I'm not suprised that teenagers are like this because we are meant to act like adults yet we get treated like a child

"You don't fail when you aim high and miss; you fail when you aim low, and you hit." -Laurence Lewars. NICE!

Does anyone else feel like they have a goal that school is just getting in the way of, but you work hard in school anyways just because you've been taught that you have to do that for whatever reason?

"Some even as young as 14" That made me pause. I honestly thought it was normal to feel like your life had no value. I started feeling like that after I moved into grade 8 and away from the one teacher I had who I genuinely loved. I just turned 14 and I have panic attacks because the people around me know what they want to do and I don't even have a clue.

To all the teens who don't have a dream, same.

give this man a cookie! He litreally lighted up the dark side every teenager's got inside .

I've watched a few of these ted talks and what I saw was that only teenagers are talking about the cycle of life. How they could change it. Adults just don't care anymore for this wich is really sad to see.

I'm 14 and I don't know if this happens to other people but, every time I have an ambition or a dream, I discard it by thinking of my flaws or the talents I don't have. For example: I want to be a fashion designer, but, I can't draw at all. I want to be a journalist, but, I have social anxiety and fear of public speaking. And so on, so on. That's why it's so difficult for me to find a career I geniunely like, because those thoughts make me think I dislike the careers, if that makes sense.

I never told anyone this before, I want to be a politician. Not because I am power hungry, but because I want to dedicate my life to representing the voices in my community and making the world a better place. If I was able to follow this career path, I would be the happiest girl in the world. Wow, I'm crying while typing this.

I made a mistake of telling my dad what I wanted to be when I grow up. It turns out he only wanted me to become a doctor (preferably a pediatrician) and when I failed to get into medical school, he never forgave me for it, said (more like shouted) I disappointed him. That damaged my sense of worth for a long time (I felt like I was worth nothing). I really contemplated suicide. I mean, to this day, my dad still sees me as a disappointment or "of lesser worth" for not having become a doctor. He doesn't take me seriously anymore - he accuses me of not trying hard enough, lazy; that's why I failed to become a doctor. I regret telling my dad the truth, which was that while I respect the profession, I did not want to become a doctor. Inside, I could not see myself doing that for the decades to come (waking up every weekday to go to a job I wasn't passionate about - I was not one of those people who could do that - I knew myself very well). On top of that, I did not want to irresponsibly put myself in charge of other people's lives just because my dad wanted me to be a doctor (for the money and prestige). Anyhow, after my father knew I didn't want to become a doctor (I wanted to major in Econ + Chinese), he controlled my life even more tightly and further restricted my freedom. And for a long time, I just couldn't outsmart him and escape, and was forced to make a lot of college and career choices towards medical school path, until I just couldn't anymore (I had a mental breakdown, all the while with my dad continuing to accuse me of being weak, and I'm still recovering from that by myself). So parents have the potential to be your best supporters, but also the people who hinder your dreams and aspirations most.

i started believing i don't matter since 6th grade 2020 update, I'm doing better :) I'm still learning to be nicer to myself, and using coping techniques to use when I feel the urge to be mean to myself. I slip up sometimes but that's okay, they are learning experiences. Sometimes there are good days, sometimes there are bad days, sometimes I just feel horrible, but that doesn't make me any less worthy of a person. Reach out when you need it, that lil mean voice wants to keep you isolated so you continue to feel bad. Many people were willing to listen to me here, I'm sure someone somewhere would listen to you if you need help. Be kind to yourselves y'all

OK.... now that I'm inspired I have to quit browsing KZfaq and get to my homework.

This talk really hit me hard. I've dreamt of being a missionary that helps people around the world. I'm afraid to tell people that because it's not considered a "successful life" and many say it's unreasonable. It doesn't make much money. It's too expensive to travel. Etc. This was so good.

It would really be cool if someone went around the world asking kids 5- 18 years old these questions and recorded their answers. Then they could stitch the video clips together in order of age to illustrate the change in mindset we have towards our dreams in that period.

"We live in a world where it's not realistic to aim extremely high and just miss, it's considered a failure. I for once believe you fail when you aim low and hit. You fail your community, your family and yourself because you come to the conlusion that you can't reach your full potential" One of the best TED Talks I've ever watched.

"In a world with 7 billion people, do you feel significant?" Me: ha, nope

OH MY GOD THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. (the way the brick wallpaper was cut out is pissing me off but whatever) I LOVE what this guy is talking about

My whole life I have been taught "life is unfair" and "better to go for something safe", no one told me to follow my dreams. I gave up on them as a kid. It's sad to think about.

every parent and teen should watch this talk-together! such a budding leader this young man! eloquent because it got to the heart of the matter.

When I was in 5th grade, I was assigned to write an essay about what we want to be when we grow up. I loved science and was obsessed with animals and nature, especially reptiles. However, when I excitedly ran to my parents to tell them how happy I was to write about the great field of herpetology, I was shot down. My parents told me that herpetologists (reptile scientists) make less than 50,000 dollars a year and I will never achieve anything on a salary like that. They told me I should not even think about being one when I grow up, and instead write about being a doctor. I understand that they were "looking out for me", but this talk changed how I viewed that day. I could have invested my time and passion into science and maybe discovered brand new things about our world. Not to mention I could have traveled to exotic places for research and actually lived my life while making a difference. Instead, I wrote about being a doctor and how they "get to help people". My indifference in the topic was reflected by my grade. I guess what I'm trying to say is exactly what the speaker said, "failure isn't when you aim high and miss, it's when you aim low and hit."

I almost cried watching this one. I've always wanted to be a musician, but my parents never supported me because it's not a socially respected occupation. So here I am, getting my degree in electrotechnical engineering, seeing life pass ahead of me at the age of just 18.

i kinda want to be in TED when i grow up i actually didn't have a dream or somtihng for along time i just want to inspire people

My drive is that I want to prove my mom wrong. Ever since 3rd grade when I started struggling in school, my mom has set me up for failure. She didn't want to spend the money on me because she was like "why take notes when you're gonna fail anyways?" Or "if you're actually going to use one, borrow it from someone." She bought stuff for my siblings who graduated in the top 10% of their class. I failed all of middle school because I told my self "why try when you will fail.." my mom told me I was either going to flunk out, or drop out of highschool. I graduated and I told her that I didn't want her to go to my graduation ceremony. I only invited those to my graduation who actually believed in me. Which was one of my middle school teachers, my boyfriend, and siblings. 4 people.

“You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.” ― Jim Carrey

this kid has so much wisdom way beyond his age.

I go to a school called a STEM school- Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics. You'd think that by going to this school that I'd have some sort of interest in at least 1 of the 4 subjects mentioned, but I honestly don't. I'm not fond of this school- and even my parents know I want to be something else. This school is training kids to go into STEM fields and yet I honestly hate those subjects more now that I've been sent there to get an "education." But I honestly want to be able to inspire others. I love to draw and create, and of course I would be happy to do this in my future. Of course, people want me to go into some dumb-ass STEM field instead because clearly my hate for this school is just a minor "phase."

give that man a cookie ! He litreally lighted up the darkness teenager's got inside .

Most kids don't talk about their aspirations primarily due to judgement of others. Have that be not living up to people's expectations or being made fun of

I'm a senior and the pressure of deciding what I'm going to do is hanging over my head more than ever. And you know what? I've wanted to be an author since I was 6. So what if it's not the most realistic idea. I love to write. Maybe I'm not giving up yet

I had to pause at 13:38 because I started laughing at "I got cut from my school's basketball team." Amazing idea and definitely worth spreading. It's something that I've thought about virtually everyday since I was 14. It's taken me two years to realise that I don't need a particular job to be significant or respected. I deserve respect as a human being, just like everyone else. I am significant, as is everyone else. We read or come across stories of absolute strangers and are inspired, moved, touched or changed by their stories. I think that shows us how significant we are. Whoever and wherever we happen to be, we matter. Wonderful job, Mr. Lewars!

Our teacher made us watch this in class lol

When I was in fourth or sixth grade, I said, "I want to be an author when I grow up." I'm glad this giving me a confidence boost, even though most author's careers only last a decade or so.

This really relates to me because I've always wanted to be an artist but never thought it was a valid option, I wasn't good enough, it doesn't pay enough, etc I only recently have beginning to realise that maybe I can actually do it.

what I want to be in the future : an artist and musician what I tell others: I want to be a teacher or a lawyer

Laurence, I don't know whether you're going to see this comment, but I must say it anyway. Thankyou. Thankyou for helping me, a seventeen year old girl, believe in myself for the first time, and for reminding me that it's ok and even good to dream. - Savvi xx

Screw being just a biologist, I'm aiming to be a filmmaker, photographer AND a biologist! I love all those things equally 😂 It would be cool if I managed to combine all three into one giant slap to face to those who said I can't do it.

(my native language aren't english, if theres something wrong with this text). i have never had dreams, i still don't know what i want to work with at 50 yrs old (or for the first time i have an idea, we will see if i will make it, and its something i would want to leave behind me when i die :). i just go with the flow (i'm an extremely laid back person), and life has shown me what to study - where to work, and i got the best apartment for me :), i'm still living at the same apartment since 17 yrs old, funny is; when i was a child, i used to look up at this house, and i though it must be nice living there, i felt i would like to live there, and then when i was 17 yrs old, my parents decided to build a house, and for me it was time to find my own apartment then (timing), so my parents put out an ad so they could trade the apartment we had to a smaller. and then a guy called if he could come and check out our apartment (he needed a bigger), so i checked out his apartment, and it was the exact house that i had thought of when i was little! :), i'm still so blessed for this apartment, i love this apartment soooo much :). i don't have any kids, never longed for any (although i loooove kids! :), but i grew up with 2 younger siblings, and i have been babysittning sooooo much :) (to other kids), so i feel like I've already been a mother :). life has been so good to me (i have the best care taker from the spirit world, i guess :) i feel like that, i feel like i'm being taken cared of :), and i am sooo overwhelmed thankful for that! (cus i would have been so miserable if i wasn't being taken cared of - since i have never known what to do with my life, i have always felt "blank" abt what to do). i have never known what to work with, and when i was 17 yrs old i hade to find my first job, and i was thinking on the bus on my way to the employee office; i can clean stairwells, or deliver mail :), it didn't matter so much to me :). but the guy at the employee office asked me if i wanted to work for 4 hours (since i was only 17 yrs old) at an emergency hospital, a big hospital, and i thought! - i almost feel like a doctor lol :), and then the department wanted to train me to a nurse. and after i finished studying - the emergency room had an ad out searching for a nurse, and i thought i wanted that job so much, and i got the job! (ME!? :) lol), and i stayed there for 18 yrs :) (i became a self trained doctor :). then i applied for some other work, in the same field, and I've always gotten all jobs that i have applied for, i'am so overwhelmed thankful for that ofcourse!!!!, every time i seek a new job i feel so scared i'm not going to get it :), its the worst for me to go on an interview :). i really feel so blessed with my life!. i got also lucky my childhood friend became a travel agent after she finished college, so i could come out traveling a bit :). so we started travel at 17 yrs old, so i feel really thankful that we traveled a bit back then (to several places). well, i hope my life journey ends well! to! :(, and for the rest of you too! :). but my biggest dream is to go to so called heaven when i die (going the christian style), but i would also like to help here on earth in the spirit when i leave the body :), that would be really fun i guess :), but also frustrating at times a guess? :). well, i better save this on my computer so i can read it when i'm way old, when the memory might not be that good :( :) Love from me to all! :) I wish you all the best! :)

The years entering adolescent were my worse because of abuse I'm now almost 17 and am too afraid to learn new things for my fear of I can't do anything right I'll mess up because that's what my abusers made me believe and I'm too scared to talk about what I want to do in the future because I'm scared of people telling me that's stupid and I'll never be able to do that but after watching this video I am inspired to try and develop and learn the things I need to have a successful life and make my dream a reality and not let anyone put me down

Questions: What would you be doing 15 years from now if you could do or be anything you want? What do you want to do with your education? What are your hopes for your kids? What do you want your child to achieve? Do your parents know what your dream is? Do you believe you are significant?

Because a job isn't defined about how much money you earn with it but whether if it satisfies you. And in that kind of sense everyone of us should want to change the world...

I hate the emphasis on having a specific job. Personally, I love science, especially pharmaceuticals and genetics. I don't care what I'm doing but I just want to be researching these things.

i am a starting teacher and this year i will be giving lessons to this unmotivated class but i know they are very bright. i hope i can inspire them with this just like it did to me

I legit started crying. This is so true. ;-;

I'm 15 and if I had taken his survey this is what i would have said.... In 15 years want to be ending my residency and becoming a attending trauma surgeon and if I could be doing anything it would be that and to be amazing at it. I go to school because I love learning and I want to set an example for my future kids and have them be even more amazing than me in their own way. I am so happy to finally know what I want to do with my life because it took me a very long time to figure it out

My dreams are to travel with someone. Someone I can learn to truly appreciate and love. I wanna go anywhere. Everywhere. Experience life. Then go to college for something I'm passionate about and make something of myself in this world where it's hard to do nowadays. But there's not a lot of money that comes from temporary jobs. The point is is that the one thing that keeps kids from doing what they actually want is it doesn't make them enough money to do the things they want to.

Wow, this was awesome! What's crazy is that my sister and I have talked about the fact that dreams are downplayed and etc. many times. It's so cool to see that someone else thinks the same. I truly believe if we all were to encourage young people and people in general to live their dreams, we could change the world, if only a little. "Little by little, one travels far." 😄

I grew up watching older people struggle with saving money for retirement. So I went down the get a decent job with benefits path. I didn't have any money for college so I got a job that would pay for it. After being layed off with hundreds of others and an incomplete degree, I used my transferable skills to get the next few jobs to stay on my path of making a decent living, staying out of debt and saving for retirement. I was a late bloomer in realizing true happiness. Married for the first time at age 49 and graduating from a Full Stack Web Development Bootcamp at age 55 this past week. My dreams came true! Take away: Dream Big and go for it at any age!

This really got me thinking, I’ve always said I want to be a doctor or a lawyer since my mom worked as a lawyer before and my dad worked as a doctor, but if I’m being honest I want to make other people happy and perform publicly. Maybe a comedian or something, I just want others to have a good time.

One in a million means your like 7,000 others.

Amazing amazing talk.I am honestly tired of how education and job security are exalted.The worst thing that can happen is dying mediocre and never exploring the limitless bounds God created you for.

I've always wanted to be an artist. I enjoy creating things and it's the one thing I'm good at. However, i'm terrified for my future because artists have a reputation for failing or being unemployed. I don't want to get a degree for it to be useless. I don't want to keep investing in art if I'm going to fail. Art is my passion, but I feel like I can't be an artist because I won't be successful enough. I have contemplated quitting art so many times but I don't want to give it up.

The realest shit ever

When someone asks me. I just answer I want to be a doctor, but I really want to be myself even I have a great score I want to photographer .

I've always said that I want to be a teacher. And while that is true, what people don't know is that I also want to be a poet and an activist and a public voice and a million other things that I've deemed unrealistic and given up on. I only just turned fifteen and I'm set on being a teacher and nothing else because that's what is 'realistic' within my universe.

Beautiful insight man. :D really I mean it. Mad respect.

My dream is to become a game animator, or a graphic designer. But i can see that it´s a big risk, so i´ve settled with becomming a psychiatrist instead, and making art after the work day is over.

Ugh society is too complicated for me. I'll just be in my room for the rest of my life.

You don't fail when you aim high and miss. You fail, when you aim low and hit........WOW. That's beautiful

my mum just doesnt seem to realise im not going to be confident if im not trusted to do the smallest of things

I got oddly emotional during his talk LOL WHat is gOIng ON

When you can't relate because you've had self hatred deepening in you since the second grade. :/

You ever have a really strong hobby but never realize it’s your passion due to your parents not seeing the potential in it? Yup, that’s me. I didn’t realize drawing was my thing until I became 20 and failed a year in college. Now I know that no one’s backing me up, but I’m gonna carve that path if it doesn’t exist... I do wish I realized that earlier though.

I started doubting myself and my beliefs at 7th grade. I always wanted to follow my passion and do what I love but reality of society told me that I can't and therefore I believe now we just get a job and pay bills till we die. i hate how this world doesnt care about our dreams and the piece of paper called money has to deifne our whole life. I just want to be happy

i feel this on a spiritual level. im still so insecure about my dreams so i push them aside

“In a world with 7 billion people, do you believe that you are significant?” This is from the multifandom us kids are not okay

Why do people treat the age group of teens like a whole different species. 🤨

I am studying to be a doctor. Since I have extra Chemistry lessons I hate Thursdays where I begin AND close my day with double Chemistry. I don't want to be a doctor anymore. Not really. I just see that there aren't enough of them in my area and I think that I might as well help the patient AND the other doctors if I become one. When he mentioned how much students wants to be doctors, I teared up. I had to stop the video before I start crying. I asked the questions from myself. And my answer to the second one would have been completely different things. He is so right, it hurts. This Ted talk is underrated. As a student, I will probably spend the rest of the night thinking about this. Putting my happiness before money.

Omg the beginning😭 I’m watching this in 2020 he predicted the future

I'm 14 and I already feel like I'm giving up on my dream. I want to perform, I have an undeniable passion to sing and I want to act. To draw, to photograph beauty and wake up every morning to know my job is art. But that doesn't pay the bills. Both my parents weren't able to get a full education due to war in their country and money. It means the most to them that I get all my education, to a doctoral degree and have a high paying job so I don't end up in a position like them. And I understand that but it's not where my passion lies. The arts are such a wonderful part of my life and if an art school guaranteed I'd succeed, I would definitely take that route but instead I'll be... a doctor. A psychiatrist, or something. I go to school because that's the only way I can succeed. I sit in a desk and do Algebra for an hour, practice certifying for Microsoft Excel, learn about meiosis and do some textbook work I don't care about in the slightest. But without it, I won't succeed. So I spend my time working hard on it while every single day I manage to think about the acting agency I met up with once. What could've happened if my parents supported that being my dream.

A successful life is a life where dreams have become a reality.

I am a 15 year old and can't believe that my mindset was exactly what he was saying .I realise that I am not caring about my dreams and running forward for a boring future . I did feel as if I am not significant and that I won't achieve my dreams . Thanks a lot for this speech

Sometimes i lie down and pretend i am a carrot.

Aww man, this video left me stumped. I have wanted to be a singer all my life, but since I was around ten I've convinced myself I "want" to be a doctor. Recently I have found I'm not so sure; "Do I really want to be a doctor, or is it everyone around me that wants me to be one." I realise that becoming a singer is close to impossible, tho, so I'm still undecided! 😕😫

I was insignificant the moment I turned 11

My older brother went to college planning to get a degree in engineering. He would have been decent at it but it wasn't what he wanted to do, so 2 years in he switched his major to digital media with an emphasis on video games. My mother cried. I was 12 at the time and I remember think my brother was really cool for doing this, but my mother cried. All she could focus on was his future job prospects. Well, my brother now has his masters in video game design and hasn't yet found a long-term job. But you know what? He is content with himself and is optimistic about his future. He inspires me to follow my interests and even though our mom still worries a great deal over his career prospects I couldn't be prouder of my big bro. He's fucking awesome.

When I was a teenager, I didn't think I would make it to 20. I'm 26 and every year when my birthday comes, I think the same thing "I never thought I would make it this far.." I'm not in the place I thought I would have been by now, and I still don't know what my purpose is or why I'm here. I gave up on my dreams years ago, and have basically just been surviving instead of living.

I'm physically forced to go to school. I ask why? "To be successful",why go to school to be successful? "Because I said so" I'm actually really darn smart. I get ~80 (around c-) in tests because I don't care about school, the education system is flawed. At afternoon I go to special classes where I'm 14 and the youngest one besides me is 17 the rest are around 21. I'm the top of that class because I'm interested in it but the thing is. I go there secretly. (My parents want to pass the family company to me, I want to be a mathematician of astrophysicist), the class they put me in was for 8th graders (my grade) about law, when I learned that there was a physics class besides I secretly hid there, once they asked the signature of my dad I spent all night learning to forge it perfectly to be able to have been give permission "by him" to change class.

ok, i love his humor. it's not overdone, but it's so gen z! this man is so smart & inspiring. what a legend. i hope there are more people like him in this world.

I got much pleasure to know that a teenager can think so deeply

This helped me a lot. I've been feeling super stressed about my future (even though I'm only at the start of high school) and this video helped me realize my fears and insecurities. Thank you so much! :)

we became that way when it gave better chances of surviving to give up early instead of holding on to your dreams.

School gets in the way of what I really want to learn, I wish I could drop out and persue learning different skills and techniques to become a professional juggler.

he stated everything i've been feeling lately, i thought i was losing touch with reality thinking about all these things with wanting to do something that makes me happy as much as financially stable in life but he assured me that i'm not going crazy and i'm just thinking deeply, and there's nothing to be mad about within thinking like that

I believe “making a lot of money” has to do with being secure and financially stable. With more safety nets (medical insurance, affordable housing), there would be more of a focus on jobs truly wanted. Most young people don’t have dreams before college nor know what they want to do. Therefore, a lot of people major in the wrong majors and go into the wrong careers.

This talk right here is extremely life changing because I'm 14 and can tell you that probably for as Long as I can remember I wanted to study medical science because I, literally like almost every student was not exposed to an alternative/different career choices and even when I was exposed to some of them I had fear I wouldn't make as much money from it as my first choice and also because those alternatives are always pushed under the bus when they're brought up cause there not supposedly significant but after this my dreams are beginning to flourish because as much as I love the three basic career choices I don't see myself doing them. So thanks TEDx for bringing someone like him that is not afraid to change peoples thoughts about dreams&aspirations in life. Probably the longest comment I've ever written... Lmao...😁

i really don't know what to say i relate to this completely on another level, so here goes my story.... It is the dream of my life to be a musician, more specifically a singer, music is the only thing that makes me feel grateful for being alive, i can dedicate my whole life to music but that's just not it my parents want me to become an engineer just like everyone in our family because they believe there couldn't be any more "secure" job than this which completely sucks and i have no passion towards it... for them, success is just getting a job, getting married and raising children which i don't at all wanna be doing after 10 years but im forced to live a life just for the sake of the promise that my parents made that they will let me just 'learn' music if i get an engineering degree which i have to no matter how i don't want to atm im 16 i have so much passion for music and at some point i felt like i can do it but whenever i discussed this openly my confidence was totally knocked by comments like "you cant do it" "you? a singer? be realistic" and it really made me feel insignificant and made me believe those lies.. 15 years later i don't wanna wake up beside a man who i don't love and go to a job im not passionate about because i have so many dreams and hopes for myself that i wanna achieve and somewhere watching this video made me feel that maybe i can do it Thank you so much for giving me a ray of hope and to anyone who's reading this PLEASE DO NOT GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS YOU HAVE THE POWER TO TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND AND YOU ARE WORTHY OF SUCCESS AND DON'T NEED ANYONE'S PERMISSION FOR THAT NOT EVEN YOUR PARENTS

This hit me pretty hard. I just chose a new education path, the one people expect from me, the one in which I will probably make money with, the one that's most secure. And ever since I made the discision I am thinking of my real dream, my plan B. And now I see this and it makes me doubt my choice even more...

I love your work that your doing young man! This is going to change somebody's life and you should be very proud of yourself that you were brave enough to challenge what has become the coddling of our society into believing that mediocre is best! Good is the enemy of best... You hit the nail on the head young man and I will be sharing this video with my two teenage sons this evening! I'm not sure when you made this or how long it's been on KZfaq. But I will be checking on your progress and I hope to find that you have continued your research and your dream of changing the norms that society has detrimentally put on our youth at large.

I want to go to art school and escape my tiny town. I'm just going to school because I have to. Whenever I tell adults I want to do art for a living, they look at my grades and say that I'm wasting my potential. My brother wants to be a nurse like me mother, and my father is an engineer. I feel really bad about not continuing a nonexistent legacy that I shouldn't feel obligated to uphold, but I do because my parents say so. I'd tell my parents I want to be an artist and the first thing they say is, "Marry rich." I don't want children either, so I'm disappointing on that level as well.

The thing that society influences us is sad reality. Adults believe that these three jobs are respectful and give financial stability. While we teens want to do what we love and what gives us happiness, the society wants us to pursue those big 3 professions. I am 13, I want to become an archaeologist because that us what gives me happiness, but my parents and relatives want me to become a doctor. I always debate amongst myself "Do I have to be what I want or what others want?" I never had the courage to talk to my parents about this, which eventually gets ne frustrated. I think many teens go through this, and this is why they are misunderstood. If parents are reading this, please know the reason why.

thanks so much Laurence you have truely moved me ,how sad & so true . . .

What an inspiring speech. It really changed my thinking, even though my parents are significant people. It's a scary thing to think about. And when he said "some as young as 14" that really made me pause, I'm 14 and it's hard to think about my dreams, but I think if I do I will have an over all better life experience.

Idk why but this just made me cry so much the moment he said that it was depressing to hear that 14 years old don't find themselves significant and it might be because even I am from that grp and me too a 16 year old girl don't find myself significant

Brilliant speech, insight and passion! We all need to be encouraging young people to continue to dream & be who they were born to be not what society says they should be. Thank you 😊

Thank you Laurence for some wonderful insight. I hope to ask my daughter these questions tonight. She just graduated HS! God bless you!

The best evidence that teenagers have full of potential is that they are the main viewers of TED talks like this one.

this brought me to tears

I loved that last part: "what's the difference between your dreams and your goals?" I love this talk! It defenitly got me thinking and got me excited to know that there doesn't have to be a difference between my goals and my dreams.

This blew my mind. Whenever I'm asked what I wanna be, I say doctor. But, when he asked if I could be anything, I said freakin comic artist and or author. Like holy crap, my eyes have been opened

I'm 15... I'm told by everyone around me that I will never amount to anything special. My parents don't tell me that because they are my parents...but the facial expressions when I tell them I wanna work at NASA...I wanna a mathematician...they tell me to try and I'll get there..but there facial expressions say...you'll never be able to do that........I love math I l love science I love space.....what other job it perfect for me than NASA I think....than I think....everybody's right....."I'll NEVER be anything special"