I apologize for my sideburns and striped shirt
A Recap of My TEDx Talk: Reflecting on Change and Progress
For the first time in over a decade, I re-watched my 2012 TEDx talk, “Nerd Fitness and Resetting the Game of Life,” and had a few amusing reactions. I initially focused on my outfit, taking note of my epic sideburns and bold, striped shirt. Then I gave myself a break and acknowledged that my discomfort in the public speaking setup hasn’t necessarily dwindled – just some might say my anxiety has!
As an individual who craves help sharing ideas without being a professional speaker or on-camera performer, getting on stage requires a serious push. When I filmed this talk, I embarked on an epic journey just to arrive in Atlanta (I even spent two full days traversing the South American jungles and embarking on a series of flights!)! The subsequent night, I rewrote the talk’s entire draft, relying on my sleep-deprived brainpower. After some last-minute practice to an audience composed of Kappy’s puppies (my trusted host), the talk commenced – and lo, there you have a TEDx performance!
Why Did I React This Way?
My Biggest Surprise:
Upon reviewing my talk in reflection, I surprisingly didn’t cringe too much given my introverted nature as a presenter! It isn’t, nonetheless; if given the choice, I am not overly keen on displaying myself as I am uncomfortable with self-praise.) Baby Steve didn’t prove to be utterly embarrassing once I dig into the slides, however; the last one did garner a distinct chuckle: the Slide of My Story.
Sliding Into Deeper Discussion:
Now let’s wade through an even graver theme in my experiences: distraction or escapeism. One pivotal aspect driving my escapades into cyberspace involved the role of technology (video game addiction being just one subset). Real-life issues prompted me to venture into ‘escapes’: a desperate attempt to confront the present reality instead. I started questioning how one could go about handling an issue versus simply playing or procrastinate.
An even more detailed analysis might aid in spotting the hidden issue. Take, for example, Nerd Fitness as a program, allowing folks to break free from escapism tendencies. How I used experience points within games to reward progress might inspire a mindset shift and serve as therapy.
Personalized Quest Updates:
So how’s our Epic Quest (formerly coined as a ‘Bucket List’) developing?
I originally set these grand goals up to organize myself and propel me further through life adventures. By that time,’s approach: ‘We’ll be focusing on 10 items: ‘I made life a living game as we explored that in A Nerds (N) in 1000.
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