We can’t wait to welcome you to the TEDxRoyalTunbridgeWells stage, Samantha! Can you tell us a little bit about your idea worth spreading?
Love It or Leave It - a modern day mantra for finding purpose and meaning in your work
How happy are you at work?
Throughout history work has been somewhat shrouded with a ‘grin it and bear it’ attitude. Even now, for some, work straddles being either a source of liberation or angst; progression and enlightenment or a continuous tide of discontentment. Why is it that the search for meaning, happiness and magic at work feels like an arduous quest for most and plain sailing for a handful?
Surely there must be harmony between these two sides of the coin? I want to get people fired up, passionate and proactive about what they are here on this earth to do and how it can be found in the most wondrous places. If you are keen to create a new and provocative way of experimenting to discover your life’s mission and a vehicle for working in a way that you really want, this talk will give you the tools to start today.
What was the main motivation for giving a TEDx talk?
My career has been spent working and coaching individuals (and companies) to have better conversations about their personal career growth and make changes to find their mission in life that goes beyond just work as we know it. Finding work we love means putting ourselves out there, being open to growth, testing/tweaking, being resilient and being able to take a few knocks when things don’t go our way. But many have lost their way, are fearful, disheartened and just accepting the status quo. It doesn’t need to be this and I want to change that.
Two quotes that have inspired me to do the work I do and that led me to my own personal Love It or Leave It mantra are: -
“Work is love made visible... For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half our hunger.” - I’ve always been inspired by this quote by Kahill Gibran (The Prophet) and it’s served as a constant reminder that finding a mission, a vocation or work to pour your heart into is an act of love, servitude and great joy.
“Memento mori” - remember that one day you will die. Equally as someone who has a chronic illness, I’m reminded constantly of the fragility of life. Whilst you are living and breathing right now, what are you doing to live your life well, purposefully and spread your talents to others.
Taking these to heart, my modern day twist on the mantra of Love It or Leave It will help the audience fall in love with their work/current jobs or leave it to find something else worth falling for.
What is the one thing you want the audience to take away from your TEDx talk?
I want to help the audience fall in love with their work/current jobs or leave it to find something else worth falling for. To reignite their curiosity, passion and fire to find more meaning and purpose in their work.
What are some of your favourite TED or TEDx talks?
There are too many! Susan Cain - power of introverts, Brené Brown - all, Emilie Wapnick - why some of us don’t have one true calling, and Baratunde Thurston - how to deconstruct racism one headline at a time.
