Babson TED Talks Top 10

TED Talks Top 10
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Last month, 10 speakers from different walks of life came together for TEDx Babson College to talk Dimensions of Change.

The TED talks topics explored everything from living off the grid in a van in Australia, to physician burnout, to how the Boston Marathon has changed during its 123-year history.

TEDx Babson College is one of several forums that graduate students organize and host on campus each spring. As with the Latin American Forum, Sustainability Forum, and Babson India Symposium, the TEDx student committee coordinated the speaker selection, logistics, and marketing efforts required to make the event successful.

Read on for the TED talks top 10 most notable quotes from each of the TEDx Babson College speakers:

Lisa SimmonsDirector, Roxbury International Film Festival

“It’s important to have the space and freedom to make your own story, because stories can change lives. They wash over you, make the unfamiliar familiar, and spark conversations. Stories make you think, challenge you, change you, and make you who you are. What story can you tell that will change a life, fill a heart, or inspire a soul?”

Ari Fine Glantz–Director, New England Venture Capital Association

“The single life experience that I draw on every day and informs the business decisions I make does not show up on my LinkedIn profile. It’s this: if you want to change your life and career for the better, the best thing you can do is go live in a van in Australia. This experience reinforced that there is no right path. The long and winding roads lead to more fulfillment.”

Jillian Friot–Entrepreneur Program Manager, SolidWorks

“If you’re trying, you’re not failing, because at least you are learning.”

Farshid Varasteh MBA ’19

“Change starts when we act despite our fears. When we are hopeful, we are powerful. It is so much better to make decisions from a position of hope and patience with ourselves and those we love. When we don’t know what to do, imagine the future in order to act in the present. Feel your fear, and then jump in anyway.”


When we don’t know what to do, imagine the future in order to act in the present. Feel your fear, and then jump in anyway.
Farshid Varasteh, MBA '19

Mandy Bowman ’12–Founder and CEO, Official Black Wall Street

“I realized that in order to be the entrepreneur I’d always dreamed of being, I would have to come out of my comfort zone. Comfort zones are great places to relax and restore, but do not pitch a tent there. Today, I am proud to say I am terrified of completely new and different things.”

Eliza Lay RyanActor, Dancer, and Teacher

“All experiences are data. The more data we have, the better choices we can make. Diverse experiences loosen our grip on being right, expand our capacity to innovate, and bring more curiosity to the flow of life.”

Scott TaylorAssociate Professor of Organizational Behavior, Babson College

“Powerful change is rooted in letting other people help us to see our ideal self. Be a part of someone’s sustainable change by letting them know what you think they’re good at and showing them their ideal self.”

Neha SangwanFounder and CEO, Intuitive Intelligence

“In order to reach your full potential, you have to be able to take the 18-inch journey from your head to your heart, and hear the voice of your own heart slightly louder than the voices of others. You will never be able to prove something to others that you don’t believe yourself, in your heart.”

Tom GrilkCEO, Boston Athletic Association

“When it comes to making decisions about change, be it personal or organizational, let your values lead the way. Be true to your values, and then connect them to your customer’s values, and good things happen.”

Wes Woodson ’20–Founder and CEO, thehidden

“Change will never define you, so just let it fuel you. Change is what helps to make us multidimensional and unique.”

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