Stop making excuses. Create your own reality: Gary Whitehill at TEDxBayArea

Gary is a relentless entrepreneur and driven philanthropist with a footprint on four continents; broad experience spanning entrepreneurship, M&A, business turnarounds, and Fortune 50 board directorships. Seasoned in structuring the macro-level dynamics of entrepreneurial ecosystems, Gary has been featured in industry-leading publications such as the Harvard Business Review, Inc. and the New York Times, and delivered over 50 presentations to audiences around the World on many topical facets of entrepreneurship.

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)

[leftycharms]

Most speakers who talk about changing your reality, also establish emphasis on WORKING HARD to obtain it. It's about building yourself up, and focusing on your goals as a whole. It's about not giving up, and knowing your worth; NEVER MAKING EXCUSES. Changing your reality = reprogramming your mind's self-doubt. Get rid of self-doubt, set your fear to the side and leash it, and you'll get farther than you ever thought possible. Step outside your comfort zone. Most people never will. I know people that won't step foot into the gym because they don't want to workout in front of others...but then they complain about not looking like they want. Do what makes you scared. Do what makes you uncomfortable.

Not everyone is going to be rich, not everyone will be a movie star, etc. But everyone can be successful and live a really happy life. Depends what you're idea of success is. To me, being happy and helping others is my idea of success. Making people laugh gives me so much satisfaction, and my ability to make mostly everyone feel worth something... makes my life worth something.

So, it is a lie if you are told that if you can imagine it, and believe it, it will come true. You have to imagine it, feel it, create a plan, and WORK for it. Jump in like this guy said. You have to GO FOR IT. Of course just imagining it won't get you anywhere.

[MikeKincaid]

Whether it's for women or not, I'm motivated.

[yolandevanelle]

"luck is an accumulation of superior efforts and focused execution"... one of the most inspiring things i have ever heard...im truly motivated and i hope one day when i will be great woman i have always dreamed of, i will meet Gary Whitehill and say THANK YOU!!

[iagree]

I love the way this guy (and I'm a guy- not that it makes or should make a difference.) that he acknowledges the discrimination against half of the population of the world. and against half- the other half- of the whole, which really really pulls this world apart at the moment. spread love, amputate infections of hate, leaving only the heart. The heart is the only solution now, speaking from it, living from it, and creating LOVE from it.

[kathyokelley]

The Ted talk, "Stop making Excuses. Create Your Own Reality", and Gary Whitehill, together have been a catalyst of inspiration, motivation and change in my life. Gary is a man out there blazing new trails in entrepreneurship. He is encouraging women and men of any ethnicity to reach for more. Gary is excelling in business, both nationally and internationally, he is speaking from experience, and with that experience he is trying to open door for others. True I am Caucasian, but I was raised in a predominantly Hispanic community in LA. There should not be any barriers to success, regardless of ethnicity, socioeconomic standing or personal beliefs. I admire Gary deeply for reaching out to help others, and I will always be grateful for his inspirational life, that has brought change to my own life.

[RomanKikta]

Gary delivers-- in a thought provoking, motivational presentation!

[hitakshimahajan]

People dont buy what you do, they buy why you do it - simon sinek

[sl]

Exactly. My job is not me, your job is not you. Your job does not define you.

[Rubycella]

I watched the first few minutes of this and turned to the comments as soon as he said "I'm a women" first off, when his mother was turned down for the assistant vice president job that was YEARS AGO when women and men's rights were ALOT different from today. If fact, women have more control now and probably more then men we just don't see it because we are too blinded by "let's be equal and feminism" women are equal actually above equal now a days.

[serj]

How about statistics of women vs men as coal miners, septic tank cleaners, sewage workers, garbage collectors, all the unappealing, life-threatening jobs you can think of. Why is it only inequality when it comes to comfortable jobs?

[silentscribes]

it was hella funny, dude was like beating on the chest needs to stop, and then, almost in the same breath he was like I made a company from the ground up in less than four months and I'm super badass. girl power brah

[ajdene]

Just an FYI for a rant at 6:15 - there is more than enough resources and housing for every single person on this planet to live prosperous... In USA, for example, there are 6 homes rotting away empty for every homeless person. So the problem is not a lack of resources but the distribution of them...

[toobawaheed]

Never the less, atleast he raised his voice for women if he couldnt actually guide us still means a lot

[YogiBearTruthbetold]

The lie says that if you can imagine it and believe it, it will come true. It says the mind has the power to create a true reality, which it can not. It is the minds favorite myth because it is what our minds want to believe the most; it gives our mind life's job. This is what makes it the most powerful and dangerous of all myths. If it is night you can believe it is day all you want but that wont make it true. The truth is there is only one truth, one reality we all share. The ultimate truth of life has been reveled and it turned out to be better than anything we could have imagined. Google *_Truth Contest_* and read the top entry. What is said can and will turn this world right side up, this is truth the evidence suggests.

[XXXFirebirdXXX]

As soon as he basically started with, "I'm a white male...sorry", I checked out.

[francis_n]

Something about this talk felt very condescensing

[julianarabelo]

Uh... just a suggestion y'all.. Why don't we all set up our minds to only comment about the topic in order to improve our understanding, ooorrrr compliment the person doing the speech for attempting to help (?)
Juuusst a suggestion you know. Y'all think about it. You always have the option of not watching if don't like and/or agree.

[juliearvaniti]

It's important to never quit. This is my little story :
I paint since I remember myself. When I got my first job and I was able to afford art supplies, I painted almost everyday and also had my full-time day job. I didn't rest a lot and lost some people because I was never available for weekend staff. I did also looked tired. But, doing this for 6 years, I started having my first sales. I still can't believe that people I don't know are willing to spend some money for the paintings I make. I saw this in a dream when I was 8. Because I wanted to be a painter since I was 8. In my country, to enter an art school you have to take some exams in which 900 people with the same dream as you participate- and they only take 120. To be able to even have a chance to succeed in this exams, you have to go to private preparation schools. In my 20s I never had money for this, so I just studied something else in the uni. I thought I would never have a chance to enter the art school and this made me incredibly sad every year those exams took place. In my 33 years, I decided I had to, I just had to try, even if I was a lot older than the average art student, I had to just give it a try. I made it, I am now a student again at uni, while I also work. It is demanding and people wonder why I do this, but I've never been happier in my life and every night, before I fall asleep I dream of my first personal exhibision and I just can't wait !

[aliciadoyle]

I ❤️his passion and compassion and directness ! Let's stop avoiding the elephant in the room!! Thank you for talking about this in a candid way! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[ravenswood]

I can appreciate motivating us women but your white knight I-hate-myself tactic is really unnecessary.