In her TED Talk Worry Wort, 3rd grader Mackenzie Sadtler shares a heartfelt and relatable message about overcoming the pressure to be perfect. With honesty and charm, she encourages us to let go of worry, embrace our mistakes, and remember that striving for excellence doesn’t mean we have to be flawless. Her talk is a wise reminder—from someone wise beyond her years—that being brave enough to try is more important than being perfect. Mackenzie Sadtler, a 3rd grader at Van Buren Elementary is the daughter of John and Danielle Sadtler. Mackenzie’s Talk is appropriately titled, “Worry Wart” because she is a perfectionist and worries much of the time about meeting the high goals she sets for herself. Through this Talk, she hopes to not only help herself, but her audience with strategies she has begun to use in her own life. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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- 15:26Every Choice Is a Teacher | Alaa Sharif | TEDxCambridge Intl Kurdistan YouthIn this deeply personal and inspiring talk, Alaa Sharif challenges the conventional notion of mistakes. Drawing from her own journey—from facing the heartbreak of failing her university thesis to overcoming burnout and cultural identity struggles—Alaa shares how she transformed setbacks into powerful lessons by owning her decisions. She explores the pressure of perfectionism, the importance of seeking help, and the courage it takes to embrace life’s uncertainties. Alaa invites us all to shift our mindset from blaming mistakes to recognizing choices as valuable teachers, empowering us to take responsibility and find meaning in every outcome. Her story is a testament to resilience, self-compassion, and the strength found in vulnerability. Alaa is a graduate of Cyber security and advocates for mental health awareness in Kurdistan. She works with Kurdish youth on a daily basis This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 13:07Rebuilding from Within: Mastering Your Inner Self for Success | Anil Chhikara | TEDxNITKSurathkalAnil Chhikara had spent years chasing the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship, when the pandemic hit, and everything stopped. Behind the pitch decks, the passion and the hustle, he was facing traumatic personal losses and struggling through depression and panic attacks.In this deeply personal talk, Anil talks about how he unexpectedly found guidance by Bhagavad Gita using AI to explore its teachings and sought wisdom, not from the world around him, but from within. What followed was inner engineering, healing and discovering. His story serves as an unfiltered reminder that success in the world means nothing if you lose yourself along the way and resilience thrives when you stop running from the chaos and start learning from it. Anil Chhikara is a spirited serial entrepreneur , emerging OTT actor , and a true testament to the power of following one's passion. Anil's journey has been a rich tapestry of diverse experiences, from founding EdTech startups to mentoring and consulting on a $100M+ startup portfolio , and now returning to entrepreneurship and guiding early-stage startups to success This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
