[Applause] morning I’m ecstatic to be with you here
morning I’m ecstatic to be with you here
morning I’m ecstatic to be with you here today at the North Carolina School of
today at the North Carolina School of
today at the North Carolina School of Science in maths 2017 TEDx conference
Science in maths 2017 TEDx conference
Science in maths 2017 TEDx conference and I want to start off by asking you a
and I want to start off by asking you a
and I want to start off by asking you a single question do you have any life
single question do you have any life
single question do you have any life advice okay welcome back that it’s over
advice okay welcome back that it’s over
advice okay welcome back that it’s over the past five hundred and seventy-five
the past five hundred and seventy-five
the past five hundred and seventy-five days since June 18th 2015 I’ve been
days since June 18th 2015 I’ve been
days since June 18th 2015 I’ve been asking hundreds of people that same
asking hundreds of people that same
asking hundreds of people that same question do you have any life advice and
question do you have any life advice and
question do you have any life advice and I’ve used it to fill up notebooks this
I’ve used it to fill up notebooks this
I’ve used it to fill up notebooks this is the second and a half one because I
is the second and a half one because I
is the second and a half one because I started one finished it started another
started one finished it started another
started one finished it started another one didn’t feel right so I moved on to a
one didn’t feel right so I moved on to a
one didn’t feel right so I moved on to a third one here today after I write this
third one here today after I write this
third one here today after I write this or say this speech show you’re writing
or say this speech show you’re writing
or say this speech show you’re writing my two thousand two hundred and tenth
my two thousand two hundred and tenth
my two thousand two hundred and tenth note it really build up over time so
note it really build up over time so
note it really build up over time so today what I really want to do is get
today what I really want to do is get
today what I really want to do is get you thinking backwards you know forward
you thinking backwards you know forward
you thinking backwards you know forward thinking I mean that’s usually the theme
thinking I mean that’s usually the theme
thinking I mean that’s usually the theme of Ted we want to get you thinking about
of Ted we want to get you thinking about
of Ted we want to get you thinking about your future but today I want to get you
your future but today I want to get you
your future but today I want to get you thinking about your past and your
thinking about your past and your
thinking about your past and your experiences I’m gonna start off by
experiences I’m gonna start off by
experiences I’m gonna start off by telling you a little story from my life
telling you a little story from my life
telling you a little story from my life and also some of you may not be used to
and also some of you may not be used to
and also some of you may not be used to a slanted haircut but it’s not the worst
a slanted haircut but it’s not the worst
a slanted haircut but it’s not the worst my hair’s been
so here I wrote a list and you can’t
so here I wrote a list and you can’t really read it so I’m gonna make it a
really read it so I’m gonna make it a
really read it so I’m gonna make it a little clearer for you of life events
little clearer for you of life events
little clearer for you of life events now nothing’s are really gonna make
now nothing’s are really gonna make
now nothing’s are really gonna make sense but I’m gonna explain that first
sense but I’m gonna explain that first
sense but I’m gonna explain that first one right here so I was young about five
one right here so I was young about five
one right here so I was young about five years old probably around the time I was
years old probably around the time I was
years old probably around the time I was bald my mom had this a glass bowl all
bald my mom had this a glass bowl all
bald my mom had this a glass bowl all right beautiful glass bowl but it’s not
right beautiful glass bowl but it’s not
right beautiful glass bowl but it’s not the kind you eat out of it was the kind
the kind you eat out of it was the kind
the kind you eat out of it was the kind you put on display so she put it on a
you put on display so she put it on a
you put on display so she put it on a brick wall outside the house and I was
brick wall outside the house and I was
brick wall outside the house and I was young and I had a little mud pit
young and I had a little mud pit
young and I had a little mud pit probably about the size of this rug like
probably about the size of this rug like
probably about the size of this rug like to hop in there you know
to hop in there you know
to hop in there you know lather around like a little pig I also
lather around like a little pig I also
lather around like a little pig I also collected rocks now my parents when they
collected rocks now my parents when they
collected rocks now my parents when they did the landscaping of the yard they got
did the landscaping of the yard they got
did the landscaping of the yard they got these rocks at all these tiny little
these rocks at all these tiny little
these rocks at all these tiny little fossils in them all these little clam
fossils in them all these little clam
fossils in them all these little clam shells maybe some little fishes it was
shells maybe some little fishes it was
shells maybe some little fishes it was awesome
awesome
awesome now despite the fact that there were
now despite the fact that there were
now despite the fact that there were thousands of rocks
thousands of rocks
thousands of rocks I thought each one was so special so
I thought each one was so special so
I thought each one was so special so every day I’d go down the driveway
every day I’d go down the driveway
every day I’d go down the driveway collect maybe four or five and throw him
collect maybe four or five and throw him
collect maybe four or five and throw him in my mud pit to hang out with me and
in my mud pit to hang out with me and
in my mud pit to hang out with me and one day started throwing them you know
one day started throwing them you know
one day started throwing them you know and you know where this is going glass
and you know where this is going glass
and you know where this is going glass bowl rocks yeah and I started throwing
bowl rocks yeah and I started throwing
bowl rocks yeah and I started throwing them past the bowl and my mom came out
them past the bowl and my mom came out
them past the bowl and my mom came out and she said son don’t throw those rocks
and she said son don’t throw those rocks
and she said son don’t throw those rocks you’re gonna break my bowl I said don’t
you’re gonna break my bowl I said don’t
you’re gonna break my bowl I said don’t worry mom I got this I’m not gonna hit
worry mom I got this I’m not gonna hit
worry mom I got this I’m not gonna hit your bowl she goes back inside my dad
your bowl she goes back inside my dad
your bowl she goes back inside my dad comes out of his shop and he says son
comes out of his shop and he says son
comes out of his shop and he says son don’t throw rocks you’re gonna break
don’t throw rocks you’re gonna break
don’t throw rocks you’re gonna break your mom’s Bowl I said don’t worry dad I
your mom’s Bowl I said don’t worry dad I
your mom’s Bowl I said don’t worry dad I called him papa actually Andy gave me
called him papa actually Andy gave me
called him papa actually Andy gave me that dad look you know you guys know
that dad look you know you guys know
that dad look you know you guys know that look I said I won’t throw any more
that look I said I won’t throw any more
that look I said I won’t throw any more rocks so he went back inside the shop
rocks so he went back inside the shop
rocks so he went back inside the shop and I started throwing rocks again
and I started throwing rocks again
and I started throwing rocks again because I trusted my aim now into that
because I trusted my aim now into that
because I trusted my aim now into that moment where you screw up and say you
moment where you screw up and say you
moment where you screw up and say you fall off a bike or something your life
fall off a bike or something your life
fall off a bike or something your life flashes before your eyes time slows down
flashes before your eyes time slows down
flashes before your eyes time slows down now I didn’t have much life to flash
now I didn’t have much life to flash
now I didn’t have much life to flash before my eyes yet but time did slow
before my eyes yet but time did slow
before my eyes yet but time did slow down has that one little rock covered in
down has that one little rock covered in
down has that one little rock covered in clam shells and fishes Kareem toward the
clam shells and fishes Kareem toward the
clam shells and fishes Kareem toward the bowl touched it and it bursts into a
bowl touched it and it bursts into a
bowl touched it and it bursts into a thousand pieces and the first thing I
thousand pieces and the first thing I
thousand pieces and the first thing I thought was all the choice profanities
thought was all the choice profanities
thought was all the choice profanities my mom had taught me so far aw shucks
drats and her favorite one in traffic oh
drats and her favorite one in traffic oh shoot
shoot
shoot the next thing I thought was oh dear
the next thing I thought was oh dear
the next thing I thought was oh dear which parent do I tell first my mom
which parent do I tell first my mom
which parent do I tell first my mom because it’s her Bowl well my dad cuz
because it’s her Bowl well my dad cuz
because it’s her Bowl well my dad cuz it’s not his bowl so I told my dad first
it’s not his bowl so I told my dad first
it’s not his bowl so I told my dad first I walk in the shop he said dad I broke
I walk in the shop he said dad I broke
I walk in the shop he said dad I broke mom’s bull and he grabs me by the back
mom’s bull and he grabs me by the back
mom’s bull and he grabs me by the back of the neck and he marches me inside to
of the neck and he marches me inside to
of the neck and he marches me inside to my mom and I say mom I broke your bowl
my mom and I say mom I broke your bowl
my mom and I say mom I broke your bowl and she says with those rocks I told you
and she says with those rocks I told you
and she says with those rocks I told you not to throw ya
not to throw ya
not to throw ya those rocks mom and she does that mom
those rocks mom and she does that mom
those rocks mom and she does that mom thing where she gets down on her it’s a
thing where she gets down on her it’s a
thing where she gets down on her it’s a little lower looks you in the eye eye to
little lower looks you in the eye eye to
little lower looks you in the eye eye to eye I’m only about yay tall so then she
eye I’m only about yay tall so then she
eye I’m only about yay tall so then she says son you made a mistake I understand
says son you made a mistake I understand
says son you made a mistake I understand I hope you learned your lesson so since
I hope you learned your lesson so since
I hope you learned your lesson so since that day whenever I mess up I tell my
that day whenever I mess up I tell my
that day whenever I mess up I tell my mom first but
what that goes back to was I was five
what that goes back to was I was five years old around there and now I’m 18
years old around there and now I’m 18
years old around there and now I’m 18 and that little lesson I still carry
and that little lesson I still carry
and that little lesson I still carry with me today see I want to get you guys
with me today see I want to get you guys
with me today see I want to get you guys thinking about your experiences what
thinking about your experiences what
thinking about your experiences what made you what you are today a good
made you what you are today a good
made you what you are today a good example of that would be to think about
example of that would be to think about
example of that would be to think about your thoughts okay you buddy how you
your thoughts okay you buddy how you
your thoughts okay you buddy how you pronounce our last name Baum Z all right
pronounce our last name Baum Z all right
pronounce our last name Baum Z all right you ever remember being a little kid and
you ever remember being a little kid and
you ever remember being a little kid and wanting a toy really really badly
wanting a toy really really badly
wanting a toy really really badly alright now when you were a little kid
alright now when you were a little kid
alright now when you were a little kid you never thought of your thoughts has
you never thought of your thoughts has
you never thought of your thoughts has childish right no they were just as
childish right no they were just as
childish right no they were just as important as your thoughts are now me
important as your thoughts are now me
important as your thoughts are now me wanting a cookie at four years old is
wanting a cookie at four years old is
wanting a cookie at four years old is just as important as me wanting to get
just as important as me wanting to get
just as important as me wanting to get into college now not on the large scale
into college now not on the large scale
into college now not on the large scale but in my head because we are every
but in my head because we are every
but in my head because we are every single agent one so I’m still that
single agent one so I’m still that
single agent one so I’m still that five-year-old that just broke my mom’s
five-year-old that just broke my mom’s
five-year-old that just broke my mom’s bowl but I’ve had a few other
bowl but I’ve had a few other
bowl but I’ve had a few other experiences since then with the help of
experiences since then with the help of
experiences since then with the help of my little notebook here I’ve gotten to
my little notebook here I’ve gotten to
my little notebook here I’ve gotten to meet a lot of interesting people this
meet a lot of interesting people this
meet a lot of interesting people this past summer I was in an airport
past summer I was in an airport
past summer I was in an airport California I met a lady named Aban from
California I met a lady named Aban from
California I met a lady named Aban from ivory coast of Africa she told me how
ivory coast of Africa she told me how
ivory coast of Africa she told me how her husband had died in February and she
her husband had died in February and she
her husband had died in February and she was going to Seattle to celebrate his
was going to Seattle to celebrate his
was going to Seattle to celebrate his life with some friends and the reason I
life with some friends and the reason I
life with some friends and the reason I met her was because she was struggling
met her was because she was struggling
met her was because she was struggling carrying her bag and she was going to
carrying her bag and she was going to
carrying her bag and she was going to the same terminal as myself and I guess
the same terminal as myself and I guess
the same terminal as myself and I guess we’re all going to the same terminal in
we’re all going to the same terminal in
we’re all going to the same terminal in the end but I said can I carry your bag
the end but I said can I carry your bag
the end but I said can I carry your bag for you and she said yes and my dad
for you and she said yes and my dad
for you and she said yes and my dad having recently been amputated was
having recently been amputated was
having recently been amputated was wheeling around in a wheelchair he
wheeling around in a wheelchair he
wheeling around in a wheelchair he hadn’t gotten in this prosthetic leg yet
hadn’t gotten in this prosthetic leg yet
hadn’t gotten in this prosthetic leg yet so I’m carrying his bag and I’m carrying
so I’m carrying his bag and I’m carrying
so I’m carrying his bag and I’m carrying her bag but the load she was carrying on
her bag but the load she was carrying on
her bag but the load she was carrying on her heart was much heavier yesterday I
her heart was much heavier yesterday I
her heart was much heavier yesterday I was talking to some of the adults at
was talking to some of the adults at
was talking to some of the adults at school a lady named Miss Alex was
school a lady named Miss Alex was
school a lady named Miss Alex was telling me about a bad dating experience
telling me about a bad dating experience
telling me about a bad dating experience how she almost went on a date with a
how she almost went on a date with a
how she almost went on a date with a neo-nazi unknowingly and the things you
neo-nazi unknowingly and the things you
neo-nazi unknowingly and the things you went into and you take the time to ask
went into and you take the time to ask
went into and you take the time to ask people are absolutely incredible so from
people are absolutely incredible so from
people are absolutely incredible so from my own experience and from the
my own experience and from the
my own experience and from the experiences of those I’ve run into I’m
experiences of those I’ve run into I’m
experiences of those I’ve run into I’m gonna flip through a few things here
gonna flip through a few things here
gonna flip through a few things here number five in my first book some people
number five in my first book some people
number five in my first book some people will be beautiful because what they say
will be beautiful because what they say
will be beautiful because what they say do
do
do like act like think like etc remember
like act like think like etc remember
like act like think like etc remember that beauty can be in a lot of forms
that beauty can be in a lot of forms
that beauty can be in a lot of forms don’t stop to smell the roses too often
don’t stop to smell the roses too often
don’t stop to smell the roses too often but get happy about the small things
love who you are no matter what and in
love who you are no matter what and in this age where a lot of people like to
this age where a lot of people like to
this age where a lot of people like to base their love of their self off their
base their love of their self off their
base their love of their self off their social media presence or how many people
social media presence or how many people
social media presence or how many people like them or who they hang out with or
like them or who they hang out with or
like them or who they hang out with or what parties they go to that’s important
what parties they go to that’s important
what parties they go to that’s important to remember where things simply because
to remember where things simply because
to remember where things simply because you like them not always for the social
you like them not always for the social
you like them not always for the social parts now how many of you saw that I was
parts now how many of you saw that I was
parts now how many of you saw that I was wearing Birkenstocks with my business
wearing Birkenstocks with my business
wearing Birkenstocks with my business casual attire hey that’s one all right
casual attire hey that’s one all right
casual attire hey that’s one all right my fancy socks too it’s easy to remember
my fancy socks too it’s easy to remember
my fancy socks too it’s easy to remember the feeling of the dream than the events
the feeling of the dream than the events
the feeling of the dream than the events of it and see when I started running out
of it and see when I started running out
of it and see when I started running out a little observations to make about life
a little observations to make about life
a little observations to make about life I got really really detailed if it’s in
I got really really detailed if it’s in
I got really really detailed if it’s in quotes somebody else told it to me
quotes somebody else told it to me
quotes somebody else told it to me people like to offer new perspectives to
people like to offer new perspectives to
people like to offer new perspectives to things the golden life is to plant trees
things the golden life is to plant trees
things the golden life is to plant trees that you’ll never feel the shade of and
that you’ll never feel the shade of and
that you’ll never feel the shade of and things like that are important to
things like that are important to
things like that are important to remember now with the world that can be
remember now with the world that can be
remember now with the world that can be falling apart there’s more plastic in
falling apart there’s more plastic in
falling apart there’s more plastic in the ocean than there are fish and the
the ocean than there are fish and the
the ocean than there are fish and the generation right now that’s growing up
generation right now that’s growing up
generation right now that’s growing up my classmates we got our job ahead of us
my classmates we got our job ahead of us
my classmates we got our job ahead of us to prepare the world and our kids so
to prepare the world and our kids so
to prepare the world and our kids so hopefully they can have fish now I
hopefully they can have fish now I
hopefully they can have fish now I haven’t found my answers in a bottle a
haven’t found my answers in a bottle a
haven’t found my answers in a bottle a person of a book or found ignorance and
person of a book or found ignorance and
person of a book or found ignorance and bliss I’m open to suggestion last year
bliss I’m open to suggestion last year
bliss I’m open to suggestion last year didn’t go the best my dad was diagnosed
didn’t go the best my dad was diagnosed
didn’t go the best my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer he was chilling out
with stage 4 cancer he was chilling out
with stage 4 cancer he was chilling out on death’s porch for a while and that
on death’s porch for a while and that
on death’s porch for a while and that was a rough time and I started looking
was a rough time and I started looking
was a rough time and I started looking for happiness that’s where the book
for happiness that’s where the book
for happiness that’s where the book really came in because well I didn’t ask
really came in because well I didn’t ask
really came in because well I didn’t ask people how to be happy I started asking
people how to be happy I started asking
people how to be happy I started asking them more and more in-depth questions
them more and more in-depth questions
them more and more in-depth questions and some of them are sort of random in
and some of them are sort of random in
and some of them are sort of random in this summer I went up to st. Louis I
this summer I went up to st. Louis I
this summer I went up to st. Louis I started writing longer things and the
started writing longer things and the
started writing longer things and the summary of this is we had been on a bus
summary of this is we had been on a bus
summary of this is we had been on a bus for two days and we started brushing our
for two days and we started brushing our
for two days and we started brushing our teeth outside the portable lavatory is
teeth outside the portable lavatory is
teeth outside the portable lavatory is outside the arch of st. Louis that giant
outside the arch of st. Louis that giant
outside the arch of st. Louis that giant metal structure that’s a gateway to
metal structure that’s a gateway to
metal structure that’s a gateway to manifest destiny
manifest destiny
manifest destiny and I tendon came out said that waters
and I tendon came out said that waters
and I tendon came out said that waters not for oral consumption take that as
not for oral consumption take that as
not for oral consumption take that as you may the river water was brown and
you may the river water was brown and
you may the river water was brown and nearby it’s a general note and something
nearby it’s a general note and something
nearby it’s a general note and something really important that I found in all
really important that I found in all
really important that I found in all this was something my mom told me right
this was something my mom told me right
this was something my mom told me right after she told me how sick my dad was
after she told me how sick my dad was
after she told me how sick my dad was she told me it’s gonna be okay we just
she told me it’s gonna be okay we just
she told me it’s gonna be okay we just don’t know how okay is though now it’s
don’t know how okay is though now it’s
don’t know how okay is though now it’s hard to compress a whole life into nine
hard to compress a whole life into nine
hard to compress a whole life into nine minutes I’ve actually been over my talk
minutes I’ve actually been over my talk
minutes I’ve actually been over my talk now but I want you guys to leave here
now but I want you guys to leave here
now but I want you guys to leave here today thinking about the little events
today thinking about the little events
today thinking about the little events that made you make your own list if you
that made you make your own list if you
that made you make your own list if you need to and go off the premise that
need to and go off the premise that
need to and go off the premise that whatever you remember the most has
whatever you remember the most has
whatever you remember the most has changed you the most
changed you the most
changed you the most thank you
thank you
thank you [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
”
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