Presentation Zen: TED Talk: 9 ways to live better, longer, happier

No excuse for boring an audience: Advice on giving technical presentations

Interview with Patrick Newell from TEDGlobal 2013

TED Talk: 9 ways to live better, longer, happier

May 25, 2013

This TED presentation below is one I've pointed to before, but it's worth repeating. The message is important no matter who you are or what kind of work you're engaged in. In this TEDx talk , National Geographic writer and explorer Dan Buettner shares what the world's longest-lived peoples have in common. Buettner condensed the findings into nine easy-to-remember lifestyle habits. The presentation is good in terms of content and delivery; Buettner is an engaging figure. Visually, the presentation would be even better if he ditched that typical PowerPoint template in favor of slides with a background that fit the feel of his other visuals. However, except for that I really like the way he effortlessly mixes in high quality images and video to augment his narrative. You are starting to see more and more people now mix in full-screen video clips (with the audio removed) with other images while they tell their stories or share their evidence.

Dan Buettner: How to live to be 100+

I'm not crazy about the typical PowerPoint template used in a few of the slides, but most of the time the screen was filled with full-screen images (Left) or video clips (Right) that were a good complement to the talk.

In Sum
What are the common denominators running through the different cultures they studied? If you do not have time to watch the video, I summarized them below in my own words. You can go to the Blue Zones website to get all the details.

Move Naturally
(1) You don't need a formal, rigorous exercise plan. We're talking here a change in lifestyle that is fundamentally active. We're designed to move. We've not meant to drive 100 meters in a car to pick up chips at the local store. Walk, do yard work, whatever. Do exercises/activities that you enjoy.

Have Right Outlook
(2) Slow down. When you're constantly in a hurry and stressed out, this has a negative impact on your health. Limiting negative stress is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself.
(3) Have a clear purpose. The Japanese call it "ikigai" 生き甲斐 (lit: life + value, be worth while). You must have a passion, a calling, a purpose. There's got to be a reason to get out of bed every day.

Eat Wisely
(4) Drink a little (wine) everyday.
(5) Eat mainly plant-based foods. Small amounts of meat and fish are OK.
(6) Hara Hachi Bu: Eat until 80% full. Do not eat eat until you're stuffed. (I've talked about this many time before in the context of presentation.)

Be Connected with others
(7) Put family, loved ones first.
(8) Belong to a community. Many in his study belonged to faith-based communities.
(9) Belong to the right tribe. That is, hang out with people with healthy habits, physical and emotional ones.

How to live a long, healthy life in one slide
Even nine recommendations can be hard to remember, so I simplified the advice down to five in this Keynote slide that capture the essence of the tips from Dan Buettner's good TEDx talk.

(Click on image of slide for a larger size.)

Posted at 02:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Comments

Hmmm..... I'd be slightly more impressed if there weren't a few boobs in it. For example, when talking about body cell replacement he suggests the errors build up 'exponentially'. They don't. They build up 'cumulatively'.

To build up exponentially the number of cells in error would have to change (increase) in a very specific sequence.

Simon

Posted by: Simon Raybould | January 11, 2010 at 05:29 PM

This talks or subjects kind of make me wish for a simpler life. Sometimes I feel stuck in this goal-achieving-sales-results-entrepreneurial life I been leading. All thos places and people that he talks about I sense them like magical. My greatest example for longevity was my grandfather.. he lived that way, he lived til 87, walking, lots of friends in his home town, a huge garden, physical activity, very rigorous diet, and he counted the days for spending time with us, his grandchildren. :)

Posted by: Joe Oviedo | January 12, 2010 at 02:44 AM

I really loved this. I went to a program called Tignum and it was amazing the overlap here. They talk about the total integration of mindset, nutrition, movement, and recovery from a performance perspective, a sustainability (longevity) perspective and a health perspective. The five things mentioned here are encapsulated in the very pragmatic tools and techniques they teach in each one of these. In fact, I think they are extremely tangible and pragmatic.

Interesting enough, they even apply their strategies to being a better presenter, negotiator, leader, entrepreneur and of all the presentation training I have ever attended the Tignum program was by far the best. They addressed it from the personal preparation perspective which I think is totally overlooked.

I'm a big fan because they changed my life. Thanks Guy for pointing me to this TED and for your blogs.

Posted by: Reg Bull | January 13, 2010 at 03:21 AM

Really helpful explanation of what is important in life and the slide is great - thanks Garr.

P.S. Garr i am a father of two and I cheekily wondered if your simple. clean "Zen" lifestyle may be affected with the imminent arrival of loads of kid related paraphernalia :)

Best wishes,

Lee

Posted by: Leejackson | February 19, 2010 at 02:14 AM