How to become more confident -- lay down on the street for 30sec | Till H. Groß | TEDxDonauinsel

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Till talks about how he overcame many of his own fears and how everybody can step out of their comfort zone. It all started with Till lying down on the floor in a public place. And it resulted into a world wide movement called "Comfort Zone Crusher". Till explains his psychological concept of comfort zone crushing and how it helps so many people to tackle their fears.
Till H. Groß … wildly crushes comfort zones.
As soon as Till finished high-school he took his education in his own hands. After reading the whole psychology section of the small town library in his city, he set out to personally meet the authors of the books that thrilled him. In 2011 he started to consciously seek out the best psychologists, therapists and coaches all over Europe in order to learn from them. Having the best teachers possible enabled him to give talks throughout Germany at the age of 19, hold a guest lecture at the University of Vienna at age 20 and conduct his own seminars, found a startup and work as a coach at the age of 21. Now he’s helping hundreds of people all over the world to tackle their fears and step out of their comfort zone.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@yakeensharma499]

I have decided to move out of my comfort zone. This is my first comment on youtube. I will overcome my fears and i hope everyone else does so... great video.

[@rejacksa7231]

congrats man i wish u best of luck :)

[@mybatteryislow9999]

nicu, how's it going?

[@deeptibhardwaj5726]

congrats dear

[@dy3640]

you suck just like your comment.. never do that again

[@nievescarretero2152]

I feel you, this is my second comment, you are awesome

[@ayakoganei7946]

15 minutes of my life well spent.

[@anmolphutela]

really good one, I'll definitely try this laying down on street.

[@ayakoganei7946]

***** I love you Till :)

[@usmanahmad8882]

23 hours and 45 minutes wasted. Excellent.

[@oddviews]

A few years ago on Valentine's day I bought 6 red roses and decided I would give one to a random set of people in the streets of Bangkok. I started with an old lady, next a man with his girlfriend, then a couple of pretty girls. I had one left. I was in a taxi and got the driver to stop at a busy intersection where there was a policewoman directing traffic. I got out and I presented her with a rose and she was so happy she kissed me on the cheek. It was a lovely experience doing something a bit daring but not dangerous.

[@killadog84]

you should have given it to the taxi driver

[@samehsam5905]

+Wreck Tard thé same thought

[@beckasmith6302]

What a wonderful thing to do! Sounds like you had a great experience with that.

[@joelsweeney4024]

aw that's so cute xD I wish I read this comment last night, Valentines just ended, id love to have done that

[@FilmFrontiers982]

your lucky instead hitting with sandals, she kissed you xd.

[@Robert-hi8el]

Got suspended for going to school naked. Thanks a lot Till!

[@rishabhkatoch2945]

razielx7 lol

[@sinait8191]

Maybe I should try this too.

[@erickguilherme5081]

Robert hahaha this i will not try.

[@malte2467]

Hahaha :D :D I hope thats a joke.

[@reema9913]

Robert what !!! Did u really do that or was that a JK?? 😂😂😂😂😂

[@mrjixk]

I am afraid some asshole is going to step on me or run me over if I try to do this.

[@1212zeek1212]

That might happen. Live your life and take risks or hide and do nothing. I'd rather die if it means the chance to live.

[@matszz]

Good, confront the fear of being stepped on =)

[@mrjixk]

MrKohlenstoff Right, you are.

[@ArmisHart]

***** well most were not in the actual street in those pictures. he also said only 30 seconds i think. not long enough to get in trouble

[@ArmisHart]

***** not..that kind of trouble. you would obviously get in trouble for lying in the middle of the street for 30 minutes.

[@roughryder5]

Someone gave me a challenge which was "Go 24 hours without complaining and see how much your life improves". Im currently one day 7...awesome feeling.

[@Warsie]

+Elite I barely complain and I still feel shitty, no this stupid insipid fucking advice does not work.

[@roughryder5]

Lol you sound grumpy, dude. Lighten up.

[@pekkapaco5333]

+Elite I think he's joking.

[@Jorjioo]

+Elite It was definitelyt a joke bro. "I barely complain" he says as he complains alot :P Just think about it.

[@ELdASenSei]

+Elite he got you :P

[@SuperVarunraju]

I just did it !! Farted loud in the Class..You are right it feels awesome!! :D

[@malixyx]

+Varun Raju you are fucking funny man.

[@interestingvids7332]

sushil hari

[@macdoniaski7955]

Lol😂😂😂😂😂 you made my night

[@Funwinxpixee]

+Varun Raju lol nice holding it back is unhealthy anyways

[@katharinapavlin6068]

way to go bro!! :)

[@pultofcat8615]

First time I've heard the speaker of a sudden Ted talk say fuck

[@Lara1717171717]

PultOfCat It's so normal to say that in germany, even on tv XD

[@TheM00h]

you are confusing tv shows and ted talks, while german tv has no standards at all, ted has some

[@jamestheredd]

"I'm so familiar with fear and nervousness right now. It doesn't hold me back anymore." Powerful.

[@ALIVE.Offical]

Great to hear!

[@yesreneau]

Omg at the end I thought he was going to say my favorite Eleanor Roosevelt quote, and I darn near spazzed. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent" - Eleanor Roosevelt

[@KnuckleHeadMusicUK]

Snap! And the whole talk reminded me of a poem, 'masks' by Shel Silverstein, or this quote by Marianne Williamson, "As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence actually liberates others."

[@meherk3322]

Exactly, same here. I thought he will quote the famous inferiority quote

[@yehhshhs]

I did a challenge myself. I was on a cruise vacation and there was like a karaoke party... litterally everyone on the boat was with their family and friends together in groups and enjoying their time while watching people sing karaoke songs... I was alone, my parents and grandma were at the casino. At first I thought shit I am alone here !!! Then I thought fuck it. I just have to have fun and just ignore the fact that I am alone. Everyone was singing and family cheering for them.. I wanted to sing too but I was so super super nervous to sing alone and I was afraid I would look weird or whatsoever. Then I just decided to JUST DO IT! and i picked a song.. stand there in the middle of the room and I sang White flag form Dido.. and before I knew it people came and stand with me and sang with me together! I will never forget this experience! It had made me so much more confident. People DO appreciate when others are alone or solo having fun! They just want to support you and join your fun.

[@shingeki-_-1704]

congrats! im very nervous about starting comfort challenges!

[@yehhshhs]

Shingeki -_- thanks!!!!!!! let's do this challenge: lie on the ground for 10 seconds on a random crowded public place. example: in the mall or at a train station :) are you down for it? im fucking scared for this

[@shingeki-_-1704]

+euphoriassy bloom i got anxiety just thinking about this challenge! but next time i am in a crowded area i will be trying it

[@yehhshhs]

+Neo Karn thanks^^

[@bingolingo405]

+euphoriassy bloom hey man one of the best KZbin comment ever ever ever

[@notabott]

did he say "f*ck it" in a ted talk

[@SerAbiotico]

which part?

[@robcarvalho9640]

***** 7.53

[@SerAbiotico]

Roberto Carvalho glol, well it's almost indiscernible among the deep accent, and even if it wasn't, isn't big deal

[@karnak333]

Yes. Refreshing that he did. Fuck it!

[@wadjo1]

Yea i heard he payed a fine for that

[@rachelkarengreen99]

I DID THIS TODAY! Ahhh I feel good. It was more like 20 seconds but I did it at my school on the main walkway with tons of people walking by and staring. I'm finally free. I'll keep doing things that scare me. Trust me, I have terrible social anxiety so if I can do it you can do it too. Cheers.

[@rachelkarengreen99]

***** Thanks man! In the past 2/3 weeks I've done a challenge every day, from howling in the library to singing as loud as I can in front of a hundred people (my school food court) to talking to girls (and getting numbers), all things I never thought I would be able to do. In a short time, my life has been filled with so much more happiness and confidence, it's amazing. I can literally say that this video changed my life.

[@jifyum07]

Wait why are u howling?

[@rachelkarengreen99]

jifyum07 It's a comfort zone challenge! Look on his website and sign up for his e-mails they're very helpful.

[@jifyum07]

I have to agree with that. Maybe not take it to such an extreme. Kids will take your actions as a desperate attempt to get attention.

[@RobotAlienGaming]

xxbluejay21 You sir,are an amazing person!

[@DCshoescompany99]

well homeless people must be super confident...

[@tommytucker5464]

Or just have no self esteem to worry about sleeping on the ground

[@vest0079]

I think confidence isn't they're biggest problem.....

[@lucabrasi8284]

If you think about that, they really are. Never seen an homeless guy who's not confident. They just don't care about what society thinks of them. That's a good thing.

[@stefanManiak262011]

JusticeObligationKindnessEmpathyRespect a homeless man stay on streets because he doesn't have where to live,so is a dumb afirmation!!

[@DCshoescompany99]

i know dude i was just joking

[@seddd]

I once did 10 pushups in the middle of a crowded street.. Felt awesome

[@vitemrious4]

wish I could do 10 push ups :D

[@bloodie6284]

That one is amazing. I did it for about 2 months every day :D Insane results

[@aaronmaloney8282]

Bloodi e .. wtf , really? Insane results

[@jorgeherrera1074]

Knees weak, arms are sweaty, moms spagetti! :D

[@ealnag9856]

Wtf I listened to the remix just before this o.O coincidenceeees

[@kkanda5893]

lols!! reminds me of 8 miles..Eminem!!

[@grahmn886]

XD

[@jorgeherrera1074]

George Boots you just dont get it...

[@nikitamiskovets7100]

he's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready. Sick song man

[@lancetschirhart7676]

"Fuck it, I'll do it tomorrow." xD

[@MickyAvStickyHands]

A 6'4" thin athlete explaining how to be confident is like a Bill Gates explaining how to budget your income.

[@DChris3]

And there go the excuses...hahaha just as he said.

[@smartiechuco]

There's more to confidence than how someone looks. Good looking people can have low confidence

[@TheBosama]

MickyAvStickyHands // Yeah I was looking for someone who agreed. The source is not very credible

[@JakeSkellington1]

MickyAvStickyHands I am 6'4", I wouldn't consider myself good looking but I am an athlete. I only weigh 140 so I'm skinny af and I'm self conscious about everything and there's a hot girl at my job id like to date but every time I talk to her I get all flushed and nervous. just because you'd think he shouldnt have confidence issues doesn't mean he doesnt.

[@SashaWtheweirdoanimallover]

Eh..But the way he's presented it was pretty useful. I am pretty sure average looking people can be self-confident and stop giving damns about what others might think. I think this talk was really amazing.

[@loganflo8446]

Probably the most helpful KZbin video I've ever seen

[@phoebekemp6484]

+Logan Wiliiams *This Video Reveals One Weird Trick My Therapist Quickly Taught Me To Cure Panic Attacks And Anxiety In Less Than 60 Seconds - Guaranteed! >>>* t.co/j0hTwV9SK4

[@anfro18]

+Logan Wiliiams I was thinking the same thing. Great perspective

[@richardshar9616]

+Comfort Zone Crusher thank you very much ,bro:)

[@faiz8569]

+Logan Wiliiams Rsd JULIEN or RSD TYLER they go in much more depth

[@DiogoPinho96]

+Ian Karl Torres Poma well probably every way to overcome social anxiety is based on the same principle. This is just an extended version

[@jacketgreatorex]

i walk in the street naked once a week for my confidence

[@himanshubaluni524]

lol😂😂😂

[@sreynoy7389]

😂😂😂😂

[@sportsworld912]

jack ? hahahaah

[@ALIVE.Offical]

Lol what in the world are you talking about ^^

[@bobthebuilder545]

Honestly that’s prolly be fire for confidence but you’d get arrested

[@ronvavra]

Ok, so I go out and do a comfort zone challenge. bitch had me arrested.

[@LucidTeFlon180]

Hard to believe?

[@FBIRyan]

That's another one of those good excuses the mind makes up. There's many uncomfortable things you can do that's legal. And most people don't even care anyways.

[@Thetwinkly]

Duke Ofhesse Someone is gonna arrest you for laying down on the ground? You live in North Korea?

[@namewithheld7835]

Wth?😅 Were you nervous about groping people?

[@LucidTeFlon180]

Nname Withheld I believe it was meant to be a joke.

[@sidrashabbir6792]

Just hearing some of his comfort challenges gives me anxiety xD

[@kingcatsper1878]

S Shabbir You need help

[@briansounalath]

It would be cool if he weren't a young tall good looking blonde guy. They already have it easier. I would love to hear how an unattractive ethnic person who is older is facing their fears.

[@paulicas1]

what you are saying sounds like an excuse not to do the tasks.

[@robbert-4039]

***** Sorry mate, but now you're doing the same thing. You're saying that he has it easier than the 'rest', that may comes handy is some situations but not all. Maybe, if, you have the fear of stepping to an attractive person and your hands are sweating and you're getting nervous and start to come up with excuse then this will be one. You will say to yourself: I heard that guy from Ted saying: 'Do it, everyday, overcome your fears." But he's tall, blonde and an athletic person, so he has it much easier!'. And you won't do it, you won't be able to take that step to overcome your fear by doing it. Please mate, see this as a positive feedback from me and go for it!

[@paulicas1]

it does not matter what you look like. For example if you are fat, bald and not fit , the satisfaction after doing this type of tasks should be even higher than tall, blonde, good looking guy. The topic here is not about the looks. If you want to do the task but you ''cant'' do it because you aren't good looking enough then that is just a lame excuse that you tell yourself. That's how I see things :)

[@angelnunez6631]

what you need my friend is some "RSDTodd" . You will thank me later

[@tillhelgegro2433]

I agree with you. It would be interesting if a person as you described would do these things. Though we had a couple of people in our workshops and online course who were over 40 and had different backgrounds and it still worked for them. But I agree the people responded differently to them than they did towards me.

[@Danygotaworldtosee]

time to lay down on the street :D

[@jesus145]

Yes lol 😆

[@mariana4gymnastics]

remember fight club? pick a fight with a stranger and lose. like he said, deal with rejection, confront anxiety and take control of your body, mind and surroundings. from doing these comfort zone challenges i'm beginning to see the earth as my comfort zone, not just my bedroom walls :)

[@nerad1994]

+Xhahahaha lol

[@invoker6624]

you're comment says the you have anxiety and paranoia

[@sebastian_6922]

That's a movie...this is real life, don't compare the two...ever...

[@WeezZ1337]

why not? Movies/books are interpretations of the authors perspective on real life. btw. you can compare literally everything, you just need to find the right context ;)

[@agustin4741]

That is how i got stabbed

[@FeelinGoode]

Interesting... I did this the other day. I didn't know about this video or technique. I wanted to lie down because I had to wait a long time and I knew about going outside my comfort zone to become better, but I hesitated because nobody else was doing it and so many people were walking right next to me... it was absolutely crowded. As soon as I lied down I felt so uncomfortable and my heart was pounding because I never did anything like this before. But after 5-10 minutes it went away, I got relaxed and nearly fell asleep. I got up 30 minutes later and people were looking at me and smiling. The old me would get extremely nervous in a crowd of people and I would over analyze everything when I got home. I actually felt relaxed and didn't give a shit what other people thought. I was actually proud of my self.

[@haykav]

Your profile picture and name explain it all :D

[@Dominik-kl2re]

Username checks out.

[@Kinobambino]

also pics or it didn't happen😐

[@bowball-sports7571]

FeelinGood I would be freaking out

[@lolacariad]

thats awesome!!!

[@vampireknight221]

First time posting a comment on youtube! Gonna start moving out of my comfort zone with those comfort zone challenges, starting today!

[@countdracula2861]

Good luck

[@VengeanceBG]

The power of erection.

[@XD8DISTURBED8XD]

Wanna get high?

[@adamkhalifa6009]

Vengeance BG

[@AineDonnellan]

Marya Liu Me too! 😍🙌

[@SwiiGenesis]

I watched this video about a year or a year and a half ago, like most of you, I desperately wanted to be more confident. And I did, I can honestly say I've become more confident with myself but I didn't lay down in the street in order to gain it. I learned to accept myself and not give a damn about what other people think. I realized my self-worth and that you shouldn't base that on someone else's opinion, but yourself. I used to be so insecure about my weight and how I wished I was skinnier, but as the years went by, I've learned to love myself and my imperfections. I mean, who is going to love you more than yourself? Since society is already doing a good job at trying to bring you down, why not try to be easy on yourself instead and go against it. I swear I felt like a heavy burden was lifted off of my shoulders and I promise it feels really good to be free of that burden.

[@ABrokenStar]

beautiful comment and thought...

[@ikraamouifqi7092]

I'm so happy for you ...I hope I can reach this stage of accepting myself, and go out from my comfort zone. I'm really fed up with what happens to me, and how people treat me as the lonely, uncomfortable girl 😢😢

[@SwiiGenesis]

ikraam ouifqi It honestly came with age as well, as I grew older, I realized that other people's opinion of me didn't matter, what mattered was how I perceived myself and those who are important to me. Don't let it get you down, there's so much more out there waiting for you :)

[@aldorbakiaj3592]

I gave Up smoking by learning self confidece ...this therapy works on everything :)

[@Joel-js2gk]

+Sui 100% agreed. As you get older you'll realize 'fuck everybody else.' You'll never be able to please everyone, so don't bother even trying. You know who you're friends are and who'll be there for you. If you meet someone else you want in your life, great. If you meet someone who doesn't like you, then they can fuck off because you don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

[@collegoflustandfear]

"I said 'fuck it'."

[@blattlicht]

good for you :)

[@osabossa]

+Mawkayla Blat (Aktínes) Bad for him

[@collegoflustandfear]

Oskar Siemieniuk No. Mawkayla Blat It has quotes around it for a reason.

[@AlRomo19]

i was hoping for someone to lay down in front of him hahaha,

[@YoloMonstaaa]

Same! lol

[@BrokenG-String]

+Alberto Romo That would have been badass

[@juandharma]

This is one of the best TED talks videos I've ever seen. Thanks for your experiences and wisdom Till :)

[@ashley190998]

The guy had a horrible english and spoke for 15 mins, Respect... No fucks were given

[@lindawhitfield7582]

He was confident and did not care what others thought! lol

[@Mutantcy1992]

+Aquas Gamer I really wouldn't say that was horrible English. There were only a few words I didn't understand.

[@shashank2791991]

+Linda Whitfield omg that's awesome

[@user-ep4jo1ev3j]

His English was fine especially how it's his second language.

[@kw12784]

+Aquas Gamer yes, this guy had a few errors in his speech. But it's obviously not his first language and it wasn't exactly hard to understand. You, on the other hand. You said this.. "...had a horrible english and..." I do love irony

[@reiloveable]

hahahah now i am motivated to do something silly 😋

[@nir913]

I fear Humans. Will this Help?

[@luciencron6655]

yes :)

[@raidbonasdeas154]

they don't bite ,aren't they ?lol

[@crystalfunky]

if you close your eyes you see an indian person

[@shadidsalehin3293]

crystalfunky lol.. very true😂

[@alexmga9303]

crystalfunky you're absolutely right

[@noneofmynameswork1]

crystalfunky I was going to say that

[@NavehHalperin]

lolll

[@ElleMira-17]

Hahahhaa yeah

[@samanthawright6266]

I'm getting nervous at the mere thought of a comfort zone challenge hahahaha

[@voxlvalyx]

This reminds me of a story I heard about Stephen Colbert. Apparently, he would walk across crosswalks and dance in front of the cars in a very strange manner. Long story short, he now can make a total ass of himself on television and it's really entertaining and funny because he's confident.

[@tillhelgegro2433]

Great reference! Nick Winter, the CEO of CodeCombat, actually does something very similar. He implemented comfort zone challenges in his daily routine by having the following rule: every time he crosses the street and the traffic light turns red, he throws his arms in the air and runs to the other side of the street like a headless chicken!

[@RahulBaghelvision]

you cant lay down in the streets of India! you might not walk after that ever!XD

[@durgaraju007]

Driver less car's in India!

[@awsm666able]

Or one might get run over by Salman Khan xD

[@blackbeast1996]

No the streets are safe , foothpaths are not

[@awsm666able]

saransh Hehe! :D

[@KOMAL-fb1cg]

the streets are filthy as well!!

[@gabo3color]

Notes - Comfort Zone Challenges > We have also experienced FEAR > We have also acted despite fear 1- Not as scary as you thought 2- You did so many times that it stopped being scaring How to become more confident? How to stop caring thinking what other people think of you? How not to be hold back by fear? Answer: Lay down on the street for 30 seconds. > Background < In high school, speaker appeared to be confident from the outside, but from the inside he was very nervous. Why? Huge fear of rejection, not being cool, and exposed as weak. His old strategy: avoidance. For example, not go to party that he didn’t know anybody. Or he would drag his friends along with him so that he can get approval. After high school, he started to get into psychology. He started to learn from the best psychotherapists. Came across with Comfort Zone Challenges. Fast way to progress in business. Definition: challenges that you consciously put yourself in situations that make you feel embarrassed or insecure. You do it over and over until you stop thinking what other people think. [Similar to exposure therapy.] Explanation why it works: autonomic nervous system fires a fear response. You cannot control it consciously. This system learns to respond anxiously to situations that are not dangerous. So you STAY with the feeling until your autonomic nervous system learns that it is not dangerous. First comfort zone challenge (lay down on the subway station): he was procrastinating because he had a fear response, but then had an a-ha moment: “those really good excuses will always be there.” If he allowed those rationalizations to hold him back, he would never do it. Three things he noticed: 1- Weird looks (Not as scary as he thought) 2- Confused people 3- Majority of people didn’t even look Got more relaxed. After 1 minute, all anxiety vanished. Got in the train with a big smile on his face. > Made a list of all fears and tapped into them. Some went away quickly, others took long to overcome. Online community: comfort zone crusher. International movement 3 three things he learned > Consciously doing comfort zone challenge make you get into the habit of doing the uncomfortable Ignore excuses Go through discomfort Bleeds into other areas (gym, studying) > Relationship to fear completely changed He still has fears It is not a magic pill Even if he wants to do something but has fear, he still does it. > Happiness Unhappiness usually comes from: 1- From comparison CZC makes you care less about others. 2- From “perfect self” If you do CZC, you’re in the process of getting there. End of the day: “I have made a step closer to this perfect version.” Conclusion > Exposure therapy comes from the 50’s > Vision: make this knowledge accessible to people > Fear and anxiety connects us. And this is a comforting thought. Do something outside of your auto-pilot. This gives an adventure spice to your life. “Do one thing everyday that scares you.” Thanks for the awesome talk =)

[@NguyenVo2011]

Can’t believe that this doesn’t get more likes. Thanks for sharing your notes. 😊

[@joserochapinto500]

WHEN I M DRUNK I DO ALL THAT CONFORT ZONE CHALLENGE STUFF. BUT WHEN I M NOT DRUNK I JUST CAN T SPEAK TO A RANDOM GIRL...

[@truckingwithwim8039]

True this, lol

[@TheKiwiColonel]

Why would you dislike this video, what is there to dislike?

[@anukritsharma1798]

jeaLous

[@shingeki-_-1704]

i guess those ppl are "fearless" lol. i thought this was incredible

[@asasbs1411]

+KiwiGaming can't understand his English

[@laurensolomons6175]

+SD91 that's just pure arrogance and stupidity. he speaks English 2 best the best of his ability

[@TheKiwiColonel]

SD91 clearly you're bad at english in some aspects yourself if you can't interpret people from other cultures speaking the language.

depends where you lay yourself down, in some countries, drivers won't mind you.

[@rahul_ji21]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 did no one understood the joke or what?🤣

[@QrayzHD]

I'm making it my mission to do everything i have an irrational fear of. It started the other day when i was at a 60 birthday party and there was a table full of younger people my own age, rather then avoiding them like i normally do i decided to walk on over and take a seat. Rather then the table giving me a dirty look, they wanted to get to to know me and made me feel welcome, i realize that maybe some of those people had the same fear as i did.

[@tillhelgegro2433]

Great!!!

[@QrayzHD]

***** Thanks : )

[@AbigailGladstone]

Absolutely loved your talk. I accidentally started doing comfort crushers about a year ago. As a very petite girl I really wanted to get some upper body strength but I was too scared to work out in the weight section of my gym as it is mostly big burly men lifting huge weights! One day I forced myself to do it. I didn't have a clue what I was doing but by the end of the session I had two guys showing me how to lift and use the weights. Over the past year I've gone and the guys who work out there always cheer me on. After this happened it dawned on me that the fear and anxiety thinking about the act is worse than the act itself. After watching your talk I'm going to be doing more comfort crushers and applying this philosophy to many aspects of my life. I have found this inspiring!

[@1st_Julianna]

+Abigail Gladstone BE the Lizbeth Salander you want to be!!!

[@CaptJofaz]

+pbshelleygirl Don't think Lizbeth Salander has ever lifted weights

[@1st_Julianna]

+CaptJofaz Dunno. She was a trained boxer. Could have lifted some.

[@CaptJofaz]

pbshelleygirl she's practically anorexic

[@1st_Julianna]

+CaptJofaz we must have read different books/seen different movies. In the Swedish version of the movie and in the books, Lisbeth ate whenever she was hungry. Certainly Noomi Rapace couldn't be seen as anorexic. Never saw the movie version with Rooney Mara (apologies if I misspelled her name), so I don't know how she was portrayed in that one.

[@racingheart92]

Its not mean u just need to lie on ground in crowded place, but to challenge ur biggest fears around most pressure places. More the fear more is confident

[@glamdrag]

I really need to study. so im doing the challenge by now getting off youtube and start studying :)

[@ythsh]

To be honest, part of the problem is your surrounding. People don't really ask: "what is wrong with the world?" Instead they look at themselves and look for the problems in their own shortcoming. Then they get insecure and lose their confidence and get anxiety problems. Maybe, it is true that you are surrounded by negative nancies constantly putting you down and make your life worse off than it should be.

[@richl9268]

+Enoch H Yea. Just keep changing surroundings until you find the right one, is what I say.

[@psykonauttija2012]

+Rich L Embrace solitude.

[@pushthetempo2]

+Enoch H "before you declare yourself depressed, first check you are not surrounded by idiots" Cant remember who's quote that is.

[@tanpreetsingh551]

I saw your video last year and got motivated af for a whole 1hr and here I am back again still looking for excuses not to do the challenges 😢😢

[@countdracula2861]

FUCK EXCUSES. Simply take step by step and you will notice some improvements. Good Luck :)

[@ravimodi3852]

one of the most motivating and influential talks..will definitely try out

[@ALIVE.Offical]

It´s been five years now. What have you done since then?

[@jassarstudio2519]

Do one thing everyday that scares you 👍

[@whitejerryrice02]

I am terrified of public speaking, it's to the point where I sacrifice a good grade on a speech or presentation just to get back to my seat and out of the spotlight. I have wanted to get over this fear for years, but have no idea how to do it. After watching your talk I know I have to first become more comfortable with myself, but I was wondering how to take the first step?

[@LIVE2RACE2]

lay down on the street for 30 secs :) i have the same kind of fear and i just watched this video and i really want to lay down on the street. Doing this kind of thing will help with public speaking as well because it is the same kind of anxiety

[@rza139]

Do you really wanna know what it takes? It takes some dedication, but its achieveable. First, use positive thinking and affirmations to yourself. Second, learn from the best like he said. Books, videos, classes, seminars, etc. Third, practice, practice, practice. And fourth, get rid of or distance yourself from any negative friends or people in your life. Trust me. It works. Goodluck to you.

[@SerAbiotico]

You can try to avoid your confort zone little by little. Instead of directly lay down on the street, sit down on the stairs, stop to lean on a wall, up your head to see the sky/roof in the middle of a crowd. Ask 'what time it is?' to strangers. Let drop something small on purpose (a pen, a paper) and ask gently for it. Then you can go for more 'challenging' tasks.

[@peterwa10]

I have a fear of public speaking too, I've been working alot with just positive thoughts about myself. My fear stems from poor self image I have, and a insecurities on my looks. I've remedied it alot with 1: changing the way I look, loosing weight and working out helped ALOT. but thats only one step, 2: I am learning to focus on all of the good things about myself, and how awesome I am. If I KNOW I am awesome, everyone will too. (different than being cocky/ego)

[@rza139]

There is a great exercise here on KZbin from the channel - Earlytorise. It's a journal entry for 21 days. Look up the video. In the entries you write 5 things everyday for 21 days.

[@blingximus]

I won't lay down in the street...but I will definitely approach a beautiful stranger on the road.

[@stratos788]

blingximus look up rsd ( real social dynamics) they will change your life ;)

[@blingximus]

way ahead of you.

[@stratos788]

blingximus completly enlightening shit, both inner and outer game

[@PaulaHowley]

I'm a public speaker and still get serious nerves. To combat those nerves, I deliberately give speeches in public areas like mall courtyards, parks, tennis courts, you name it, to make myself uncomfortable and get over that discomfort. Yes, people look at me and think I'm a nut case who is talking to herself. Some people have even asked me if I'm ok. People say to my husband "I think I saw your wife the other day in the supermarket parking lot talking to herself." "Yeah, that's just Paula practising her speech." he says. I call it Avery Drilling after Ryan Avery, the 2012 World Champ of Public Speaking who used this technique to prep for the Worlds. It still scares the hell out of me sometimes but MAN, is it exhilarating. And effective.

[@RemotePossibilities1]

Hi Paula - I thought of you and your Avery Drilling when I saw this video! Keep up the good work!

[@PaulaHowley]

Craig, that is really cool that you remembered! Seems we were on to something eh?

[@RemotePossibilities1]

Paula Howley You bet! And for speaking confidently, have you seen this great 6½-minute clip by Christine Clapp? bitly.com/1Fkcx63 (I copped a bit of troll-wrath in the comments, but what can you do?)

[@Discoveryourmindpower]

I love that! Well done you! You just really made me giggle...

[@tillhelgegro2433]

haha great!!

[@JustMinhaz]

Ok so I DID this challenge many times now :D! it was sooooo HARD the first time!!! I was feeling super ANXIOUS and the feeling is PARALYSING I was with my family out on a Sunday night in London. it wasn't that busy, so I picked a spot right in front of a street entertainer XD. I know crazy right lol! If you're a person who feels a lot of anxiety this is a must do - as soon as u stand up from lying down - u have a sense of FREEDOM even if there is a lot of anxiety, it won't hold u back from EXPRESSING yourself:) I made a video doing this challenge be sure to check it out if my comment resonates with u!

[@Slash18622]

I always did comfort zone challenges when I was drunk - just for fun. Now I know that I boosted my confidence unknowingly!

[@acasoimporta_2729]

I got a friend with social anxiety, so maybe this help. Thanks for posting!

[@mikell.6064]

he has the best Indian accent ever lol

[@Eiest]

Mike Llerena German

[@aakritisingh8163]

this is best tedX talk.EVER. Time to kill fears!

[@warrenpugh7844]

This is creepy. Just yesterday while helping a basketball player improve his shooting percentage I had him lie down for about 30 seconds. When he got back on his feet he began to hit 80% rather than about 45%. I do understand what is going on here. Issues in our nervous system are so subtle that we are clueless, yet this consciousness is the soul of success. WASP

[@jeslightman8370]

This is seriously amazing... Just the thought of trying this makes me shiver but also buzz with excitement... Thank you!!! :D

[@CharlesTheClumsy]

And that's how planking started.

[@marlayaross7177]

this is exactly what i needed. gonna do something everyday that scares me. eventually i'll break free from the chains of anxiety and fear of rejection and embarrassment! thank you, till!

[@JohnnyForehead]

So I'm lying on the street and this chick with a dress stands over me and I'm staring straight up at the holy mound of enlightenment...and I'm thinking to myself...I like this challenge.

[@NeoCk435]

Nice TED talk. It kinda provokes the "fuck it" mentality, which is exactly what the world needs right now. Too many people are so stuck up in their head worrying about what others may think of them...and that includes me as well. I am tired of being so suggestible, without zero original opinion. Only listen to what the majority think and follow that, today i say fuck it. I wont have a blurry view on subjects anymore. This talk has inspired me to take back my life, be more aware of what we human are. Thank you.

[@Alinrzv]

I've been through all this anxiety shit , after having a panic attack or some sort of heart attack , nerves wreck'ed up , pain felt in my heart , in my lungs , in my chest , on my spine , i was thinking off all this diseases that could cause death .. and so on .. pain was freaking me out , which was never confirmed by the doctors anyway, they were all saying "you are healthy" , "your heart is ok" , "no signs" .. i don't know why you are having extrasistoles and pain and etc. God knows what the fuck happened to me , after all i've been through i learned to control myself .. this guy is saying the truth !! I can say i'm 90% recovered .. now , i've changed my life drastly in the last period .. i've changed my job , i'm working as a web developer now .. a thing which i was doing as a hobby , so its something i love to do now , i've started eating healthy , doing sport , i've also changed the country :D , because the job offer was abroad so yeah , you can make all those changes too so keep your trust and never give up ! Keep on changing things !

[@acquiredtastes3595]

It's embarrassing that most USAmericans speak English only. Given the global quality of this world, having difficulty/making no effort to understand English spoken as a second language is even more pathetic.

[@NeverSuspects]

+acquired tastes Most people in the US have no reason to learn to speak a 2nd language. Even one learned in high school may end up mostly forgotten unless they engage in conversations or read in the language they learned over time. That being, many people in the US do in fact speak Spanish, at least partially. I'm sure those who plan to travel for an extended amount of time to another country where the spoken language is not the one they speak will take the time to learn it. Then again, English is somewhat common everywhere these days and leaves even less of a need for Americans to need to learn another language. Everyone should probably learn a programming language these days though.

[@WhoIsThisNJ]

I tired this and people started coming up to me asking whether I was feeling okay or is there somebody they could call to help me. ;__;

[@syedhaniraza]

Haha Lol. Where you did that? i wanna know location.

[@Jen_nifer99]

probably because you are a woman

[@fatimah3228]

oh no lmfaoo

[@dejffjed]

I don't quite understand him... He mumbles and swallows syllables. Anyway I'm surely gonna lay down on that street. It will be so awkward but I will give it a try. Strangely though, among my friends I'm considered to be a crazy person who is comfortable of any crazy stuff in public. That is truth but only in the presence of someone I know.

[@dhidhi1000]

Imaginary friends?

[@hokeypokeyty]

I can't beleive he didnt take the opportunity to sing chasing cars. IF I LAY HERE!! IF I JUST LAAAY HERE!! WOULD YOU LIE WITH ME AND JUST FORGET THE WORLD!!

[@rajivkrishnatr]

I have to perform at a concert tomorrow. The time I had done it last year, I was very nervous and I had butterflies in me even three months before the concert! Now, not so much. But I'm still nervous. The reason I was so scared is I have a condition called erb's palsy which makes me hold the violin bow differently. I was extremely scared about how the audience will receive me. What I did just before the performance was to remove my glasses so I won't be able look at their faces. Ha ha ha! It helped me sail through easily... And in the end nobody actually cared, one or two persons came to me and congratulated me! I hope it goes well tomorrow! All the best to everyone who is facing such things!

[@miriami7]

Good luck.

[@roxy2812]

good luck! :)

[@anthonyramirez9601]

You could hold it with your feet. as long as it sounds good... Awesome!

[@rajivkrishnatr]

Thank you all! I did well... Surprisingly I couldn't help but smile in the end, all went smoothly... There was just a brief moment of nervousness at the start, it subsided eventually... :)

[@roxy2812]

wohoo! nice! and it will go even better the next time ;)

[@JakeSkellington1]

I'm 6"4' so I'm like that good height that girls like and I've already had one girlfriend. I want to ask a hot girl at my job out but I get flushed and nervous af every time I talk to her. I know she sees my red face and it's embarrassing af. that's like the only thing I struggle with. talking to women, especially hot ones.

[@milanboshkovski5538]

I feel like you are talking about me

[@JakeSkellington1]

milan boshkovski XD i dont think so

[@rejacksa7231]

I'm about to start school so hopefully i actually step out of my comfort zone and not pussy out like last year

[@bogusawas.3133]

I will get out of my comfort zone during my upcoming trip to Miami, Madrid, and Trzcianka. I will lie down in the cities, take pix, and post on my fb. You have inspired me Till!!

[@nikitamiskovets7100]

Really inspiring talk, so i decided to share my first comfort zone challenge experience, that is quite simple but can help you to start off. Find the most stupid hat in your house and just wear it to your school/uni/job for the whole day without taking it off at any excuse. I did it myself and it was a good starting point for me. Hope i maybe helped someone)

[@donipetrov4747]

Nikita Miskovets /

[@sorooshusa]

I find these solutions and topic very trivial. let me explain. I am having the same problem he is explaining the resolution for and i find this video and his suggested "fix" useless and a waste of time. let me simplify in atomic sentences: 1) I have a comfort zone that keeps me from socializing to people 2) I need to do things that are out of my comfort zone 3) If I do those things, then i can help myself to get out of my comfort zone 4) but I cant or else I am arriving at the conclusion as a solution 5) I cant get out of my comfort zone because that is the original problem ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) deducing logically that no solution (besides triviality) is presented now before you get your panties in a bunch, I know that not getting out of own self comfort zone is a problem to social progress and there is no denying that. I am simply challenging the solution of "how to". in very very very simple words, this dude is saying "get out of your comfort zone so you can[get out of your comfort zone(s)]". begs triviality according to any logic text book.

[@vamshimunna143007]

dude!! its all about the false living with a lousy word called fear. if triviality was this guys main aspect, why would he sit on the streets? just suggesting a positive way of looking into it. chur bro!

[@vamshimunna143007]

Sharif Sabirov cheers man!! all these aspects are to make a better living by connecting the outer and inner being. As you said, the methods will keep on evolving as the distance between the outer and the inner being increases.

[@YeHnJaCk]

i think what he says is just a perfect solution, i just watched it, and imma start doing the comfort zone challenges, there is no solution other than doing it, there is no medicine or something like that, he gives you a simple thing to do, lie on the street, and it will make u confident enought, just close youreyes, and lay on the ground, then open them slowly and u will realise its not that scary

[@syedmuzzafarali6525]

kmmm

[@randomtryouts]

Your analysis is not as logical as you might think it; you made a wrong conclusion about his talk. You can get out of your comfort zone at this point, but it will be difficult (due to the "autonomic nervous system firing a fear response" according to him). Once you engage in getting out of your comfort zone more often, your autonomic nervous system will learn that there is no need to fire these fear responses because there is no actual danger. Therefore it will be easier for you to get out of the comfort zone and in reality these same things will cease to be outside your comfort zone (or will be much closer to your comfort zone than once were). So his proposal is valid and will help you if you follow through with it. Go out, talk to people. You will be nervous, scared, anxious. Just like he was on that Thursday when he was debating with himself to lay on the floor. But do it. Talk to people every day, talk to people for longer periods of times than you are comfortable. Eventually this will become easy/easier for you to do, which is what Till's aim was from this video.

[@metalingi9497]

here in India I can just lay down on the streets. most of you know y.😂

[@rr7firefly]

Very insightful and excellently delivered. Mister Gross is absolutely correct when he says that we live our lives largely on auto pilot. Deep down we find comfort in the familiar, so we tend to seek a certain level of mindlessness in habitual behaviors that dull authentic participation in life. It's good for us to snap out of that zombie state and to really see the broader spectrum that we inhabit.

[@tillhelgegro2433]

Well said Noe!! And it is so true. Comfort zone challenge can make you more courageous, of course. But as I said in the talk it also can spice up your life and push you out of zombie state as you call it.

[@AlinOfrim]

How to become more confident ?...simple : marijuana or whiskey :)) Good luck

[@Joel-js2gk]

tbh I'm so insecure I hardly play Pokemon Go except for when nobody else is around or on the bus. But this video's gonna change that. This Friday, I'm gonna lie down on the sidewalk next to my school, where all my friends could see me, and I'm gonna stay there lying until I feel comfortable. A lot of videos are inspirational but without much substance, this video is actually extremely helpful and will hopefully actually change my life for the better.

[@DJ-ud6zy]

did you do it?

[@marilynmassey5421]

Gaining Confidence is one of the keys to World Peace! Really! Confidence combined with Compassion. I learned this from the Dahli Lama. You cannot have Confidence and Fear at the same time, and violence has its root in fear. So if we have no fear, we will not need to be violent. Having Compassion obviously follows.

[@shrutidoshi9109]

comfort zone challenge for me - 1) Answer a question in class 2) Showing up in practical with calmness. 3) To speak in front of people like speech in interesting topics. 4) Doing madness everyday

[@espoirjohn1130]

I can relate that damn 😂

[@PradsVads]

I would love to try the 30 sec thing , really. But the roads in India have been spat over countless times, I would puke before lying down there.

[@racingheart92]

U said right BUT!!!!!!!........ If we could do this, just imagine how it change our life... Biggest the physicological pressure, biggest is the confidence. 👍✌

[@puneetgupta2000]

See now you gave yourself the "Excuse". Gotta get over it my friend

[@Usefulmusic]

Take a clean carpet or other strong material with you to lie down on.

[@expertusvideos]

loved this video. I've made my comfort zone challenge list.

[@itsmeyaar0007]

Can u share some of them which r not personal please

[@macdaddykush]

i get anxious walking up the street or in a shop pretty sure nothing can help that.

[@Joel-js2gk]

You know how you could help that? Take a bus to the busiest part of downtown and walk the streets. Walk for hours, walk in and out of shops, even if you don't plan on actually buying anything. Don't let yourself wimp out, just do it. Enjoy the scenery, enjoy the outdoors. Do it every day or every other day until you're comfortable. Baby steps. Watching this video has actually made me realize I've been doing these "comfort zone challenges" a lot already, because I'm very socially awkward myself but over the past couple years I've forced myself to talk to more people and now I'm decently comfortable starting small talk and have a good group of friends. Baby steps, but I can feel myself getting there. And trust me on this one; if I can do it, anyone can. Never say you can't Ruadhri :)

[@macdaddykush]

Thanks so much joel

[@jamesjajohn3149]

Ruadhri Mcdonald . Exercise is helpful with that

[@ThePinnacle415]

breathing exercises are extremely helpful for me.

[@TheFreshspidey]

I love this video. Glad I stumbled upon it!

[@tillhelgegro2433]

thank you :)

[@glass7923]

*Things I noted:* *1.* It made me so anxious I want to puke just from listening :× *2.* I live in Poland, in a small city: • everyone would give me wild look • some idiot would try to pick me up, guess how would I explain the situation • someone would call ambulance or police • someone I know only from seeing would notice me and think I'm retarded

[@drpepper4413]

This is a wonderful topic. A guy named Steve Kardynal came to mind, for those that don't know he makes videos of himself fearlessly singing in public, (the naked guy swinging on a wrecking ball)even though he looks and sounds ridiculous. The silly nature of his videos aside, I remember being blown away at how impervious he was to anyone else around him and what they might be thinking, whereas you or I would never imagine being able to do such a thing. I saw something beautiful in that ability to be fully immersed in what he was doing, and how he is proof it is possible to not be held back by fear of what other people think. Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world- Ralph Waldo Emerson

[@al1976-v7m]

couldn't have summed it up any better. and thanks for the great Emerson quote... :)

[@presseagentur]

HI Till wie gehts dir? Ich bin ein mega Fan von dir, und habe auch eine 100 Tage Ablehnungschallenge hinter mir :) Wollte mal fragen ob du das immer noch machst,da ich nix im internet finde... Bitte um kurze Antwort Beste grüße Matthius

[@MikeReid]

"What the F*#$ does that dude think he is doing, hes got nothing to be proud of," was aggressively bouncing off the walls of my mind, as I opened the door to emerge completely naked into the streets of the Castro District in CA, with my girlfriend at the time, in tow (Yes it actually was legal at one time in the very recent past). This path began years ago when I first decided to wear a speedo in Public and address the very serious insecurities I've carried for years regarding my body. Most recently, I found myself wearing spandex pants and a clown nose walking into Junes modeling agency in Tokyo asking for a modeling job (anticipating I would be forcibly removed from the premises) but was escorted to the on-site studio for pics and found myself on their website listed as a model. Anyway, long story story...You can convince yourself that other peoples views of you are right or forcibly deconstruct the box that was created for you and find that 1) People don't really care what you are doing or they don't care nearly as much as you thought 2) Those that are "judging you" are no more confident then you and are often looking down upon you because it helps them feel better. 3) Life is soooooo much better when you live it for yourself

[@LadyEclipse1]

I used to be the kind of person who had no problems speaking to others then fear sat in along with lies about life/people. I am getting better at it I feel I have to relearn everything since my identity was stolen from me.

[@HiHACKER]

🙋yep

[@zailanigalambi2006]

HiHACKER hahahahah yep yep yeppp🙋🙋

[@DiegoMachida]

If I were to do this in my country, I would get kicked in the face, ko'ed and robbed. Useful video though

[@saito4991]

aghhh my brain.. can't understand his accent :(

[@uncletony6210]

him was just sayin' dat if you lie down in da street dat you wont ever be scared of nutin after dat cause nutin is more scarey den all da traffic and lorrys

[@WilliamHButtlicker]

Kevin wel sed brau! Foni haw i ounderstuud avryding!! XD

[@akimych23]

William H. Buttlicker Ит'c бекаус юу арн'т Рашшн

[@WilliamHButtlicker]

Akimych XD I tried to translate your comment with Google translate and it said "Ït'c bekaws yuw arn't Raşşn"... It's because I'm not what?? XD

[@akimych23]

William H. Buttlicker hey bro, r u crazie? u r n't Rushshian

[@tuanthanh6599]

anyone here come from VIETNAM?( I'm vietnamese: xD )

[@Otanduw]

Took 45 years to learn this. Wish I saw this when I was 15.

[@TheKirschbaumfee]

You should all visit the youtube channle Hello Fears from where a woman steped out of her comfort zone every day for 100 days :)

[@meredithanthraxelrod]

You mean "lie" down on the street. "Lay" is the past tense of "lie" (or it is a transitive verb that means something different than you mean).

[@worldshaper1723]

So the word lie has two meanings?

[@meredithanthraxelrod]

At least two, yes

[@worldshaper1723]

Thank you, I didn't know that, I could've just learn it on Google but for some reason I want it to learn it from you ; )

[@meredithanthraxelrod]

: )

[@anthonyriviello4509]

meredithanthraxelrod Marry me

[@FesIRL]

It's always the Abercrombie looking dude telling us how to be confident. lol JK. Good points, once you realize other peoples thoughts are non of my business and in no way affect my life, you'll be more confident. And if I need their opinion I would punch it out of them, lol

[@shubhamrawat-st1tj]

damn it feel good to be a gansta

[@MusicthatsStrange]

Who is Tedx anyway? Is it a real person