TED TALKS

Best TED Talks to Help You Kick Ass at Work (and in Life)

If you look in the right corners, the Internet can be an all-you-can-eat buffet of motivational quotes. But when it comes to making real changes, clever wordplay doesn't cut it. We need tangible actions and ideas to inspire us to break out of a rut.

That's why we took a deep dive in the world of TED talks and found the best ones to help you kick ass at work (and also, you know, life)—from how to survive a meeting to the steps you need to take to stop screwing yourself over. Sure, it's all easier said than done, but the stirring blend of science, anecdotes, and pregnant pauses delivered by charismatic experts makes us realize that the doing is a lot easier than we think.

1. Mel Robbins: How to Stop Screwing Yourself Over 

Mel Robbins comes across like the mildly terrifying teacher who pushed you to be your best and wouldn't accept anything less. The loving scold ("What do you want? And here's the deal, I don't want it to sound good to other people.") is just as effective in front of an audience as it is in the classroom. The no-bullshit approach is enough to make anyone feel empowered to really go out and get what they want. 

2. Shawn Achor: The Happy Secret to Better Work             

Shawn Achor's talk is both hilarious and poignant, and it kept us glued to the screen for the entire 12 minutes. The takeaway? Happiness breeds success, and if you can tap into the "happiness advantage," good things will follow. Concrete suggestions for becoming happier (the hard part) start around the 11-minute mark.

3. Amy Cuddy: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are

Social psychologist Amy Cuddy's talk on body langauge is an unlikely tearjerker, so make sure tissues are within arm's reach before pressing play. Cuddy shares her personal story of overcoming the feeling of being an impostor in the world of academia as a way to explain how anyone can become more confident and feel more powerful—all thanks to some simple psychological tricks. 

4. Alison Ledgerwood: Getting Stuck in the Negatives (and How to Get Unstuck)

Do you see the glass as half full or empty? Most people tend to see either the positive or negative, and that's just the way it is. Or is it? Social psychologist Alison Ledgerwood decided to investigate and found that when bad things happen, the harsh vibes tend to stick around longer than the elation we experience after hearing good news. Luckily at 7:35, Ledgerwood tells us how to turn it around.