Seeds Don’t Grow Until They Break Open. | Imaan Adil | TEDxGarth Webb School
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVM4oolAUXc Video ID: cVM4oolAUXc ============================================================ Transcriber: Trâm Bùi Reviewer: Ngan Tran Just like seeds break open before they grow. I've learned that we often grow strongest in our moments of failure. It feels strange that falling apart is often the first step towards becoming stronger in the moment. It can feel like everything is falling apart for me. But moments like this became the start of something new as they forced me to. As it forced me to push towards something that is much more greater. How we respond to failures, often more important than failure itself, as it can shape your future pathways. Think about a time you wanted something badly. A role, a opportunity. And you didn't get it. So you start questioning everything, and slowly that inner voice starts convincing you to quit. But what if that moment wasn't meant to stop you? What if that moment was meant to redirect you, to show you strength and passion, or even just a purpose you wouldn't have considered otherwise? We don't talk about how heavy that moment feels when your expectations and reality don't match. It almost feels like your identity cracks a little. You question your abilities, you question your worth, and sometimes you start to question your own future. But what if that moment wasn't meant to stop you? What if it was meant to push you toward something you wouldn't have considered otherwise? Failure always comes first. And even though we hate the feeling, even though we hate the feeling of feeling down, it's usually the moment that teaches us the most. That breaking open moment is what builds resilience. So today, people of all ages, whether they're my age younger or older, feel pressure to be perfect. Every post, every trial, every assignment, and even just a simple post on social media feels like a performance. Perfection has become the expectation, and anything less feels like a flaw. So we avoid taking risks. We avoid putting ourselves out there because it feels too embarrassing and heavy. We stay safe, we stay small and we stay comfortable. But the thing is, comfort doesn't build character. Challenge does. If you ask anyone who is grown today, they'll tell you it didn't happen during their easiest moments. It happened when it felt the most uncomfortable and uncertain ways. The truth is, perfection isn't. Perfection doesn't teach us anything, but failure does. So the real question today is, is it? How do I avoid failing? But what will I do when failure comes? Because it will come? Not once, not twice, but throughout your life. No one escapes it. Not the most successful, not the most confident, and not even the most talented. The people we admire today, the athletes, the creators, the entrepreneurs, and even some of the leaders aren't extraordinary because they never failed. Failed. They are extraordinary because they kept going when they had to. They stood back up when it would have been easier to stay down. They understood that failure wasn't the end of the journey. It's the story that shaped the rest. So here's something I've learned. If you want to change your life, change the way you think about yourself. Because everything starts in your mind. The way you see yourself changes the way you are. Talk and move through life. So if you keep telling yourself that you're not good enough and you won't make it and you're too far gone, your life will reflect that. But when you begin to see yourself with compassion and purpose, that's when everything starts to shift. Keep reminding yourself that that you have a purpose even when you don't feel like it. When your mindset shift, your life begins to grow in direction that you never expected. Just like that seed breaking open. Thank you everyone.