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The key to great ideas: exploring your abyss | Gimmy Chu | TEDxToronto


why is the sky blue

why is the sky blue how to fish breathe underwater if I ate

how to fish breathe underwater if I ate

how to fish breathe underwater if I ate a watermelon seed am I gonna grow a

a watermelon seed am I gonna grow a

a watermelon seed am I gonna grow a watermelon with my belly now when I was

watermelon with my belly now when I was

watermelon with my belly now when I was a kid I’d asked these kind of questions

a kid I’d asked these kind of questions

a kid I’d asked these kind of questions and in fact when I was seven years old I

and in fact when I was seven years old I

and in fact when I was seven years old I swallowed a watermelon seed and what

swallowed a watermelon seed and what

swallowed a watermelon seed and what followed was an entire day of panicking

followed was an entire day of panicking

followed was an entire day of panicking that my belly was going to explode from

that my belly was going to explode from

that my belly was going to explode from growing a watermelon it was a very

growing a watermelon it was a very

growing a watermelon it was a very traumatic day for seven year old me but

traumatic day for seven year old me but

traumatic day for seven year old me but that’s the story for another day

that’s the story for another day

that’s the story for another day now let’s bring your attention to this

now let’s bring your attention to this

now let’s bring your attention to this slide how many kittens do you see most

slide how many kittens do you see most

slide how many kittens do you see most people would immediately answer three

people would immediately answer three

people would immediately answer three but that’s because Society encourages us

but that’s because Society encourages us

but that’s because Society encourages us to always be ready to give answers the

to always be ready to give answers the

to always be ready to give answers the question that you should have been

question that you should have been

question that you should have been asking and hopefully a few of you did is

asking and hopefully a few of you did is

asking and hopefully a few of you did is why is the speaker showing me pictures

why is the speaker showing me pictures

why is the speaker showing me pictures of his cat

of his cat

of his cat now this instinct to question everything

now this instinct to question everything

now this instinct to question everything it comes naturally to us as children

it comes naturally to us as children

it comes naturally to us as children every experience is new and curiosity

every experience is new and curiosity

every experience is new and curiosity allows us to explore the world and you

allows us to explore the world and you

allows us to explore the world and you learn new things however at some point

learn new things however at some point

learn new things however at some point we stop questioning the world around us

we stop questioning the world around us

we stop questioning the world around us we stop being curious and it’s a serious

we stop being curious and it’s a serious

we stop being curious and it’s a serious issue because it’s this desire to

issue because it’s this desire to

issue because it’s this desire to question and explore the unknown that

question and explore the unknown that

question and explore the unknown that really drives innovation now this issue

really drives innovation now this issue

really drives innovation now this issue is rooted in how we form our world of

is rooted in how we form our world of

is rooted in how we form our world of knowledge so in our world of knowledge

knowledge so in our world of knowledge

knowledge so in our world of knowledge there’s the things that we know there’s

there’s the things that we know there’s

there’s the things that we know there’s the things that we know we don’t know

the things that we know we don’t know

the things that we know we don’t know and then there’s the abyss

and then there’s the abyss

and then there’s the abyss so the abyss contains everything that

so the abyss contains everything that

so the abyss contains everything that we’re completely unaware of the things

we’re completely unaware of the things

we’re completely unaware of the things that we don’t know we don’t know and as

that we don’t know we don’t know and as

that we don’t know we don’t know and as a kid your world of knowledge only

a kid your world of knowledge only

a kid your world of knowledge only exists in the abyss your mind is a blank

exists in the abyss your mind is a blank

exists in the abyss your mind is a blank slate and as you experience the world

slate and as you experience the world

slate and as you experience the world you start to file things into the things

you start to file things into the things

you start to file things into the things that you know or the things that you

that you know or the things that you

that you know or the things that you don’t know and as you get older these

don’t know and as you get older these

don’t know and as you get older these two buckets of knowledge grows and it

two buckets of knowledge grows and it

two buckets of knowledge grows and it shapes the way that you view the

shapes the way that you view the

shapes the way that you view the and you start to think that you

and you start to think that you

and you start to think that you understand how everything works but the

understand how everything works but the

understand how everything works but the problem is as this happens we choose to

problem is as this happens we choose to

problem is as this happens we choose to stop exploring the abyss we choose to

stop exploring the abyss we choose to

stop exploring the abyss we choose to play it safe and the things that we know

play it safe and the things that we know

play it safe and the things that we know or focusing our energy on learning the

or focusing our energy on learning the

or focusing our energy on learning the things that we don’t know and and and I

things that we don’t know and and and I

things that we don’t know and and and I get it you know the abyss it’s this dark

get it you know the abyss it’s this dark

get it you know the abyss it’s this dark uncharted territory and it can be a bit

uncharted territory and it can be a bit

uncharted territory and it can be a bit scary but it’s in the abyss where we

scary but it’s in the abyss where we

scary but it’s in the abyss where we could find the new ideas it’s in the

could find the new ideas it’s in the

could find the new ideas it’s in the abyss where true innovation can be

abyss where true innovation can be

abyss where true innovation can be discovered because anything else that

discovered because anything else that

discovered because anything else that you already know or you don’t know these

you already know or you don’t know these

you already know or you don’t know these are just existing ideas that people have

are just existing ideas that people have

are just existing ideas that people have already thought up as the CEO of a

already thought up as the CEO of a

already thought up as the CEO of a start-up I see my role as an explorer

start-up I see my role as an explorer

start-up I see my role as an explorer and my company nano Leif is like a kid

and my company nano Leif is like a kid

and my company nano Leif is like a kid trying to explore the world to figure

trying to explore the world to figure

trying to explore the world to figure out its place and its purpose

out its place and its purpose

out its place and its purpose so every day we spend it exploring the

so every day we spend it exploring the

so every day we spend it exploring the abyss you know how do we create products

abyss you know how do we create products

abyss you know how do we create products that people will love how do we make an

that people will love how do we make an

that people will love how do we make an impact which direction should we go in

impact which direction should we go in

impact which direction should we go in order to figure this all out we need to

order to figure this all out we need to

order to figure this all out we need to be constantly questioning how things are

be constantly questioning how things are

be constantly questioning how things are done and asking is there a better way

back in 2013 I started Nana leaf with

back in 2013 I started Nana leaf with two of my best friends and we wanted to

two of my best friends and we wanted to

two of my best friends and we wanted to make products that could make an impact

make products that could make an impact

make products that could make an impact on the world particularly around

on the world particularly around

on the world particularly around sustainability and lighting and I

sustainability and lighting and I

sustainability and lighting and I remember walking through this lighting

remember walking through this lighting

remember walking through this lighting trade show in China and seeing a sea of

trade show in China and seeing a sea of

trade show in China and seeing a sea of lightbulb companies and their products

lightbulb companies and their products

lightbulb companies and their products all look the same your typical boring

all look the same your typical boring

all look the same your typical boring light bulbs and not very

light bulbs and not very

light bulbs and not very energy-efficient and we do that the

energy-efficient and we do that the

energy-efficient and we do that the underlying LED technology had the

underlying LED technology had the

underlying LED technology had the potential to be at least twice as

potential to be at least twice as

potential to be at least twice as energy-efficient so we wondered why

energy-efficient so we wondered why

energy-efficient so we wondered why aren’t they doing it why couldn’t it be

aren’t they doing it why couldn’t it be

aren’t they doing it why couldn’t it be better and could we be the ones to

better and could we be the ones to

better and could we be the ones to improve it so for the next few months we

improve it so for the next few months we

improve it so for the next few months we set off on a mission to build a better

set off on a mission to build a better

set off on a mission to build a better light bulb and we started with some

light bulb and we started with some

light bulb and we started with some simple questions like there’s a light

simple questions like there’s a light

simple questions like there’s a light bulb have to be round does it have to be

bulb have to be round does it have to be

bulb have to be round does it have to be encased in glass

encased in glass

encased in glass how do we make an LED bulb more

how do we make an LED bulb more

how do we make an LED bulb more energy-efficient we ended up with this

energy-efficient we ended up with this

energy-efficient we ended up with this it was twice as energy efficient as any

it was twice as energy efficient as any

it was twice as energy efficient as any other light bulb on the market the three

other light bulb on the market the three

other light bulb on the market the three of us we won awards around the world for

of us we won awards around the world for

of us we won awards around the world for having the world’s most energy-efficient

having the world’s most energy-efficient

having the world’s most energy-efficient light bulb and true to our goal of

light bulb and true to our goal of

light bulb and true to our goal of sustainability it was built to last for

sustainability it was built to last for

sustainability it was built to last for over 30 years looking back I think it

over 30 years looking back I think it

over 30 years looking back I think it benefited us that we had never created a

benefited us that we had never created a

benefited us that we had never created a light bulb before because without any

light bulb before because without any

light bulb before because without any prior knowledge limiting our

prior knowledge limiting our

prior knowledge limiting our imaginations we were able to explore the

imaginations we were able to explore the

imaginations we were able to explore the abyss and and create something that the

abyss and and create something that the

abyss and and create something that the world hadn’t seen before so for us for

world hadn’t seen before so for us for

world hadn’t seen before so for us for us thinking beyond what people had today

us thinking beyond what people had today

us thinking beyond what people had today allowed us to create something that the

allowed us to create something that the

allowed us to create something that the world hadn’t seen before

world hadn’t seen before

world hadn’t seen before and after we created our first light

and after we created our first light

and after we created our first light bulb we started to question even the

bulb we started to question even the

bulb we started to question even the light bulb itself now if you think about

light bulb itself now if you think about

light bulb itself now if you think about it before the light bulb was invented to

it before the light bulb was invented to

it before the light bulb was invented to get light inside people used candles it

get light inside people used candles it

get light inside people used candles it was a single focal point of light that

was a single focal point of light that

was a single focal point of light that you either put on a table or you hung on

you either put on a table or you hung on

you either put on a table or you hung on a wall and after the light bulb was

a wall and after the light bulb was

a wall and after the light bulb was created it effectively did the same

created it effectively did the same

created it effectively did the same thing you’d either screw it into a lamp

thing you’d either screw it into a lamp

thing you’d either screw it into a lamp on a table or you’d hang it on the wall

on a table or you’d hang it on the wall

on a table or you’d hang it on the wall or sometimes you flip it upside down and

or sometimes you flip it upside down and

or sometimes you flip it upside down and put on your ceiling and for the last

put on your ceiling and for the last

put on your ceiling and for the last hundred years we continued to model

hundred years we continued to model

hundred years we continued to model light after that the candle now the

light after that the candle now the

light after that the candle now the existing light bulb companies they all

existing light bulb companies they all

existing light bulb companies they all had years of experience making these

had years of experience making these

had years of experience making these incandescent bulbs and the incandescent

incandescent bulbs and the incandescent

incandescent bulbs and the incandescent bulbs designed this way for a reason it

bulbs designed this way for a reason it

bulbs designed this way for a reason it needed the glass dome so that it could

needed the glass dome so that it could

needed the glass dome so that it could block off the oxygen from the filament

block off the oxygen from the filament

block off the oxygen from the filament that way the little filament wouldn’t

that way the little filament wouldn’t

that way the little filament wouldn’t burst into flames and you needed to

burst into flames and you needed to

burst into flames and you needed to screw it into a fixture because the the

screw it into a fixture because the the

screw it into a fixture because the the thing heats up to 300 degrees right but

thing heats up to 300 degrees right but

thing heats up to 300 degrees right but with LED technology all of that became

with LED technology all of that became

with LED technology all of that became irrelevant so why were people still

irrelevant so why were people still

irrelevant so why were people still making light this way why were they just

making light this way why were they just

making light this way why were they just stuffing this complex LED technology

stuffing this complex LED technology

stuffing this complex LED technology into the shape of a light bulb to create

into the shape of a light bulb to create

into the shape of a light bulb to create light it’s because they stayed in the

light it’s because they stayed in the

light it’s because they stayed in the things that they know light comes from a

things that they know light comes from a

things that they know light comes from a light bulb

light bulb

light bulb they didn’t bother to explore their

they didn’t bother to explore their

they didn’t bother to explore their abyss so again we took advantage of

abyss so again we took advantage of

abyss so again we took advantage of having fresh eyes to look at the problem

having fresh eyes to look at the problem

having fresh eyes to look at the problem and we dove into the abyss and we asked

and we dove into the abyss and we asked

and we dove into the abyss and we asked ourselves what is the best source of

ourselves what is the best source of

ourselves what is the best source of light that we have today and on most

light that we have today and on most

light that we have today and on most days it’s the sky you know we’ve all

days it’s the sky you know we’ve all

days it’s the sky you know we’ve all been there sitting on a beach on a

been there sitting on a beach on a

been there sitting on a beach on a bright sunny day watching the sunset

bright sunny day watching the sunset

bright sunny day watching the sunset with its bright reds and oranges and

with its bright reds and oranges and

with its bright reds and oranges and purples or just last month I went to

purples or just last month I went to

purples or just last month I went to Iceland and we drove for hours to catch

Iceland and we drove for hours to catch

Iceland and we drove for hours to catch a glimpse of the majestic colors of the

a glimpse of the majestic colors of the

a glimpse of the majestic colors of the Northern Lights nothing gets better than

Northern Lights nothing gets better than

Northern Lights nothing gets better than natural lighting from the sky so why not

natural lighting from the sky so why not

natural lighting from the sky so why not model lighting after that why not model

model lighting after that why not model

model lighting after that why not model lighting after the sky and we ended up

lighting after the sky and we ended up

lighting after the sky and we ended up with this these are the Nano leaf light

with this these are the Nano leaf light

with this these are the Nano leaf light panels each panel gives off soft

panels each panel gives off soft

panels each panel gives off soft comfortable light they’re modular so you

comfortable light they’re modular so you

comfortable light they’re modular so you could put them together in any shape to

could put them together in any shape to

could put them together in any shape to form a canvas that emulates a window or

form a canvas that emulates a window or

form a canvas that emulates a window or a skylight and you could have light and

a skylight and you could have light and

a skylight and you could have light and color flow through them to create

color flow through them to create

color flow through them to create effects just like the sky and for us

effects just like the sky and for us

effects just like the sky and for us this was our way of shattering the

this was our way of shattering the

this was our way of shattering the traditional way of lighting and thinking

traditional way of lighting and thinking

traditional way of lighting and thinking beyond the light bulb for us asking the

beyond the light bulb for us asking the

beyond the light bulb for us asking the way questions allowed us to spur our

way questions allowed us to spur our

way questions allowed us to spur our minds to think beyond what the world has

minds to think beyond what the world has

minds to think beyond what the world has today to create something that the world

today to create something that the world

today to create something that the world hadn’t seen before and my favorite thing

hadn’t seen before and my favorite thing

hadn’t seen before and my favorite thing is when I see someone set up their light

is when I see someone set up their light

is when I see someone set up their light panels for the first time and inevitably

panels for the first time and inevitably

panels for the first time and inevitably they’d break out in a huge grin and it

they’d break out in a huge grin and it

they’d break out in a huge grin and it makes me happy to know that we created

makes me happy to know that we created

makes me happy to know that we created something that brings joy to people’s

something that brings joy to people’s

something that brings joy to people’s lives we launched this at the moment

lives we launched this at the moment

lives we launched this at the moment design store in New York and now it’s

design store in New York and now it’s

design store in New York and now it’s being sold all over the world in places

being sold all over the world in places

being sold all over the world in places like Best Buy Apple Retail Home Depot

like Best Buy Apple Retail Home Depot

like Best Buy Apple Retail Home Depot and many more and it’s mind-boggling

and many more and it’s mind-boggling

and many more and it’s mind-boggling that something as simple as a light bulb

that something as simple as a light bulb

that something as simple as a light bulb something that’s in every single room

something that’s in every single room

something that’s in every single room that we step into can stay pretty much

that we step into can stay pretty much

that we step into can stay pretty much unchanged for an entire century without

unchanged for an entire century without

unchanged for an entire century without somebody questioning is there a better

somebody questioning is there a better

somebody questioning is there a better way and it really makes me wonder what

way and it really makes me wonder what

way and it really makes me wonder what else is just beyond the reach of our

else is just beyond the reach of our

else is just beyond the reach of our imagination

imagination

imagination the thing that I love most about

the thing that I love most about

the thing that I love most about exploring the abyss is that it actually

exploring the abyss is that it actually

exploring the abyss is that it actually encourages us to stay open-minded and

encourages us to stay open-minded and

encourages us to stay open-minded and what I mean is more on a personal level

what I mean is more on a personal level

what I mean is more on a personal level not on a business or a product

not on a business or a product

not on a business or a product development level because every single

development level because every single

development level because every single one of us has a different world of

one of us has a different world of

one of us has a different world of knowledge something that you know may

knowledge something that you know may

knowledge something that you know may not be something that I know and

not be something that I know and

not be something that I know and something that exists in my abyss may be

something that exists in my abyss may be

something that exists in my abyss may be something that somebody else knows and

something that somebody else knows and

something that somebody else knows and there’s a beauty in exploring your abyss

there’s a beauty in exploring your abyss

there’s a beauty in exploring your abyss through interacting with other people

through interacting with other people

through interacting with other people whether it’s meeting someone from a

whether it’s meeting someone from a

whether it’s meeting someone from a different country or talking to someone

different country or talking to someone

different country or talking to someone from a different walk of life about

from a different walk of life about

from a different walk of life about their challenges and their ambitions and

their challenges and their ambitions and

their challenges and their ambitions and I imagine this is why people watch TED

I imagine this is why people watch TED

I imagine this is why people watch TED talks it’s to see the world through

talks it’s to see the world through

talks it’s to see the world through someone else’s eyes it’s a humbling

someone else’s eyes it’s a humbling

someone else’s eyes it’s a humbling thing because with every person that I

thing because with every person that I

thing because with every person that I mean I wonder what can I learn from them

mean I wonder what can I learn from them

mean I wonder what can I learn from them and the fundamental element of this is

and the fundamental element of this is

and the fundamental element of this is understanding that what you know and

understanding that what you know and

understanding that what you know and what you don’t know is so small compared

what you don’t know is so small compared

what you don’t know is so small compared to the vast expanse of your abyss so I

to the vast expanse of your abyss so I

to the vast expanse of your abyss so I encourage every one of you to look upon

encourage every one of you to look upon

encourage every one of you to look upon the world with fresh eyes an open mind

the world with fresh eyes an open mind

the world with fresh eyes an open mind and an open heart

and an open heart

and an open heart treat your abyss like a playground

treat your abyss like a playground

treat your abyss like a playground because what you’ll find may change your

because what you’ll find may change your

because what you’ll find may change your life what you’ll find may change our

life what you’ll find may change our

life what you’ll find may change our world thank you

”

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