Nurturing the Mind's Potential | Diya Vinod | TEDxYouth@TWSDubai
have you ever paused to consider the extraordinary potential of the human mind what if I told you that it holds the key to changing the world the human mind possesses a power unlike anything else the ability to create imagine and reshape the world around us the most amazing part it all begins with a single spark a fleeting idea that when nurtured can transform everything this is the driving force behind every Innovation every breakthrough and every step forward in human history but first how does a spark form well a study published in nature reviews Neuroscience highlights that the brain's creativity relies on two major systems the dmn default mode Network and the executive control Network it's the balance between these two networks that determine how well we can bring our creative ideas to life essentially when you're daydreaming or resting your brain is actively Making Connections you wouldn't even expect earlier this year I experienced the spark firsthand I had an idea a robot called Greenline 3.0 designed to tackle environmental issues at first it was just a concept A simple what if but I didn't leave it there it wasn't easy though there were times I had doubted myself didn't think it would work and even felt like giving up yet I didn't I hadn't come all that way to fail I soon passed the first rounds of auditions moving to the finals with what many called either a childish project or a waste of my time but here's a fun fact studies conducted by various researchers including Emanuel wo and Leonardo C deuza show that the brain's prefrontal cortex the part responsible for planning and creativity gets more active when you pursue more challenging ideas so I didn't let their words get to me I spend late nights researching and sketching out designs fueled by equal parts of ambition and a bit too much coffee but eventually I managed to conceptualize Green Line 3.0 you know those moments when you're trying to come up with a brilliant idea it's like staring at a black page waiting for that inspiration to strike lots of Hope but mostly frustration that's what was going through my head the first couple of weeks but in the end those dead ends that I met seem to have played a positive role in shaping the outcome of my robot enhancing it as I put more thought and time into its creation seeing this one small idea grow into a winning Concept in a competition against over a 100 students from russal H many schools made me feel like my hard work was worth it in the end what started as just a simple thought grew into something that began to inspire others as well encouraging them to have faith in their ideas take on challenges even when times are hard and make a difference as they stand up for what motivates them creativity spreads like wildfire a study in the journal motivation and emotion shows that when you witness someone else's creativity it Sparks your own in fact research from Harvard Business Review demonstrates that when you are exposed to more novel and diverse environments the creative output of your brain can increase by as much as 50% just being around new ideas and perspectives activates parts of the brain associated with creative thinking that's the magic of the human mind every single one of us carries within us that same potential that spark of creativity of innovation doesn't matter who you are or where you come from what matters though is what you do with that spark when you get it will you let fear or self-doubt extinguish that spark or will you nurture it give it the attention it needs to grow into something powerful too often we allow that spark to fade we doubt ourselves we fear f failure and how often have we let those feelings stop us from pursuing something that truly excites us it's not that the spark wasn't there it's that we didn't protect it didn't allow it to grow into a flame but here's the truth those Sparks needs two things in order to survive curiosity and courage it's curiosity that pushes us to ask what if and explore new possibilities and it's courage that makes us step into the unknown daring us to take risks when there's no guaranteed outcome according to Scientific American failing and trying again rewires the brain the study found that the brain becomes more resilient and creative after repeated failures learning to adapt and solve problems in new ways as Nelson Mandela once said the greatest glory in living lies not in Never Falling but in Rising every time we fall his words remind us that even when we Face setbacks persistence and courage turn those failed attempts into fuel for success and when we do that when we we protect that spark when we nurture it with curiosity and courage it doesn't just change our own lives it has the power to ignite others ideas spread inspiration is contagious the spark of one mind can set an entire Community an entire world Al light every movement for change every revolution in thought every invention that reshaped history they all began with one spark one mind willing to take that leap consider this every invention that now impacts our day-to-day lives once began as a curious thought or question in someone's head in fact the MIT technology review shows that over 70% of the greatest techn I olcal advancements of the 20th century began with simple what if questions before there was light in our homes there was a thought before there was internet in technology there was a spark the funny thing is back then people probably thought internet technology that's crazy but look at us now and this spark of the human mind is the most powerful force we have it's what has driven every Leap Forward in history and what will drive us to our next one so the next time a spark ignites in your mind don't let it flicker out embrace it protect it nurture to it because you never know just how far it could take you thank you