Success starts with you. | Grace Jose | TEDxYouth@Southlake
Grace Jose argues that true success means self-improvement rather than external metrics like wealth or grades. She bases this on a modified "Success Code," illustrated by the Jedi's self-improvement, advocating for setting clear goals, learning from failure, and being a force for good. She supports this by drawing parallels between Jedi growth and personal endeavor, citing her own experience in acting and soccer. ## Speakers & Context - Grace Jose: Speaker presenting on the meaning of success, framing it through the lens of *Star Wars*. - Context: The talk aims to redefine success away from a "one-size-fits-all version" promoted by society. ## Theses & Positions - Success is internal: Success is defined as "to be a better version of myself," because "success starts with you." - Society misleads people by defining success using external criteria: grades, athleticism, job title, financial status, or physical appearance. - The core mechanism for success involves self-improvement, mirroring the Jedi's constant growth and knowledge of the Force. - True personal success requires following a self-defined code, which involves three core tenets: goal-setting, embracing failure, and action for the greater good. - Positivity is crucial, as attitude can determine one's altitude. ## Concepts & Definitions - **Success (personal definition):** "to be a better version of myself." - **Jedi Code:** A set of principles followed by the Jedi; the speaker substitutes this with her own "Success Code." - **Force for Good:** A "mentality in a way of life" that involves raising others alongside one's personal journey. ## Mechanisms & Processes - **Setting Goals/Vision:** Establishing a vision of a desired future to become "organized and prepared." - **Learning from Mistakes:** Moving through life's obstacles to build resilience and become better. - **Becoming a Force for Good:** Helping others, recognizing that one cannot always do it alone; beginning with "at least one good action" to start a "domino effect." - **Positive Mantra:** Using positivity in daily life, demonstrated in the soccer example where one teammate's optimistic attitude lifted the entire team's morale. ## Timeline & Sequence - **Age Seven:** Beginning of the speaker's structured steps toward her goal, attending acting camps and taking *Triple Threat* acting classes. - **During Auditions (Winnie the Pooh):** Experienced intimidation from more talented peers, lacking knowledge of dance steps, having a poorer singing ability, and stuttering while auditioning. ## Named Entities - **Grace Jose:** Speaker. ## Numbers & Data - **Age Seven:** When the speaker began her structured preparation for her artistic goals. ## Examples & Cases - **The Jedi Model:** Jedi warriors stand for the light side and constantly improve their knowledge of the Force, leading to success when defeating the dark side. - **The Speaker's Goal:** Aspiring to success in "entertainment and performance arts," which channels creativity and is something she enjoys doing. - **Audition Hardship:** Auditioning for the *Winnie the Pooh* musical when feeling like a "complete newcomer," having difficulty with dance steps, singing, and stuttering. - **The Soccer Challenge:** Facing a season where losing one of the best players due to a medical condition severely dampened the team's attitude, until one teammate's optimism created a positive shift. ## Tools, Tech & Products - **Lightsaber:** Mentioned as a Jedi tool, contrasted with the speaker's lack of fancy tools. - **Triple Threat acting classes:** Specific training taken by the speaker. ## References Cited - **Star Wars:** Cultural framework used to structure the talk. - **The Jedi Code:** Conceptual framework adopted and adapted by the speaker. ## Trade-offs & Alternatives - **External Success vs. Internal Success:** The speaker contrasts society's metrics (wealth, grades) with her internal metric of self-betterment. - **Giving Up vs. Pushing Through:** The alternative during the *Winnie the Pooh* audition was to "walk out and given up." ## Counterarguments & Caveats - The speaker acknowledges that achieving her goals wasn't linear: "not everything went the way i planned." - She addresses the challenge of external comparison: "*it is very rare for them to mess up*" (referring to her peers). ## Conclusions & Recommendations - **Success Code, Point 1:** Set goals and envision the future to become organized and prepared. - **Success Code, Point 2:** Learn and grow from mistakes to build resilience. - **Success Code, Point 3:** Be a force for good, which means helping others, because this inherently helps oneself. - **Mantra:** Make positivity a mantra in everyday life. ## Implications & Consequences - Failure to define success internally leads to misplaced external values (grades, money). - Self-improvement (Jedi model) is portrayed as the only reliable pathway to genuine accomplishment. - Community support and positive action have quantifiable positive effects on group morale (soccer team example). ## Verbatim Moments - *"Wow star wars and success go hand in hand."* - *"My success is to be a better version of myself because success starts with you."* - *"The jedi became more and more successful in what they strive to do and over time their self-improvement had paid off."* - *"I made up my own jedi code for my success code."* - *"I could have walked out and given up because what's the point in even trying or i could choose to push through and follow my dreams."* - *"My attitude can determine my altitude."* - *"Dear fellow and future jedis i hope my jedi codes help you reach your success."*