my own initiative which is virtually similar to Pencils of Promise, I Shall Succeed despite the hurdles...
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So inspiring. I'm working with a non-profit that builds Tiny Homes for the homeless in Bellingham, WA. This talk by Adam Braun telling his story and successful experience of starting so many schools for kids in poor countries is exactly my dream for the low-income and homeless people here in Bellingham, the United States and the world. Thank you for voicing it so well!
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I am proud of him. He can draw with his pencils of promise anything he wants. Everyone has a magic pencil. But, everyone doesn't use it.
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Wow. It was so touching to me when Adam returned to Guatemala to thank Joel. Adam is an extraordinary person
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exceptional ... Life is LIVING in aid of LIFE to process ... Much admired ...
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We hear the common phrase: everyone is born with a purpose in life. No matter where and how our lifes began, I believe in most cases, we shall end up doing what we were born to do. Thank you Adam for sharing your true purpose for living - we need more people like you!
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This story made me cry. You are so young and so wise!
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"If your dreams are not scaring you, you're not dreaming big" well said! The best gift you can give a person is a gift of knowledge, a gift that keeps on giving. Thanks Adam Braun for sharing your journey of finding your purpose.
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once I was I travelling in local train of Mumbai, after my college ..I saw 2-3 kids inside d train... fighting for small charcoal to scribble on the walls of train....I felt their likeness to scribble ...I gave them a box of my crayons....they were so happy...
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Love what you stand for and how you continue to impact the world by educating the children.
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I've never seen a Ted Talk that resonated with me more, beautiful and heart opening. <3
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Gracias Adam! May God bless you and your supporters for changing the lives of many.
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I'm crying 😭 I hope I could do something to change someone's life
