What Ping-Pong Taught Me About Life | Pico Iyer | TED

Growing up in England, Pico Iyer was taught that the point of a game was to win. Now, some 50 years later, he's realized that competition can be "more like an act of love." In this charming, subtly profound talk, he explores what regular games of ping-pong in his neighborhood in Japan have revealed about the riddle of winning -- and shows why not knowing who's won can feel like the ultimate victory.
Learn how to make your travels truly transformative in Pico Iyer’s upcoming TED Course “How to take a life-changing journey.” You’ll learn how to set an intention and choose a destination, how to make the most out of your arrival and be fully present while you travel, how to navigate cultural differences and how to live differently when you return home. Enroll now: tedtalks.social/3aO9LQl
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Learn how to make your travels truly transformative in Pico Iyer’s upcoming TED Course “How to take a life-changing journey.” You’ll learn how to set an intention and choose a destination, how to make the most out of your arrival and be fully present while you travel, how to navigate cultural differences and how to live differently when you return home. Enroll now: tedtalks.social/3aO9LQl

[@AnkurShah]

Ping pong is the BEST sport!!! It has helped me focus more and dramatically improve reflexes. Competitive spirit without competition is a wonderful idea! Loved the talk

[@moliveira5443]

You was more succint in few minutes, I learn more with you. Thanks.

[@EDCandLace]

I was a national champion in Russia as a female JR. Came over to the USA when i was 13 and beat the pants off the juniors over here to the point it wasnt even fun. When i was on team junior team USA when i played Team Junior China it was a completely different experince and pong was fun again and was massively humbled while being there. I stopped playing at a world level at 19 to focus on my Law degree.

[@benny4695]

I have never been this early to a ted talk, anyone else?

[@crazyim5]

That English accent with Japanese & Indian touch 😍

[@vetiarvind]

He's an Indian English American Japanese author. Pretty sure he's the only one. More specifically Tamil Marathi English American Japanese person. Guess going west is in his genes. If he had kids I'd imagine they'd move further west back to India.

[@Strider_JM]

Love this

[@kellyviolette1419]

“One should use information and logic as a drunkard would use a lamp post - only for support, not for illumination.” ― Sadhguru, Of Mystics & Mistakes

[@divyamurugesan5557]

Interesting perspective ☺️☺️

[@khaldsroor6156]

شكرا لك من اعماق قلبي كلام عظيم

[@entisarnasser265]

"the best way to win,when you start never ever think about the score" 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@tl1119]

When you watch Ping Pong the Animation.

[@magicalgold010]

Blood tastes like iron

[@antonalm7689]

00:16 that's quite the forehand. Interesting video!

[@Qatraling]

Something like this? "When it pings it pongs" "Life has its pings and pongs" "There is ping to an every pong"

[@arjunboyle]

I HAVE TO CLARIFY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. TABLE TENNIS IS THE OLYMPIC SPORT PING PONG IS A SYNONYM, BUT IS LIKE THE GAME TO CHILL OUT THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION

[@JohSmith]

I was in Thailand and I've seen a Ping Pong show... not what I've expected lmao

[@EDCandLace]

So you had never seen world class players play ping pong? Lol i bet you was shocked.. I was junior Russian champion 2 years in a row when i was 11 and 13 coming to USA 2 months before i turned 14. The game is massively intense and FAST. To onlookers that have never seen high level players are absolutely in shock when they see a set played. They can't understand how we can play a game that gets moving at that speed and be in control of it 98.5% of the time.

[@vetiarvind]

Lol they tried to scam me in one of those in Patong. I walked away without shelling a dime.

[@wildernessstyle8810]

Ping Pong taught me that even Terry Crews can die.

[@michaelpisciarino5348]

0:11 Pico Iyer has

[@supremephoenix99]

Leggendo il titolo ho pensato fosse Marco Montemagno (italian will understand)

[@lbvisions3517]

First like, and I’VE ALWAYS LOVED PING PONG

[@joypadb]

The world needs to know that every time I play my brother Conrad Murray, I always win.

[@derwinwestfall7329]

Sorta like a court room

[@burakyigit6232]

Hello

[@stefan429]

remember the iridocyclitis kid? this is him now, giving ted talks, what are you doing with your life?

[@KenTheAdventurer]

it's table tennis

[@RiccardoBoran]

@montemagno

[@namhhh2290]

i in Vietnam

[@mindtwister1984]

I appeared 1st in India and there r 2 of them.

[@adriannn401]

1

[@moliveira5443]

It was not so interesting, because all sports do good to our health.

[@robinschiffer1511]

ping

[@marykinuthia5780]

Ping pong saved his life?

[@saghirahmed8044]

I am the first to watch this video

[@paulmetdebbie447]

The first shall be the last 😉

[@SuperBrianMo1018]

Not really making a strong point.

[@TheJociman]

I first thought this was parody by onion

[@OfficialNinjaSkillz]

Asian ping pong players scare me

[@pokeyouindaeye]

TED running out of topics.

[@linahol6067]

Leave the video quickly after I hear "Japanese"