[Applause] so Ted is about ideas worth spreading
so Ted is about ideas worth spreading
so Ted is about ideas worth spreading right so I got one for everybody
right so I got one for everybody
right so I got one for everybody stop dreaming it doesn’t really sound
stop dreaming it doesn’t really sound
stop dreaming it doesn’t really sound like an idea worth spreading does it I
like an idea worth spreading does it I
like an idea worth spreading does it I mean you’re not gonna tell your kid to
mean you’re not gonna tell your kid to
mean you’re not gonna tell your kid to stop dreaming but what if what you’re
stop dreaming but what if what you’re
stop dreaming but what if what you’re supposed to be doing is something bigger
supposed to be doing is something bigger
supposed to be doing is something bigger and more beautiful than your dreaming
and more beautiful than your dreaming
and more beautiful than your dreaming for yourself my dream I wanted to write
for yourself my dream I wanted to write
for yourself my dream I wanted to write songs and play them for thousands of
songs and play them for thousands of
songs and play them for thousands of people and clearly this was not some
people and clearly this was not some
people and clearly this was not some kind of Martin Luther King jr. I have a
kind of Martin Luther King jr. I have a
kind of Martin Luther King jr. I have a dream dream his dream was about doing
dream dream his dream was about doing
dream dream his dream was about doing something outside himself right it was a
something outside himself right it was a
something outside himself right it was a beautiful dream for the world my dream
beautiful dream for the world my dream
beautiful dream for the world my dream was about me so I put this band together
was about me so I put this band together
was about me so I put this band together this is our first show ever in the mid
this is our first show ever in the mid
this is our first show ever in the mid 90s in Seattle and this is the same
90s in Seattle and this is the same
90s in Seattle and this is the same guitar and different pants thing
guitar and different pants thing
guitar and different pants thing thankfully but not long after this show
thankfully but not long after this show
thankfully but not long after this show I told my dad that I was gonna quit my
I told my dad that I was gonna quit my
I told my dad that I was gonna quit my day job and go after my dream my dad’s
day job and go after my dream my dad’s
day job and go after my dream my dad’s actually here tonight and he stopped
actually here tonight and he stopped
actually here tonight and he stopped what he was doing long enough to say
what he was doing long enough to say
what he was doing long enough to say good luck but I wasn’t really a believer
good luck but I wasn’t really a believer
good luck but I wasn’t really a believer in luck back then I believed that if I
in luck back then I believed that if I
in luck back then I believed that if I kept dreaming and toured around in the
kept dreaming and toured around in the
kept dreaming and toured around in the van and did everything else that I’d
van and did everything else that I’d
van and did everything else that I’d seen on those vh1 behind the music
seen on those vh1 behind the music
seen on those vh1 behind the music episodes that I’d get what I wanted and
episodes that I’d get what I wanted and
episodes that I’d get what I wanted and it took about a decade into that Chase
it took about a decade into that Chase
it took about a decade into that Chase for me to understand that what I want is
for me to understand that what I want is
for me to understand that what I want is hardly ever what I need and it was after
hardly ever what I need and it was after
hardly ever what I need and it was after the last and a string of increasingly
the last and a string of increasingly
the last and a string of increasingly empty shows and I was in the hotel I
empty shows and I was in the hotel I
empty shows and I was in the hotel I went into the bathroom or turned on
went into the bathroom or turned on
went into the bathroom or turned on those fluorescent lights and with a
those fluorescent lights and with a
those fluorescent lights and with a flick of a switch I was older and I was
flick of a switch I was older and I was
flick of a switch I was older and I was alone and I was tired and defeated
alone and I was tired and defeated
alone and I was tired and defeated because I felt like I’ve been putting
because I felt like I’ve been putting
because I felt like I’ve been putting these parts of my heart these songs like
these parts of my heart these songs like
these parts of my heart these songs like in the best years of my life into a
in the best years of my life into a
in the best years of my life into a world that didn’t want him right the
world that didn’t want him right the
world that didn’t want him right the world had moved on the world was getting
world had moved on the world was getting
world had moved on the world was getting married and having families and
married and having families and
married and having families and successful careers and incredibly
successful careers and incredibly
successful careers and incredibly fulfilling life
fulfilling life
fulfilling life that’s what it looked like on Facebook
that’s what it looked like on Facebook
that’s what it looked like on Facebook anyway which you know it was always true
anyway which you know it was always true
anyway which you know it was always true and so it didn’t look that way for me
and so it didn’t look that way for me
and so it didn’t look that way for me though so that night I wrote down well
though so that night I wrote down well
though so that night I wrote down well before I wrote down the dream I heard
before I wrote down the dream I heard
before I wrote down the dream I heard something else my dad had told me which
something else my dad had told me which
something else my dad had told me which was don’t be an old man in a young man’s
was don’t be an old man in a young man’s
was don’t be an old man in a young man’s game and I answered him with my heart
though did I be there by now
though did I be there by now this night is a queen laughs as a dress
this night is a queen laughs as a dress
this night is a queen laughs as a dress [Music]
[Music]
[Music] it seems long way to go to find the
it seems long way to go to find the
it seems long way to go to find the no-one’s
no-one’s
no-one’s [Music]
[Music]
[Music] how I felt that I had be the and that
how I felt that I had be the and that
how I felt that I had be the and that night in that hotel room I wrote down my
night in that hotel room I wrote down my
night in that hotel room I wrote down my dream of playing for thousands of people
dream of playing for thousands of people
dream of playing for thousands of people and I put it on a a piece of hotel
and I put it on a a piece of hotel
and I put it on a a piece of hotel stationery and I set it on fire in the
stationery and I set it on fire in the
stationery and I set it on fire in the sink in the bathroom and the strangest
sink in the bathroom and the strangest
sink in the bathroom and the strangest thing happened I felt sort of free
thing happened I felt sort of free
thing happened I felt sort of free because I realized that I really hadn’t
because I realized that I really hadn’t
because I realized that I really hadn’t been chasing my dream all those years as
been chasing my dream all those years as
been chasing my dream all those years as much as I’ve been carrying it and that
much as I’ve been carrying it and that
much as I’ve been carrying it and that weight of some day it started to push me
weight of some day it started to push me
weight of some day it started to push me down because that’s what these dreams
down because that’s what these dreams
down because that’s what these dreams are for ourselves right there are
are for ourselves right there are
are for ourselves right there are expectations of what some day is gonna
expectations of what some day is gonna
expectations of what some day is gonna look like and feel like and tastes like
look like and feel like and tastes like
look like and feel like and tastes like which is supposedly better than today
which is supposedly better than today
which is supposedly better than today waiting for me at home was a letter from
waiting for me at home was a letter from
waiting for me at home was a letter from a fan so I had one right her name is
a fan so I had one right her name is
a fan so I had one right her name is Emily and Emily writes her soulmate a
Emily and Emily writes her soulmate a
Emily and Emily writes her soulmate a letter every year since he passed away
letter every year since he passed away
letter every year since he passed away and she shared this letter with me and I
and she shared this letter with me and I
and she shared this letter with me and I was so inspired by it that I wrote a
was so inspired by it that I wrote a
was so inspired by it that I wrote a song about her letter with a friend of
song about her letter with a friend of
song about her letter with a friend of mine it was really from her heart
mine it was really from her heart
mine it was really from her heart so every write this letter
so every write this letter
so every write this letter laughs read it’s more for the sander
bringing that song into the world made
bringing that song into the world made me feel even freer because it wasn’t
me feel even freer because it wasn’t
me feel even freer because it wasn’t about me anymore right it wasn’t about
about me anymore right it wasn’t about
about me anymore right it wasn’t about my story or some perceived step toward
my story or some perceived step toward
my story or some perceived step toward my own dream it was for the sender and
my own dream it was for the sender and
my own dream it was for the sender and doing something for somebody else pushed
doing something for somebody else pushed
doing something for somebody else pushed this door open into this light filled
this door open into this light filled
this door open into this light filled room in my heart where I hadn’t been in
room in my heart where I hadn’t been in
room in my heart where I hadn’t been in a long time and I wanted to stay there
a long time and I wanted to stay there
a long time and I wanted to stay there for a while so I wrote another song for
for a while so I wrote another song for
for a while so I wrote another song for and then another one and then right
and then another one and then right
and then another one and then right around then I got asked to play this
around then I got asked to play this
around then I got asked to play this benefit show for a homeless shelter for
benefit show for a homeless shelter for
benefit show for a homeless shelter for kids and after the show the director of
kids and after the show the director of
kids and after the show the director of the place who had been homeless herself
the place who had been homeless herself
the place who had been homeless herself she sent me this letter and three days
she sent me this letter and three days
she sent me this letter and three days later this letter showed up and it was
later this letter showed up and it was
later this letter showed up and it was from a first responder in Haiti who had
from a first responder in Haiti who had
from a first responder in Haiti who had heard one of my songs and then I got
heard one of my songs and then I got
heard one of my songs and then I got another letter a couple weeks later and
another letter a couple weeks later and
another letter a couple weeks later and I love this experience of writing songs
I love this experience of writing songs
I love this experience of writing songs about letters about a neo for other
about letters about a neo for other
about letters about a neo for other people not for myself so I showed these
people not for myself so I showed these
people not for myself so I showed these letters to a talented group of friends
letters to a talented group of friends
letters to a talented group of friends of mine in town and before I knew it I
of mine in town and before I knew it I
of mine in town and before I knew it I produced this album inspired by letters
produced this album inspired by letters
produced this album inspired by letters featuring some Grammy winning platinum
featuring some Grammy winning platinum
featuring some Grammy winning platinum selling artists which was cool but more
selling artists which was cool but more
selling artists which was cool but more importantly those senders loved their
importantly those senders loved their
importantly those senders loved their songs and now I never wanted to leave
songs and now I never wanted to leave
songs and now I never wanted to leave that light-filled room in my house in my
that light-filled room in my house in my
that light-filled room in my house in my heart right so I I wove their stories
heart right so I I wove their stories
heart right so I I wove their stories into a book just for them I printed like
into a book just for them I printed like
into a book just for them I printed like 20 copies of this thing and I shoved the
20 copies of this thing and I shoved the
20 copies of this thing and I shoved the album in it I took off for Connecticut
album in it I took off for Connecticut
album in it I took off for Connecticut where we surprised Emily in a airport
where we surprised Emily in a airport
where we surprised Emily in a airport hotel room with her songs and that right
hotel room with her songs and that right
hotel room with her songs and that right there like playing one song for one
there like playing one song for one
there like playing one song for one person it was one of the most direct and
person it was one of the most direct and
person it was one of the most direct and purest connections I’ve ever had with
purest connections I’ve ever had with
purest connections I’ve ever had with anybody right and then when Emily said
anybody right and then when Emily said
anybody right and then when Emily said that she felt like now that her songs
that she felt like now that her songs
that she felt like now that her songs were out there and she could maybe move
were out there and she could maybe move
were out there and she could maybe move on because her songs were healing
on because her songs were healing
on because her songs were healing helping heal other people maybe you know
helping heal other people maybe you know
helping heal other people maybe you know that’s when I realized that playing one
that’s when I realized that playing one
that’s when I realized that playing one song for one person could be way bigger
song for one person could be way bigger
song for one person could be way bigger and more beautiful than my dream had
and more beautiful than my dream had
and more beautiful than my dream had been of playing for thousands so I went
been of playing for thousands so I went
been of playing for thousands so I went to Haiti where I found the first
to Haiti where I found the first
to Haiti where I found the first responder in a medical clinic she was
responder in a medical clinic she was
responder in a medical clinic she was running and I played her her songs
running and I played her her songs
running and I played her her songs and then I flew back to California where
and then I flew back to California where
and then I flew back to California where we surprised the director of that
we surprised the director of that
we surprised the director of that homeless shelter with her songs and then
homeless shelter with her songs and then
homeless shelter with her songs and then we played a show in town and I decided
we played a show in town and I decided
we played a show in town and I decided that you know to make it more for the
that you know to make it more for the
that you know to make it more for the sender if they chose a cause I donate
sender if they chose a cause I donate
sender if they chose a cause I donate all the proceeds from that show to the
all the proceeds from that show to the
all the proceeds from that show to the cause and the show went off pretty well
cause and the show went off pretty well
cause and the show went off pretty well we sold it out we sold out actually two
we sold it out we sold out actually two
we sold it out we sold out actually two shows that night and we kept playing
shows that night and we kept playing
shows that night and we kept playing shows and kept selling them out and kept
shows and kept selling them out and kept
shows and kept selling them out and kept donating proceeds and pretty soon I was
donating proceeds and pretty soon I was
donating proceeds and pretty soon I was playing around the country for thousands
playing around the country for thousands
playing around the country for thousands of people so a very ironic thing was
of people so a very ironic thing was
of people so a very ironic thing was happening right like my dream my old
happening right like my dream my old
happening right like my dream my old dream the one that was about me it
dream the one that was about me it
dream the one that was about me it wasn’t happening right but as soon as I
wasn’t happening right but as soon as I
wasn’t happening right but as soon as I put that dream down I started doing
put that dream down I started doing
put that dream down I started doing something for somebody else
something for somebody else
something for somebody else it actually was happening and that’s the
it actually was happening and that’s the
it actually was happening and that’s the irony here is that once I stopped
irony here is that once I stopped
irony here is that once I stopped carrying the dream the dream started
carrying the dream the dream started
carrying the dream the dream started carrying me right through that door into
carrying me right through that door into
carrying me right through that door into that light filled room in my heart where
that light filled room in my heart where
that light filled room in my heart where this beautiful chain of events was
this beautiful chain of events was
this beautiful chain of events was starting to unfold because the people
starting to unfold because the people
starting to unfold because the people who sent me their letters were helping
who sent me their letters were helping
who sent me their letters were helping themselves just by writing their
themselves just by writing their
themselves just by writing their thoughts down and the songs and the book
thoughts down and the songs and the book
thoughts down and the songs and the book in the concerts inspired by their
in the concerts inspired by their
in the concerts inspired by their letters were in turn helping many many
letters were in turn helping many many
letters were in turn helping many many more people and then the proceeds from
more people and then the proceeds from
more people and then the proceeds from those concerts were in turn helping
those concerts were in turn helping
those concerts were in turn helping causes like that homeless shelter for
causes like that homeless shelter for
causes like that homeless shelter for kids right actually this show in
kids right actually this show in
kids right actually this show in particular right here it paid for this
particular right here it paid for this
particular right here it paid for this surf camp for veterans but I got to be a
surf camp for veterans but I got to be a
surf camp for veterans but I got to be a part of where we got we helped men and
part of where we got we helped men and
part of where we got we helped men and women who sacrifice so much for our
women who sacrifice so much for our
women who sacrifice so much for our country some of whom had lost their
country some of whom had lost their
country some of whom had lost their sight or lost use of their limbs we got
sight or lost use of their limbs we got
sight or lost use of their limbs we got to help them experience that joy in that
to help them experience that joy in that
to help them experience that joy in that freedom of being on a surfboard
freedom of being on a surfboard
freedom of being on a surfboard and concert proceeds also helped this
and concert proceeds also helped this
and concert proceeds also helped this ranch actually here in our community
ranch actually here in our community
ranch actually here in our community where folks that need it the most get to
where folks that need it the most get to
where folks that need it the most get to experience that same kind of joy and
experience that same kind of joy and
experience that same kind of joy and freedom on the back of a horse this is
freedom on the back of a horse this is
freedom on the back of a horse this is actually a horse camp for veterans that
actually a horse camp for veterans that
actually a horse camp for veterans that I got to be a part of to where at the
I got to be a part of to where at the
I got to be a part of to where at the end of the can
end of the can
end of the can they wrote down on the horses back and
they wrote down on the horses back and
they wrote down on the horses back and paint what they felt that horse had
paint what they felt that horse had
paint what they felt that horse had given to them during the camp and then
given to them during the camp and then
given to them during the camp and then they set it free in the pasture right
they set it free in the pasture right
they set it free in the pasture right healing and hope
healing and hope
healing and hope I mean how beautiful is that right so
I mean how beautiful is that right so
I mean how beautiful is that right so this is how what I was supposed to be
this is how what I was supposed to be
this is how what I was supposed to be doing ended up being something way
doing ended up being something way
doing ended up being something way bigger and more beautiful than I was
bigger and more beautiful than I was
bigger and more beautiful than I was dreaming for myself I think that you
dreaming for myself I think that you
dreaming for myself I think that you know if you want to invite this kind of
know if you want to invite this kind of
know if you want to invite this kind of of joy and light and abundance into your
of joy and light and abundance into your
of joy and light and abundance into your life you can start by giving your talent
life you can start by giving your talent
life you can start by giving your talent or your skills even your time especially
or your skills even your time especially
or your skills even your time especially your time in service and you might find
your time in service and you might find
your time in service and you might find something beautiful inside yourself by
something beautiful inside yourself by
something beautiful inside yourself by doing something outside yourself right
doing something outside yourself right
doing something outside yourself right but you’re gonna have to stop dreaming
but you’re gonna have to stop dreaming
but you’re gonna have to stop dreaming first thank you
”
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