I recently was invited to share a Ted Talk on the topic follow your heart where i prepared some notes and also with the help of Gemini some PPT and others and it was a special experience to share
Speaking Notes: "Follow Your Heart"
SLIDE 1: Title Slide (Follow Your Heart)
(Voice: Energetic, warm, and inviting.)
"Good morning, everyone. I want you to take a moment and think about the last time you made a
decision that you knew was right, deep down, even if it didn't make logical sense to anyone else."
"That feeling—that quiet, confident inner pull—that's what we're here to talk about today: Following
Your Heart."
"We are constantly bombarded by external expectations: the safe career, the sensible investment,
the path others want for us. This internal conflict, the battle between your head and your heart, is
the biggest barrier to living a truly authentic life."
"My goal today is to give you a clear map to align your life with your deepest truths."
SLIDE 2: Defining the Compass (What is the 'Heart'?)
(Voice: Clear, instructional.)
"When I say 'heart,' I'm not talking about being overly emotional or irrational. I mean something
deeper. The heart is your personal compass, and it’s a powerful blend of three things:"
"First, Intuition: That gut feeling, that sudden moment of clarity. It's your subconscious connecting
the dots."
"Second, Passion: What gives you energy, causes you to lose track of time, and makes you feel most
alive."
"And third, Values: Your non-negotiables. What you truly stand for. When your work aligns with your
values, you'll never feel like you're selling out."
SLIDE 3: The Conflict (Fear, Logic, and the External Noise)
(Voice: Analytical, building tension.)
"But this compass is constantly fighting the loudest voices, primarily from the Head. The Head
focuses on Logic, which is necessary, but also on Fear and External Expectations."
"The head asks: 'Is this safe? Is this profitable? What will my parents/friends/boss think?' It keeps us
in the 'safe harbor.' It uses fear as an anchor."
"The moment we accept that this conflict is natural—that the head is meant to protect us, but the
heart is meant to guide us—we can start to make progress. The heart speaks of potential; the head
speaks of precedent."
SLIDE 4: The Power of the Inner Voice
(Voice: Powerful, inspirational.)
"The cost of ignoring the heart is profound: regret, burnout, and a constant, hollow feeling that
something is missing. You spend your limited time living someone else's life."
"Steve Jobs, who mastered the art of creative alignment, put it best:"
(Read the quote slowly and emphatically):
“Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have
the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”
"This is the core message: You already know what you should be doing. The challenge is having the
courage to listen, and the discipline to silence everything else."
SLIDE 5: The Three Steps to Listen (Action Slide)
(Voice: Calm, instructional, and encouraging. This is the practical core.)
"So, how do we tune in? We need to create the conditions to hear that quiet whisper. It involves
three simple, actionable steps:"
"1. Quiet the Noise: The heart speaks in silence. Dedicate just 10 minutes every day to intentional
stillness. Put the phone away. Stop the input. Meditate, breathe, or just sit quietly. It’s impossible to
hear your inner voice when you’re constantly listening to social media or the news."
"2. Reflect on Joy: Your heart leaves a trail of breadcrumbs. Think back to the last time you were
completely absorbed in an activity—an hour passed, and you didn't even notice. That feeling of
'flow' is a direct signal from your heart. Notice what you love, and chase the activities that bring you
that energy."
"3. Test the Waters: Following your heart doesn't mean being reckless. It means taking small, low-
risk experiments to validate your desire. If your heart says, 'I want to be a baker,' you don't quit your
job—you take a weekend class or bake for a friend's party. These tests give you real-world data and
show your heart you're serious."
SLIDE 6: Case Study: The Pivot
(Voice: Storytelling tone, warm and relatable.)
"To show you the power of these steps, let's look at a common example: the pivot."
"I know a lawyer—let's call her Sarah—who had everything her head told her to get: a prestigious
firm, a huge salary, and security. But she felt that Sunday night dread every week. Her heart,
however, was in the non-profit world, specifically helping with refugee resettlement."
"She started small. She used Step 3, volunteering evenings and weekends. She took a massive risk,
ultimately leaving the corporate world for a non-profit position that paid a fraction of her salary."
"Was it scary? Absolutely. But today, she is working harder for less, and she says she has never been
happier or felt more successful. When your work aligns with your heart, the challenges don't crush
you; they fuel you. She traded comfort for meaning."
SLIDE 7: Heart vs. Impulse
(Voice: Cautionary, wise, and instructional.)
"Now, a critical distinction. 'Follow your heart' is not an excuse for being impulsive. Impulse is a
quick, superficial reaction—often driven by avoiding stress or fear. It feels urgent and anxious."
"The Heart is different. It is driven by your core values and consistent desires. The heart speaks in a
whisper that won't go away. You can try to ignore it, but it surfaces again and again, year after year."
"The key test is consistency. If a desire keeps showing up, if you keep coming back to it even after
you've tried to ignore it, that is your heart. Honor it with a small step."
SLIDE 8: The Ultimate Reward
(Voice: Inspiring, celebratory, and concluding.)
"So, what is the ultimate payoff for having this courage and discipline? What do you gain by trading
certainty for authenticity?"
"First, Resilience. When you love the core mission, failures become lessons, not roadblocks. You
become antifragile."
"Second, Fulfillment. This is the deep peace that comes from knowing you are living your truth. You
replace the hollow feeling of 'should' with the rewarding feeling of 'am.'"
"And finally, Impact. When you operate from a place of passion, you bring your absolute best self to
the world. You attract opportunities and people who align with your authentic energy."
SLIDE 9: Conclusion & Call to Action (Mark Twain Quote)
(Voice: Slow, powerful, and reflective.)
"To summarize: the risk of following your heart is smaller than the risk of settling. In the end, what
truly hurts is the potential we leave unrealized. I want to leave you with this final thought:"
(Read the Mark Twain quote slowly, emphasizing the action words):
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by
the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade
winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
"What is your 'safe harbor'? What is the one thing you've been delaying out of fear or external
pressure? Don't wait 20 years to regret it."
"Your challenge for this week: Identify that one thing, and commit to taking the first, smallest step
toward it. Be brave enough to sail."
