How to be Lucky | Paul Bourne | TEDxCluj

"In this improvised talk, Paul Bourne explores the dynamics and role of Luck and Serendipity in creating opportunities in life. He explores what extraordinary things can happen when The Prepared Mind meets Good Fortune.
Featuring stories of Charles Darwin, Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton, Picasso, Aristotle and Shakespeare; Paul takes us on a journey around the world as he explores the power of ‘positive mindset’, and how ‘growth awareness’ leads us from tasks to opportunities.
A talk on how to live life and be lucky…
Paul is a Professional Theatre Director and Fellow of The University
of Cambridge"
Formerly Artistic Director of The Frankfurt Playhouse and Center Stage New York, Paul has directed and produced over 90 professional productions in 10 different countries.
Paul also teaches Creative Thinking and Enterprise at The Moscow School of Management and Stockholm School of Economics.
As an Executive Educator and Consultant Paul has led programmes on Creative Communication Re-framing for many businesses including BBC, Liverpool Football Club, McLaren Formula One Racing, Fairtrade and The US Army.
He is currently working as a consultant on supporting and incubating ‘Creative Start-ups’ in Romania, Slovakia, South Africa and Uruguay.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@goshorty41]

One book...event...person leads to another. It's a chain reaction. One must be open and ready to jump. Hence, be fearless and walk with confidence on this journey of life and life will open up to you and embrace you with open arms.

[@Anonymous-54545]

Okay, people who don't understand what this is about-- what he's saying is that by talking to a lot of people about everything you like, and taking people up on their offers of entanglement/interaction, you rapidly generate a lot of leads and amazing things fall in your lap. Same situation here. I started talking to someone at school about how I was really into Russian literature, and he told me that the American Mathematical Society sends 10 kids to Russia every year but that no one really knows about it or applies. So I applied for that, and I got it, and I met my bf there. Brought him back to NYC with me, he wound up introducing me to a bunch of programmers and giving me a nice computer. I was interested in what was consuming so much of his attention and learned some programming, thus I got into data science, but didn't have a well-paying job yet. So when I was looking for housing in the Bay, I talked everyone's heads off about my special interest til one of the people showing me a house gave me a lead for a job. Now I'm applying for that and it's like my dream job. Good thing I started blabbing about Russian lit in 2010.

[@Anonymous-54545]

Ooookay, apparently free Moscow comes into his story too!

[@Anonymous-54545]

The flip side of this is when I became medically ill for a period, my life rapidly shrunk, and not just because I was physically disabled, but because I did not have the energy to talk to a lot of people and take them up on their offers, and it was like cutting the branches very close to the base of the tree; that's how many leafs I lost.

[@rodneylye8210]

Fascinating, Paul talked for 30 minutes without ever saying anything. I was thoroughly impressed.

[@alansommer]

He just said it all!!!

[@chrismarklowitz1001]

The message is we label things which confines us and use luck as an excuse. Instead we must say yes to life . We must say yes to people to cooperating. and constantly be adapting to the new challenges life brings us. Adapt overcome discover. Adapt overcome over and over. That's why his stories keep going because that's life neverending growth is his message

[@soumyajitdey5720]

The charisma this man has is contagious!

[@paulinaastete7238]

inspiring...and may I add that saying YES to opportunities, keeping a daily 5 minute diary and one's integrity, energy and intelligence help us one small step everyday.

[@waltermanfred826]

This is so interesting .. Paul does not really elaborate about the principles of luck! But I got the sense that Paul draws serendipitous circumstances by his likeable personality. Paul Bourne's willingness to approach people or be approached, to strike conversations with strangers, to extend his arm of friendship and his openness to sheer life possibilities is what creates these serendipitous events. I call this the flow of life ....

[@messagefromsky9744]

Even i am able to talk to people .. when we talk to people suddenly things click up..i have found .. this skill very useful

[@melovinci]

Doesn't elaborate??? He sure does. watch again.

[@chrismarklowitz1001]

Yea people upset cause he dorsnt spoon feed them the message. The lesson is right there

[@urbanscopez5582]

just add the thought i am lucky to that and you will rival elon musk namaste

[@sofiaondemand]

It's simple to be likable, approachable and be open to opportunity

[@candykandy]

Not sure how much I learnt here but this is one of my most entertaining talks on Tedx. He’s hilarious!

[@nadiaoulahri4779]

✨I always thought and you prove it true: to talk about everything and nothing is a form of genius. Congrats, a brilliant performance✨

[@jefffame7938]

Paul Bourne is so adventurous just like his brother: Jason

[@aaryanramzan3077]

Hahahahaha

[@erickapadua88]

thank you for the good laugh! HAHAHA

[@arlinegeorge6967]

Great great talk. U feel lucky n luck follows you. Thank you, bless you. All your dreams come true.

[@ayodelesylvester929]

Wow, and truly that’s all there is to being lucky. No other definition. He has being lucky in the eyes of the world but he has being working

[@georgelim8746]

The importance of meeting people, being nice, and asking questions.

[@sofiaondemand]

I agree

[@MyNina718]

Ìì 88th II

[@adiletbai]

Haha lol, try to be nice, friendly and ask questions in real life. People will reject you immediately. What he does is to be a good scammer

[@Turtlpwr]

Right place and right words at the right time...I feel so inspired 🤦‍♂️

[@hapiearning5222]

improvise! Do something and be something! so Love Paul.

[@sygb.550]

Being open and fearless.. Ah cant relate gotta fix some issues first then I'll come back

[@ritakouvaitseva9505]

Thank you so much! It's such a great speech! It was very helpful! I started to look at my life through a different perspective!

[@sjohnston4272]

This is one of the most long-winded series of stories i have ever sat through...

[@ladybookworms]

All you took away from this is that it was a series of 'long-winded stories'? Wow. I guess you wasted your time then.

[@sjohnston4272]

@@ladybookworms I really did, nothing new learnt here, and the way in which his points were put across was painful to watch... From your comment i am assuming you gained some life changing results from sitting through it though. Its very interesting to see how little it takes to blow the mind of some people... Would you like to share how this video benefited you?

[@sjohnston4272]

@Lee 1227 Apologies i tagged the wrong person.

[@sjohnston4272]

@Lee 1227 😂😂😂

[@joanwang614]

Love this speech.

[@siddharthranawat1814]

Haven't watched any ted talk of this length great person great story

[@sherya.7067]

Thank you I enjoyed your performance and talk. Very good job.

[@sevimcicek9583]

So impressimg! I saw that if one love. his work or whatever do,just that is what is lucky.Thank you Mr.Gotman!

[@mediacenterman8583]

Life itself is luck. Misfortune is killing people as we speak. Better to be lucky than good.

[@flyinbryan76]

Now that's a talk.

[@kriskinealy]

The violin / painting joke was as 70s Tommy Cooper joke. A good one.

[@Mia-ei4mh]

This is phenomenal. I've never heard such a wonderful Ted Talk 😍😍

[@eedom69]

I like him he's funny. Very emotive or maybe his acting or theatre work. Cool.

[@notagain3732]

Watching this makes me feel lucky

[@mange2]

There are 2 people who I have known for many many years, who are the living proof that Luck exists for some people. Not making your own luck, or seeking opportunities type of luck etc. I'm talking about complete random luck. As far as the random spread of luck to all of us should be fairly equal over time, my 2 friends are a mathematical or statistical impossibility. There are far too many examples to list here, but it is incredible to witness. Not luck once in a while, but every single day.

[@jimmcewan417]

how to be lucky! take a chance!

[@lu6dan]

Simply Brilliant !!! Congratulations, Paul !!!

[@riccardogiralico327]

A fantastic story teller

[@KingClovis]

That was 23 minutes of my life that I'll never get back.

[@a3minutevideo737]

Thank you ❤️

[@sandyfitzgerald707]

Well done Paul! Enjoyed it, as always;) But where are the shorts? I miss those...

[@Learn_Daily]

He will get to the point... eventually

[@melovinci]

Haha. No point? You think he's done all that he has, with so many people excited to collaborate with him, all with no point. The point is , We make our own "luck" with all the things he mentioned. It seems it is time for you to turn off your brain and turn it on again, to see if that gets it functioning.

[@y.k.9705]

@@melovinci you meant like a computer? Restart?

[@rodneylye8210]

He won't...

[@jojojojojo305]

@@melovinci sheesh, it was a joke.

[@ducopieterse7103]

@Hrithik Diwakar Ha ha !!

[@Bunty-Rai]

Incredible

[@brucehernandez9611]

Thank you

[@notme8099]

I cannot believe I watched the whole thing?

[@sygb.550]

Id love to live his life With his mindset

[@themanape]

Every time you achieve something, call it lucky.

[@mediacenterman8583]

That is actually a reductive statement. If you tidy your yard, that is not lucky, but if you find a diamond ring, that is

[@themanape]

@@mediacenterman8583 That is a good distinction. How would you summarize this talk then?

[@wissalyo8696]

WoW!

[@rodneylye8210]

Very charismatic.... although I couldn't say what it was regarding.

[@y.k.9705]

I'm going to start polishing apples.

[@at7288]

Lol.....Its been 2months since you started polishing so you got a million $$ yet:)

[@amulen1151]

Never laughed so hard

[@damagedealer7102]

lmao luckily did watch this 2x great speaker.

[@paulbourne5519]

thank you - even my daughter only watched it once - but that's kids :) hope you can unpick useful ideas ... Good Luck! x

[@kimbal1958]

Very little of this story was based on actual luck - but what is known as "universal synchronicity" which is an entirely different thing. Synchronicity happens to everyone everyday - but few are aware of it, let alone tapp into it. When the universe answers your needs with a scenario out of the blue many call it coincidence; - but luck happens to people maybe once in a lifetime. YOU have no control over it, nor the ability to draw it to you. If you could then it would not be called luck it would be called "creating your own reality" which is what all this esoteric talk about "working miracles" and "positive thinking" ra-rah is aimed at. Winning the lottery against all odds is what I call true luck, or having some event come just at the right moment to save your life from a certain death is true luck; - when the "fates of life" are against you at every turn - then out of the blue the "tables are turned in your favour" - that is true luck. In those situations something greater than you intervenes to change the reality outcome. Like the Christian who kept a small bible in his top pocket and was shot by a by a stray bullet from a nearby gunman, that lodged in his bible pages and not his chest; thereby saving his life. That you might rightly call "LUCK"; though a Christian might also be right in saying the "hand of God" or the holy spirit intervened to protect his life. An Atheist would say it was coincidence. Bumping into someone who just happens to be the person your looking for for that Theatre play is known as "universal synchronicity"; - which is the universal consciousness working around you to balance out a "lack of" or an "over supply" of energy - keeping all things at an equilibrium. Like the ebb an flow of sea water in the ocean always trying to find its balance. If you "ride the waves" you have synchronicity happen in your life; however if a shark comes around and tries to takes a bite out of you, but in so doing a dolphin comes along out of the blue and kills the shark - that is an example of "luck".

[@cruisermax]

I think this more about his talents than luck.

[@goshorty41]

Also, you can most certainly create you own luck.

[@InnerAnimations]

yezzir

[@rechercheMJ]

This is what freelancers have been doing forever!

[@JM-rs7io]

Well that was 22 minutes and 39 seconds that I'll never get back. I would have learned more by watching an I Love Lucy rerun. Like one of the comments said it's really a script from Seinfeld in other words about nothing.🤤🤤🤤

[@learningmadeeasywithrajani6969]

Agreed. I

[@omarkanaan7515]

I can't decide if I like it or not, I am confused anyway.

[@81gamer81]

The Office, Nelly is who he reminds me of. Thought id shre in case others a re stuck in a thought loop as well

[@VagrantHippie]

H H “Did I stutter??!?!?!” -Stanley Hudson

[@sygb.550]

I put the speed on 1.5 bc its my bed time And i didnt expect it to sound like the regular speed for sure

[@gardenjoy5223]

Stopped halfway, since he didn't inspire me above what I already know and practice.

[@kevinilango7896]

I didn't "watch" the whole thing but listened to all of it, I treat non-visual-aids TED talks like podcasts, it's definitely worth the listen while you're performing a task.

[@ZiLLA415]

What song is that beat from in the beginning?

[@AlaKareem]

Great theatre performance. That's all

[@leopold17780]

Good

[@thetruth3322]

And that is called "word" and Word is God.

[@WiseFuture]

I actually fell asleep through this

[@thuyengiap9447]

Why does he sounds like simon

[@jagadishgospat2548]

Yea sorta

[@ace0086]

I see what Paul is getting at , but seems more do with being in the right place at the right time , more than "being lucky" . Good on him for making opportunities for himself and getting out there . So with that said I'm going to turn off this video and get outside and meet some people instead !

[@innazhurav9622]

Потрясающая дикция, он также мог бы быть отличным преподавателем английского языка)))

[@terrygoddard3491]

you have to travel the entire planet.. but you get a free apple . what luck :)

[@sideswiped6874]

luck: good luck

[@djsparkyy]

He sounds a bit like the Geico geco

[@normandoestrella4901]

He sounds like simon Cowell

[@janinewest7844]

Thought it was Simon Cowel talking

[@mycommentpwnz]

I'm going to endow anyone who reads this with secret catalyst for luck: it sounds crazy, illogical, fantastic, but I'm almost certain it's true. The entire universe is made-up of fields: magnetic, electric, gravitational, space-time, etc. However, our actions and emotions ALSO resonate into a field. Now, we all know "like attracts like," but most don't realize to the EXTENT of which that is true. Example: I give my gaming PC to a poor kid. His gratitude and happiness goes out in the field. The ANCHOR for all that happiness and gratitude... is me. Those "waves" of happiness will be all around me, swirling about. So, as long as I'm not doing anything such as being hateful, coveting, despising, (destructive interference) I'm VASTLY more likely to experience that emotion myself. (*Though, it's PROBABILITY-BASED, NOT A CERTAINTY.) And, before the critics and skeptics begin, yes, one could loosely call this "magical thinking," or "confirmation biases," but, you should know this: I'm highly educated, highly intelligent, skilled in the field of statistics, and I've spent a tremendous amount of hours contemplating this. Something else to think about: our fields interact with the people AROUND US as well. So, if you spend time with someone who is hurting other people and causing pain, you become VASTLY more likely to experience negative emotions. Simply put: Their dirt rubs off on you. In close, I don't really care what you believe, after-all, I don't even know you. But, my experiences, and MORE IMPORTANTLY the experiences of (almost) EVERYONE around me, all indicate my hypothesis is accurate. Or, at the VERY least, partially accurate.

[@paulwl3159]

If you intend to watch this to the end, I wish you luck

[@emilyknowlton8602]

So if you are highly educated travel around the world and are naturally charismatic you can get great opportunities and jobs.

[@cptnawzum5663]

just be up all night

[@jaymaniak407]

Almost sounds off topic

[@floatingtigerscarriff6664]

Am i the only who noticed that he sounds like Simon Cowell? Hahahaha

[@tuberebel8706]

What an implant.....hehehe years your money very clever

[@notagain3732]

If you ever forget how to improvise dont try to remember just ask yourself what would the most random person to ever exist do in this situation ...bad advice i know it is only bad cuz i didnt open the window before writing it. This will make more sense in 3 years from now , enjoy

[@notagain3732]

Decided to rewatch for som reason , maybe because i shared it with a friend but he doesnt yet like watching ted talks

[@Han-es8qu]

cough it up man!

[@salamjihad3449]

LUCK !!! WHY ? BECAUSE ANGULAR MOTION CO EXIST WITH COMBUSTIBLE EQUILIBRIUM ? I THINK NOT ! TO DECOMPOSE RITUALISTIC MALNUTRITION DOESNT JUSTIFY POSTMORTEM STATISTICS !!

[@paulbeck2816]

terrible hum🛸

[@izzzzzz6]

Likes were on 666 and i just had to like this, 667 now, sorry to all the 666 crew :D

[@jojo-gy9pp]

fast forward hear "steve jobs" type this in and move along.

[@cloverconnections]

Seinfeld style speech, I guess. A speech about nothing...

[@melovinci]

Haha. No point? You think he's done all that he has, with so many people excited to collaborate with him, all with no point. The point is , We make our own "luck" with all the things he mentioned. It seems it is time for you to turn off your brain and turn it on again, to see if that gets it functioning.

[@retrojimmyx]

This whole vid is a guy self-congratulating over places he visited while delivering his presentation is some pseudo theatrical style aimed at kids. I gave up by the point it became story time.

[@rajinald1]

It's very unlucky nobody ever told him not to eat food off the floor.

[@haraldversteegden2562]

Freaking annoying story if you listen it as wallpaper

[@Chaz.hands.]

That Ted Talk is basically just him showing off about how great his life has been. Not really inspiring for anyone else..?

[@Krllytos]

A dormit cu mana-n fund ar spune unii :))

[@vik56in]

This lecture is too abstract and not too obvious about what the talker wishes to convey to the audience.

[@y.k.9705]

Nudnik

[@akachinonyerem]

lmao. this was a little annoying.

[@TheBsavage]

Boring.

[@michalviktorin6758]

Story about boy and apple is terrible. It shows whats wrong about value we give the things. Nowadys this boy does not care if he polish the apple with poison, he made a million and started to grow his own GMO apples.... Moral point is, animals and also people wrongly judge appearance and gives it value it actually lost.

[@lorasaltis4134]

How did you come to be on that stage? First off- you're a white man. What luck! You've been propped up your entire life! Of course, your place is on a stage with everybody in earshot listing to you speak. Your ordinary ramblings are just so much better and more meaningful than our darker, non-male ramblings. You so deserve to be paid attention to. You are just so special. You know what? Are you a genius? Yes, I think you might be. Thank you for sharing. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you just for being ... YOU... (Tsk, I didn't listen past the first six sentences. I am so tired of white men talking.)

[@MattJD1111]

Unbearable

[@oyeknod]

I mean.. this is beyond ridiculous, the message is really not that insightful either.