This month, XL Future Leaders Batch 3 are doing TedTalks style presentation on their workshop. The module is aimed to enhance their critical thinking skills as well as effective communication. Below is a write-up by Jakarta-2 student, Adrian Reynaldo Sudirman from Universitas Indonesia.

A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one. This is what exactly happened when I got assignment about delivering idea with Ted Talks style. XL Future Leaders program challenges us to share our ideas based on the value of contemporary leaders using TedTalks approach. First of all, I choose Ernest Wong, one of the legend in education prodigy in the world for almost 30 years, as my figure in this TED Talks. Actually, Ernest Wong is a really awesome leaders, with many dedications in education sector and children development, with his impact to transform the life of 250.000 children across Asia to be the best they ever be for the last 30 years. He is also the first Asian to win the Prestigious Golden Apple awards from the founder of the Foundation of Self-Esteem in California, USA, Jack Canfield, in recognition for his contributions towards Excellence in Education. To be honest, I’m one of his students and his influences bring many differences, from what impossible things for most of teenagers into the dreams come true in my life.

The problem was there are too many things to share with and I’m confused deciding on what is the greatest idea and value to deliver in this TED Talks. This is what comes in my mind when I came up with nothing two weeks before the deadline. The basic purpose of delivering the idea is the audience, whether you have great idea but you inspire no one, then it is not a relevant idea to be delivered. It is better when you have small idea but it push enthusiasm among your audiences, then it is an idea worth spreading. Finally, I decided to choose an idea related with fundamental things that he taught to all the children in his program. The idea is to define clearly between “What” and “Why” in your life. Most of people always perform “What” first when they start doing something. This kind of thinking same like we put a book in front of our face. What can we see? We only see the book, luckily we can see it clearly, but mostly we can’t defined clearly about the whole book. In addition, it also narrows our perspective and make us think we know everything, but actually we don’t know what we don’t know. This is the most popular mindset that make people loss their passion easily when they failed at certain points. But what is the difference between “What” and “Why”? First of all, “Why” is the most important question to begin when we want to do something in our life. It makes us see a book from widen perspective, not just in front of our face. It also makes us realize that we cannot connect the dot looking forward, but connect them by looking backward by trust and faith in everything we do because we have good reasons behind it. This is the mindset for most of successful people that make them to keep moving even when they failed because they know there are many ways to go there.

Finally, I managed to come up with the idea, a small idea I think but it worth spreading for this event. Until then, are the problems cleared? No!! I had to make a presentation and prepared myself on the day. To be honest, three days before the deadline, my presentation is just blank sheet of paper, no words, no pictures, nothing at all. But somehow, it inspires me to start my presentation with those things, related between life and blank sheet of paper, a nice introduction to get starting with. One night before the performances, although I have full understanding on the materials, I never have done any rehearsal for my presentation. Show must goes on, it’s not about how good you are, it’s about how good you want to be, whatever happens, I’m gonna  nailed the stage!

A really good feeling when you present your idea came when the audiences got the enthusiasm and inspired by the ide you spread. This is the point of TED Talks activity. Your idea isn’t the most important one, the audience matters. When you manage to do it, then your idea is worth spreading. I want to close this session with this “There is a gap between good to great. Do you want to be good and just make a living, or be Great, change yourself, get out, and change the world” I choose to great, what do you choose?