5 Things even your Mother never told Me | Ashok Ferrey | TEDxColombo | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

A 66-year-old man shares five stories from his life, highlighting the importance of embracing different cultures, following intuition, starting from zero, and doing what you love without expecting recognition or rewards.

Key Insights

• ❓ Embrace different cultures and see similarities instead of differences.
• 🎁 Do not bring the baggage of the past into the present; focus on who you are in the present moment.
• ❓ Pursue passions without expecting recognition or rewards.
• 💦 Work hard and embrace opportunities when young.
• 😀 Trust intuition and embrace change, even in the face of doubts.
• 👶 Start from zero when learning new disciplines.
• 😃 Do what you love for the joy of it and to contribute to humanity, not for validation or rewards.

Transcript

foreign I will be 66 years old so I'm surely the oldest person in this room and quite possibly the oldest person you're going to see on this platform so humor me a little while humor an old man a little while um I thought I would talk a little bit about my rather Crazy Life all the zigzags and the wrong turns it has taken and many of those wrong tu... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What lessons did the speaker learn from his childhood in Somalia and his experience at a British boarding school?

The speaker learned to embrace different cultures, seeing similarities instead of differences, and not bringing the baggage of the past into the present.

Q: What is the speaker's one true love, and what does he say about it?

The speaker's one true love is pure mathematics. He describes the subject as a calm and ordered world that remains unchanged and immutable, encouraging others to pursue their passions without expecting their work to change the world.

Q: What advice does the speaker give about working hard and taking time off to enjoy life?

The speaker suggests that while young, one should work hard, letting their passion drive them. He disagrees with the idea of taking time off to smell the roses, emphasizing the importance of seizing opportunities while they're present.

Q: How did the speaker's intuition guide his decision to retire and return to Sri Lanka?

The speaker followed his intuition, feeling that the streak of good fortune in London wouldn't last forever. Despite others' warnings, he trusted his gut and returned to his perceived home in Sri Lanka.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker reflects on his childhood in Somalia, emphasizing the value of embracing different cultures and seeing similarities instead of differences.

• He shares his experience at a British boarding school, where he learned the importance of not bringing the baggage of the past into the present, focusing on who one is in the present moment.

• The speaker discusses his love for pure mathematics and the calm and order it provides, encouraging others to pursue their passions without worrying about recognition or rewards.

• He recounts his time as a laborer on a building site in London and the importance of working hard, embracing opportunities while young, and not being afraid to take risks.

• The speaker talks about his decision to retire and return to Sri Lanka, trusting his intuition and embracing change, even when others doubted his choices.

• Finally, he shares the story of writing his first book while his father was dying, highlighting the importance of leaving oneself open to new possibilities, disregarding external validation, and doing what one loves to contribute to humanity.