Willful ignorance – never tell me the odds | Tom O'Neill | TEDxFargo

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Tom considers some of mankind’s great feats in terms of vision, humility and grit. He suggests that facts are useful, except when they’re not. Tom makes the case that facts are not constructive when they keep people from attempting difficult endeavors that could make a big difference – if they could be done. Tom challenges leaders to pick their spots in which it’s OK to disregard reason, forget settled matters and choose ignorance – to make your mistakes, but make your moonshot.

Tom O’Neill became a Nerdery developer and cultural leader in 2004, launched The Nerdery in Chicago as VP of Development, returned to Minneapolis as COO, then became President in 2013. Tom is The Nerdery’s first President since founding-President Luke Bucklin passed away. In shared belief in distributed leadership, Tom shares the title of Co-President with all of his fellow Nerds. Tom is a perennial volunteer for The Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge, a 24-hour event where developers donate their time and talent to help nonprofit organizations build better websites.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event 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)

[mackuss]

uh...none of those people who accomplished great things did so out of willful ignorance...they did them because they were trying to be less ignorant - the complete opposite.

[xRKiRx]

I love this! Han Solo's quote is what brought me here. Thanks for the inspirational speech. :)

[NocturnalRS]

Man I don't know if ignorance is the right term lol.

[millyoneyedeaz]

this is the exact opposite if willful ignorance

[cormacgaming]

I really doubt there was one hero on this list that didn't get as far as they did by not understanding the risk, the odds and the possible rewards.
Instead, they took a gamble and came out the other side, victorius.
For every one hero in history books, there are a 1000x failed attempts, people who likely didn't do their homework.

[fnkychiknn]

Good message. Very poor use of language.

[paulgildan]

His presentation is not "worth spreading", TEDx. It is only worthy of being "ignored". His idiocy destroys his own argument.

[rail]

I can only see haters and illusionairs in this comment section, R.I.P.