I believe that every decision we make has the potential to be the creation
has the potential to be the creation
has the potential to be the creation moment of a great story right in between
moment of a great story right in between
moment of a great story right in between the before and after there is a tiny
the before and after there is a tiny
the before and after there is a tiny tiny little space but in that space we
tiny little space but in that space we
tiny little space but in that space we decide what happens next it’s into what
decide what happens next it’s into what
decide what happens next it’s into what happens next where we define who we are
happens next where we define who we are
happens next where we define who we are is what happens after you commit to
is what happens after you commit to
is what happens after you commit to something and you follow through or
something and you follow through or
something and you follow through or dislike not to follow through a year ago
dislike not to follow through a year ago
dislike not to follow through a year ago this month I attended my first teddy
this month I attended my first teddy
this month I attended my first teddy bent here in Singapore there I heard a
bent here in Singapore there I heard a
bent here in Singapore there I heard a story an incredible story about a woman
story an incredible story about a woman
story an incredible story about a woman who came to Singapore as a domestic
who came to Singapore as a domestic
who came to Singapore as a domestic worker and returned to her country to
worker and returned to her country to
worker and returned to her country to start her own business it’s a story of
start her own business it’s a story of
start her own business it’s a story of empowerment and education and of someone
empowerment and education and of someone
empowerment and education and of someone deciding to change the narrative of her
deciding to change the narrative of her
deciding to change the narrative of her life I was not the only one crying
life I was not the only one crying
life I was not the only one crying everyone in the audience was crying so
everyone in the audience was crying so
everyone in the audience was crying so it was okay to cry after the talks were
it was okay to cry after the talks were
it was okay to cry after the talks were over Neel ashika came to our group and
over Neel ashika came to our group and
over Neel ashika came to our group and introduced herself and said hello
introduced herself and said hello
introduced herself and said hello she told us more about her business and
she told us more about her business and
she told us more about her business and the nonprofit work that she was doing
the nonprofit work that she was doing
the nonprofit work that she was doing helping other woman like herself start
helping other woman like herself start
helping other woman like herself start their own business I was quite impressed
their own business I was quite impressed
their own business I was quite impressed that someone could do so much with so
that someone could do so much with so
that someone could do so much with so little so I offered my help and she said
little so I offered my help and she said
little so I offered my help and she said yes and I wish my pledge of help would
yes and I wish my pledge of help would
yes and I wish my pledge of help would be more poetic and have more emotion but
be more poetic and have more emotion but
be more poetic and have more emotion but it was as simple as that I said kneel
it was as simple as that I said kneel
it was as simple as that I said kneel ashika I’m going to help you realize a
ashika I’m going to help you realize a
ashika I’m going to help you realize a dream and she said okay that was that
dream and she said okay that was that
dream and she said okay that was that four months later
four months later
four months later Neel ashika and I met again I was
Neel ashika and I met again I was
Neel ashika and I met again I was finishing a case study and had time to
finishing a case study and had time to
finishing a case study and had time to take up a new one so I checked her
take up a new one so I checked her
take up a new one so I checked her Facebook feed and noticed that not much
Facebook feed and noticed that not much
Facebook feed and noticed that not much had changed so I saw an opportunity
had changed so I saw an opportunity
had changed so I saw an opportunity where I could help her I contacted her
where I could help her I contacted her
where I could help her I contacted her and I offered to coach her
and I offered to coach her
and I offered to coach her coincidentally she was coming to
coincidentally she was coming to
coincidentally she was coming to Singapore the next day so we met and we
Singapore the next day so we met and we
Singapore the next day so we met and we talked and we decided that she would be
talked and we decided that she would be
talked and we decided that she would be my next case study we were going to
my next case study we were going to
my next case study we were going to explore the possibility of helping her
explore the possibility of helping her
explore the possibility of helping her launch her own tea brand along the way
launch her own tea brand along the way
launch her own tea brand along the way we met other people that join in the
we met other people that join in the
we met other people that join in the story people who I’d like to refer to as
story people who I’d like to refer to as
story people who I’d like to refer to as the heroes of this story I met an
the heroes of this story I met an
the heroes of this story I met an incredible graphic designer who designed
incredible graphic designer who designed
incredible graphic designer who designed the logo and branding for neelu tea a
the logo and branding for neelu tea a
the logo and branding for neelu tea a non-profit guru who helps to keep nila
non-profit guru who helps to keep nila
non-profit guru who helps to keep nila chicas business separate from her
chicas business separate from her
chicas business separate from her nonprofit work a Dream Maker disguised
nonprofit work a Dream Maker disguised
nonprofit work a Dream Maker disguised as a tea producer and a patient and wise
as a tea producer and a patient and wise
as a tea producer and a patient and wise mentor who keeps me saying everybody
mentor who keeps me saying everybody
mentor who keeps me saying everybody needs a coach so even the coach got a
needs a coach so even the coach got a
needs a coach so even the coach got a cup coach in July I trap Srilanka to
cup coach in July I trap Srilanka to
cup coach in July I trap Srilanka to meet with their tea producers and take
meet with their tea producers and take
meet with their tea producers and take our own stock images up until this point
our own stock images up until this point
our own stock images up until this point I had been using stock images I’d found
I had been using stock images I’d found
I had been using stock images I’d found on the internet and my knowledge of tea
on the internet and my knowledge of tea
on the internet and my knowledge of tea production and my visuals of what our
production and my visuals of what our
production and my visuals of what our branding would be looking like was based
branding would be looking like was based
branding would be looking like was based on what I found on the Internet so our
on what I found on the Internet so our
on what I found on the Internet so our tea producer arranged for us to visit a
tea producer arranged for us to visit a
tea producer arranged for us to visit a tea factory where we learned all there
tea factory where we learned all there
tea factory where we learned all there is to learn about tea ever since taking
is to learn about tea ever since taking
is to learn about tea ever since taking that tour tea tastes so much better
that tour tea tastes so much better
that tour tea tastes so much better because I recognize and I remember all
because I recognize and I remember all
because I recognize and I remember all the hands it touches from garden to cup
the hands it touches from garden to cup
the hands it touches from garden to cup quite a remarkable experience after our
quite a remarkable experience after our
quite a remarkable experience after our tour of the factory we were invited to
tour of the factory we were invited to
tour of the factory we were invited to go out to the tea gardens where we could
go out to the tea gardens where we could
go out to the tea gardens where we could meet the tea pickers who had inspired
meet the tea pickers who had inspired
meet the tea pickers who had inspired our logo our branding and basically the
our logo our branding and basically the
our logo our branding and basically the vision and values for neelu tea as a
vision and values for neelu tea as a
vision and values for neelu tea as a photographer for me this was a highlight
photographer for me this was a highlight
photographer for me this was a highlight in my career it was absolutely enjoyable
in my career it was absolutely enjoyable
in my career it was absolutely enjoyable to be up in the mountains and create
to be up in the mountains and create
to be up in the mountains and create images that were absolutely satisfying
images that were absolutely satisfying
images that were absolutely satisfying we decided to spend a little bit of time
we decided to spend a little bit of time
we decided to spend a little bit of time with them and as we were getting to know
with them and as we were getting to know
with them and as we were getting to know each other I suggested Tennille ashika
each other I suggested Tennille ashika
each other I suggested Tennille ashika that she should show what the actual
that she should show what the actual
that she should show what the actual branding and logo looked like one thing
branding and logo looked like one thing
branding and logo looked like one thing is to describe
is to describe
is to describe what it looked like and another is to
what it looked like and another is to
what it looked like and another is to say this is what it looks like
say this is what it looks like
say this is what it looks like so I happen to have a printout of the
so I happen to have a printout of the
so I happen to have a printout of the cover page for our marketing
cover page for our marketing
cover page for our marketing presentation I took it out and I gave it
presentation I took it out and I gave it
presentation I took it out and I gave it to Neelu and I said Neelu you should
to Neelu and I said Neelu you should
to Neelu and I said Neelu you should show it so she did and she starts to do
show it so she did and she starts to do
show it so she did and she starts to do that a woman in the group shouts we know
that a woman in the group shouts we know
that a woman in the group shouts we know this woman this is Nita mother and she’s
this woman this is Nita mother and she’s
this woman this is Nita mother and she’s referring to the woman in the image of
referring to the woman in the image of
referring to the woman in the image of course that could not be that just
course that could not be that just
course that could not be that just doesn’t happen I’m still getting
doesn’t happen I’m still getting
doesn’t happen I’m still getting goosebumps because I remember how
goosebumps because I remember how
goosebumps because I remember how incredible that moment was eventually
incredible that moment was eventually
incredible that moment was eventually someone went looking for this woman who
someone went looking for this woman who
someone went looking for this woman who they thought was new Tamela and as we’re
they thought was new Tamela and as we’re
they thought was new Tamela and as we’re waiting we’re all full of anxiety
waiting we’re all full of anxiety
waiting we’re all full of anxiety because there’s so many things you know
because there’s so many things you know
because there’s so many things you know this woman could look like the image but
this woman could look like the image but
this woman could look like the image but not really be near mother when she
not really be near mother when she
not really be near mother when she arrives Neelu shows her the image and
arrives Neelu shows her the image and
arrives Neelu shows her the image and asks is this year when Nita my last saw
asks is this year when Nita my last saw
asks is this year when Nita my last saw her image she cried
her image she cried
her image she cried we all cried ever since I came back to
we all cried ever since I came back to
we all cried ever since I came back to Singapore after that trip I spent two
Singapore after that trip I spent two
Singapore after that trip I spent two days in bed crying because I could not
days in bed crying because I could not
days in bed crying because I could not comprehend how it could happen but it
comprehend how it could happen but it
comprehend how it could happen but it did there’s a before marry in an after
did there’s a before marry in an after
did there’s a before marry in an after marry after this moment because I’ve
marry after this moment because I’ve
marry after this moment because I’ve been a photographer since the age of 13
been a photographer since the age of 13
been a photographer since the age of 13 but this was the first time I could see
but this was the first time I could see
but this was the first time I could see with my heart and that’s really not easy
with my heart and that’s really not easy
with my heart and that’s really not easy to comprehend so what do you call this
to comprehend so what do you call this
to comprehend so what do you call this serendipity coincidence God they’re
serendipity coincidence God they’re
serendipity coincidence God they’re stars aligning to create a moment out of
stars aligning to create a moment out of
stars aligning to create a moment out of the 1 million possibilities when I
the 1 million possibilities when I
the 1 million possibilities when I search for tea picker I was given 1
search for tea picker I was given 1
search for tea picker I was given 1 million possibilities and out of those
million possibilities and out of those
million possibilities and out of those million possibilities I chose this image
million possibilities I chose this image
million possibilities I chose this image and now this image returned to the
and now this image returned to the
and now this image returned to the mountain where it was originally taken
mountain where it was originally taken
mountain where it was originally taken the sum of all my actions all my
the sum of all my actions all my
the sum of all my actions all my decisions all my good days my bad days
decisions all my good days my bad days
decisions all my good days my bad days my doubts my fears took me to a moment
my doubts my fears took me to a moment
my doubts my fears took me to a moment where I realized that I was meant to be
where I realized that I was meant to be
where I realized that I was meant to be there and I was doing exactly what I was
there and I was doing exactly what I was
there and I was doing exactly what I was meant to do if there is a way to measure
meant to do if there is a way to measure
meant to do if there is a way to measure the impact of our actions in our
the impact of our actions in our
the impact of our actions in our decisions that was it the message was
decisions that was it the message was
decisions that was it the message was clear we are all connected when I see
clear we are all connected when I see
clear we are all connected when I see this image I see Neelu realizing a dream
this image I see Neelu realizing a dream
this image I see Neelu realizing a dream I see a photographer’s work going full
I see a photographer’s work going full
I see a photographer’s work going full circle when the image took return to the
circle when the image took return to the
circle when the image took return to the mountain to the woman in that image
mountain to the woman in that image
mountain to the woman in that image I see the TED platform and the reason
I see the TED platform and the reason
I see the TED platform and the reason why it exists and how stories have the
why it exists and how stories have the
why it exists and how stories have the power to motivate us to go outside of
power to motivate us to go outside of
power to motivate us to go outside of our comfort zones but the most important
our comfort zones but the most important
our comfort zones but the most important thing that I saw or that I continued to
thing that I saw or that I continued to
thing that I saw or that I continued to see with that image is that I didn’t do
see with that image is that I didn’t do
see with that image is that I didn’t do it alone and that is the greatest
it alone and that is the greatest
it alone and that is the greatest feeling in the world good stories are
feeling in the world good stories are
feeling in the world good stories are out there and like beacons they’re
out there and like beacons they’re
out there and like beacons they’re sending invitations in the hopes that a
sending invitations in the hopes that a
sending invitations in the hopes that a game-changer takes the bait they want to
game-changer takes the bait they want to
game-changer takes the bait they want to meet you halfway but you have to take a
meet you halfway but you have to take a
meet you halfway but you have to take a journey you have to go and discover
journey you have to go and discover
journey you have to go and discover yourself you have to discover the power
yourself you have to discover the power
yourself you have to discover the power that you have to create you have to
that you have to create you have to
that you have to create you have to discover who you are and your
discover who you are and your
discover who you are and your limitations perhaps you’ll discover that
limitations perhaps you’ll discover that
limitations perhaps you’ll discover that you have none every motivational quote
you have none every motivational quote
you have none every motivational quote out there has some truth to it
out there has some truth to it
out there has some truth to it they’re fragments of a universal
they’re fragments of a universal
they’re fragments of a universal language and wisdom that comes through
language and wisdom that comes through
language and wisdom that comes through when a person like myself experiences a
when a person like myself experiences a
when a person like myself experiences a glimpse of their life purpose up on top
glimpse of their life purpose up on top
glimpse of their life purpose up on top of that mountain there was a 13 year old
of that mountain there was a 13 year old
of that mountain there was a 13 year old girl who was absolutely excited that 25
girl who was absolutely excited that 25
girl who was absolutely excited that 25 years later she had created an image
years later she had created an image
years later she had created an image that beautiful they’re also my doubts
that beautiful they’re also my doubts
that beautiful they’re also my doubts and my fears along with me
and my fears along with me
and my fears along with me there was also passion my mistakes they
there was also passion my mistakes they
there was also passion my mistakes they were all there standing right next to me
were all there standing right next to me
were all there standing right next to me and together we created something
and together we created something
and together we created something absolutely fantastic
there are 2,000 stories in this room
there are 2,000 stories in this room which one are you going to be part of
which one are you going to be part of
which one are you going to be part of because I believe that today you decide
because I believe that today you decide
because I believe that today you decide what happens next
what happens next
what happens next thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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