Redefining Success: What Matters Most? | Giovana Vega | TEDxUniversiteitVanAmsterdam
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tHfuAXVEL8 Video ID: 0tHfuAXVEL8 ============================================================ Transcriber: Bhaswati Deka Reviewer: Lark Yu We are all here from different backgrounds and different families. Some of us might be total strangers to each other, but I can bet we all have at least one thing in common- a desire for success But what if we have been looking at things wrongly? What if we have been focusing on one shade of success when the concept has many colors? If I told you that being flexible about the meaning of success is one of the keys to a truly happy life, it might not sound like a big deal. If I said we all need to be honest about what truly matters to us, it might not sound like a big deal. But you’ll be shocked how many of us do not apply these principles in our lives Have you ever considered whether we should keep in mind how to live in our continuous desire of excellence and efficiency? I used to ask that question to myself, but I want to ask you, how many of you think about having better lives and being the best at what you do? Anyone here, in this room? So I asked myself this question when I realized I traded my passion and creativity for duties and deadlines. Nothing wrong with duties and deadlines as long as they are not draining the life out of you. I was always worried about my next task, but something important was missing. The spark of my creative side. Hi everyone! My name is Giovanna Vega and I am originally from Peru. I have called the Netherlands home since 1997. Over the years, I have learned that life is more than just doing well in a school or climbing the corporate ladder. For over ten years, I worked in the financial sector of a trading company, always pushing myself to succeed. But I soon realized that success without joy felt empty. So this is the story I want to share with you today. Today, I want to talk about how mixing creativity with logical thinking can help us find purpose and happiness in life. We were told a small percentage of people on their deathbed can say they lived a fulfilled life. In my opinion, this has nothing to do with how perfect their lives were or how much money they made. If you and I do everything we can in the pursuit of happiness and purpose, I believe we have a greater chance of being part of that small percentage. And that’s what makes the difference. At the end of this talk, I hope you can reflect. What are you going to take away from these talks, and what are those steps that you are going to take in order to create a more fulfilled life? The loss of creativity. Creativity isn't just art or design. According to Psychology Today, creativity encompasses the ability to discover new and original ideas, connections, and solutions to problems. In other words, when you talk about problem solving or innovation in any aspect of life, that's creativity. In the business world, creativity is the ability to be and think differently and to approach challenges from fresh perspectives. Have you ever wondered why we seem to lose creativity as we grow older? Back in 1968, Doctor George Lunt used the creativity test that he created for NASA’s engineers to evaluate the creativity from children between the ages of three and five. The results support the point I want to make here today. At age five, 98% of children who took the test were creative. But that figure continued decreasing when the test was given to adults. Only 2% retained their creativity. Can you imagine? We all seem to be born with creativity. But as we age, it often fades, but mostly because of traditional educational systems. While education is essential, incorporating more creative approach in learning can help us unlock our full creative potential. But this loss isn't just personal. It affects us to all of us. We might think differently or outside the box. I remember when I was full of creativity seeing opportunities everywhere. But as my corporate career moved forward, routine took over. I was meeting deadlines and finding success on paper. But something was missing. The constant chase for success drained my creativity, and I didn’t know how to keep that spark alive until I looked back and saw how much I had lost. I lost my spark. I wasn't motivated anymore and I knew it was time to change. The need for complete growth. Personal growth is more than just going beyond your goals. It is about-it is about nurturing your mind, body and spirit. This complete approach includes creativity, emotional, and self-awareness. Creativity is the ability to innovate, while emotional awareness is about understanding and managing your emotions to improve communications, decision making, and relationships. Self-awareness on the other side is about knowing your strength, weaknesses, values, and motivations, and it is a key element in personal growth. Balancing logical and creative thinking. Think of your brain as a team with two key players. One side holds creativity and intuition and the other side holds logic and structure. Balancing these two isn't about using different parts of the brain. It is about making them work together. When I left the corporate world, I followed my dream of becoming an author, writing books on investing, trading and personal finance, especially for women. By blending logic with creativity, I found a new way to approach life. One that wasn’t just for success, but about making an impact. Embracing lifelong learning and flexibility. In today's world, where change is constant, lifelong learning and flexibility are essential. Relying on what we learned years ago isn't enough anymore. Leaving my full-time job was a difficult choice, but it wasn't because of my job itself. I simply wasn't finding the fulfillment I needed. I knew staying would make me and others unhappy. So I decided to take a new direction and embrace new opportunities. This was a period of deep reflection for me. Through searching within myself, I found that empowering others and sharing my expertise in financial investment brought me joy. Combining these two new passions became my new direction, but it took time and self-discovery to see this clearly. Success today requires a willingness to keep learning and adapting. As industries evolve and technology advances, those who embrace change and seek new skills are the ones who thrive. Take AI for example, it is becoming a part of our daily lives. And yes, it is changing the way we work. It is often said that AI won’t take your job, but someone who knows how to use AI might. And that's why staying curious, being open for new tools, and embracing growth are more important than ever. And redefine your own metrics of success. We live in a world where success is often measured by external indicators. Titles, income, and opinion of others. But what if we modify the script and created our own metrics of success? What if instead of following a one-size-fits-all model, we measure our lives by our personal growth, the quality of our relationships, or how much joy and fulfilment we experience each day? Traditional metrics can be limiting. They often lack the ability to capture the things that make us feel alive. For instance, you might have a high-powered job, a big house, and a successful business. But if you are constantly missing out on time with your loved ones, does it really feel like success? By redefining your metrics, you can shift your focus- from what looks good on paper to what feels good in your soul. Start by asking, “What do you value most?” Is it time, freedom, connections, or peace of mind? Make these your benchmarks and celebrate achievements, even if they don’t align with the traditional way of doing things. Success, after all, is not about ticking off society boxes. It is about creating a life that feels meaningful to you. Now, let's quickly recap. We have talked about bringing back creativity, embracing a more complete approach to growth, and finding balance between logic and creativity. These are not just ideas, they are practical steps that you can take to reshape your life in meaningful ways. Now, I know success means different things to different people. It might be a warm color to me, while yours, it might be a cool color. The bottom line is don't be afraid to explore and find your color. I went from going through the motions in life to living a life of constant creativity. And I am happy because I reshaped the life in my own way. Combining my passion for empowering others to create a better life, and sharing my expertise in financial investments brought me joy. And those are the reasons why I approach financial well-being as a combination of logic, personal finance, investing, and self-awareness regarding emotions about money. For instance, you might be very good at managing your money. But if you believe that having financial success beyond a certain point is unnecessary, there is a disconnect between your abilities and your beliefs. This lack of alignment is why many people struggle in finding true abundance. By combining both logic and self-awareness, you start experiencing abundance in your life. This is my challenge to you. Start today. Find a creative activity that really excites you and make time for it. And remember to use logic and creative thinking in your daily work. As we redefine what success means to us and reframe what matters, we are not just changing our paths, we are changing the world around us. Thank you. (audience claps)