0:00:08.380,0:00:09.561 Thank you. 0:00:16.270,0:00:21.200 There once was a king in India, a Maharaja[br]and for his birthday, a decree went out 0:00:21.200,0:00:24.200 that all the chiefs should bring[br]gifts fit for a king. 0:00:24.400,0:00:28.370 Some brought fine silks,[br]some brought fancy swords, 0:00:28.370,0:00:29.490 some brought gold. 0:00:29.490,0:00:32.549 At the end of the line came walking[br]a very wrinkled little old man 0:00:32.549,0:00:36.630 who'd walked up from his village[br]many days journey by the sea. 0:00:36.630,0:00:41.150 And as he walked up the king's son asked,[br]"What gift do you bring for the King?" 0:00:41.457,0:00:44.750 And the old man very slowly[br]opened his hand to reveal 0:00:44.750,0:00:49.600 a very beautiful seashell, with swirls[br]of purple and yellow, red and blue. 0:00:50.160,0:00:51.380 And the King's son said, 0:00:51.460,0:00:54.400 "That's no gift for the King![br]What kind of gift is that?" 0:00:54.600,0:00:57.400 The old man looked up[br]at him slowly and said, 0:00:57.590,0:01:00.750 "Long walk... part of gift." 0:01:01.060,0:01:02.560 (Laughter) 0:01:02.900,0:01:05.970 In a few moments,[br]I'm going to give you a gift, 0:01:05.970,0:01:08.270 a gift that I believe[br]is a gift worth spreading. 0:01:08.290,0:01:10.050 But before I do, let me take you on 0:01:10.050,0:01:11.960 my long walk. 0:01:12.160,0:01:13.740 Like most of you, 0:01:13.740,0:01:15.320 I started life as a little kid. 0:01:15.320,0:01:17.460 How many of you[br]started life as a little kid? 0:01:17.460,0:01:18.510 Born young? 0:01:18.740,0:01:20.500 About half of you... Ok... 0:01:20.570,0:01:21.590 (Laughter) 0:01:21.820,0:01:24.910 And the rest of you, what?[br]You were born full-grown? 0:01:25.060,0:01:27.640 Boy, I want to meet your momma! 0:01:27.820,0:01:29.460 Talk about impossible! 0:01:30.560,0:01:34.740 As a little kid, I always had[br]a fascination with doing the impossible. 0:01:35.620,0:01:38.880 Today is a day I've been looking[br]forward to for many years, 0:01:38.880,0:01:41.000 because today is the day[br]I'm going to attempt 0:01:41.020,0:01:43.620 to do the impossible[br]right before your very eyes, 0:01:43.620,0:01:45.460 right here at TEDxMaastricht. 0:01:45.800,0:01:48.160 I'm going to start 0:01:48.760,0:01:50.880 by revealing the ending: 0:01:51.220,0:01:52.640 And I'm going to prove to you 0:01:52.640,0:01:54.940 that the impossible is not impossible. 0:01:55.300,0:01:58.210 And I'm going to end[br]by giving you a gift worth spreading: 0:01:58.210,0:02:01.350 I'm going to show you that you can[br]do the impossible in your life. 0:02:02.660,0:02:05.420 In my quest to do the impossible,[br]I've found that there are 0:02:05.420,0:02:08.230 two things that are universal[br]among people around the world. 0:02:08.230,0:02:09.870 Everybody has fears, 0:02:09.870,0:02:11.640 and everyone has dreams. 0:02:12.900,0:02:17.560 In my quest to do the impossible,[br]I've found there are three things 0:02:17.560,0:02:20.100 that I've done over my years that have 0:02:20.110,0:02:23.290 kind of caused me to do the impossible: 0:02:24.200,0:02:26.900 Dodgeball, or as you call it "Trefbal", 0:02:27.290,0:02:28.360 Superman, 0:02:28.460,0:02:29.460 and Mosquito. 0:02:29.460,0:02:30.810 Those are my three keywords. 0:02:30.810,0:02:33.500 Now you know why[br]I do the impossible in my life. 0:02:33.610,0:02:36.220 So I'm going to take you[br]on my journey, my long walk 0:02:36.320,0:02:38.680 from fears to dreams, 0:02:38.740,0:02:40.980 from words to swords, 0:02:41.160,0:02:42.740 from Dodgeball 0:02:42.850,0:02:44.020 to Superman 0:02:44.020,0:02:45.340 to Mosquito. 0:02:45.800,0:02:47.360 And I hope to show you 0:02:47.360,0:02:49.900 how you can do the impossible[br]in your life. 0:02:52.480,0:02:54.934 October 4th, 2007. 0:02:55.840,0:02:58.120 My heart was racing,[br]my knees were shaking 0:02:58.120,0:02:59.340 as I stepped out on stage 0:02:59.340,0:03:00.930 at Sanders Theatre 0:03:01.040,0:03:03.240 Harvard University to accept 0:03:03.240,0:03:06.160 the 2007 Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine 0:03:06.160,0:03:08.660 for a medical research paper[br]I'd co-written 0:03:08.660,0:03:10.270 called "Sword Swallowing... 0:03:10.420,0:03:11.740 ...and its Side Effects". 0:03:11.870,0:03:13.275 (Laughter) 0:03:13.840,0:03:17.880 It was published in a little journal[br]that I'd never read before, 0:03:18.460,0:03:20.419 the British Medical Journal. 0:03:21.360,0:03:24.740 And for me, that was[br]an impossible dream come true, 0:03:24.900,0:03:28.120 it was an unexpected surprise[br]for someone like me, 0:03:28.130,0:03:31.459 it was an honor I will never ever forget. 0:03:31.459,0:03:34.539 But it wasn't the most memorable[br]part of my life. 0:03:35.540,0:03:37.640 On October 4th, 1967, 0:03:38.020,0:03:40.260 this scared, shy, skinny, wimpy kid 0:03:41.100,0:03:43.120 suffered from extreme fears. 0:03:43.460,0:03:45.579 As he got ready to step out on stage, 0:03:45.579,0:03:47.234 his heart was racing, 0:03:47.500,0:03:49.162 his knees were shaking. 0:03:49.780,0:03:52.120 He went to open his mouth to speak, 0:03:56.490,0:03:58.130 the words just would not come out. 0:03:58.130,0:04:00.040 He stood trembling in tears. 0:04:00.630,0:04:02.360 He was paralyzed in panic, 0:04:02.360,0:04:03.760 frozen in fear. 0:04:03.960,0:04:06.130 This scared, shy, skinny wimpy kid 0:04:06.130,0:04:08.142 suffered from extreme fears. 0:04:08.649,0:04:10.330 He had fear of the dark, 0:04:10.520,0:04:11.640 fear of heights, 0:04:11.640,0:04:13.040 fear of spiders and snakes... 0:04:13.040,0:04:15.140 Any of you afraid of spiders and snakes? 0:04:15.280,0:04:16.660 Yeah, a few of you... 0:04:16.660,0:04:19.079 He had a fear of water and sharks... 0:04:19.079,0:04:21.939 Fear of doctors and nurses and dentists, 0:04:21.939,0:04:24.680 and needles and drills and sharp objects. 0:04:24.680,0:04:27.380 But more than anything,[br]he had a fear of 0:04:27.470,0:04:28.470 people. 0:04:29.380,0:04:31.530 That scared, shy skinny wimpy kid 0:04:31.540,0:04:32.570 was me. 0:04:33.320,0:04:35.997 I had a fear of failure and rejection, 0:04:37.300,0:04:39.520 low self-esteem, inferiority complex, 0:04:39.520,0:04:42.840 and something we didn't even know[br]you could sign up for back then: 0:04:42.840,0:04:44.660 social anxiety disorder. 0:04:44.955,0:04:48.610 Because I had fears, the bullies[br]would tease me and beat me up. 0:04:48.610,0:04:52.240 They used to laugh and call me names,[br]They never let me play in any of their 0:04:52.300,0:04:54.260 reindeer games. 0:04:55.020,0:04:58.056 Ah, there was one game[br]they used to let me play in... 0:04:58.100,0:04:59.427 Dodgeball - 0:04:59.500,0:05:01.443 and I was not a good dodger. 0:05:01.760,0:05:03.500 The bullies would call my name, 0:05:03.500,0:05:05.970 and I'd look up[br]and see these red dodge balls 0:05:05.970,0:05:08.200 hurtling at my face at supersonic speeds 0:05:08.210,0:05:09.950 bam, bam, bam! 0:05:10.580,0:05:13.220 And I remember many days[br]walking home from school, 0:05:13.300,0:05:18.180 my face was red and stinging,[br]my ears were red and ringing. 0:05:18.180,0:05:21.140 My eyes were burning with tears, 0:05:21.180,0:05:23.515 and their words were burning in my ears. 0:05:23.740,0:05:25.000 And whoever said, 0:05:25.020,0:05:28.660 "Sticks and stones can break my bones,[br]but words will never hurt me"... 0:05:28.880,0:05:30.131 It's a lie. 0:05:30.310,0:05:31.980 Words can cut like a knife. 0:05:31.980,0:05:34.030 Words can pierce like a sword. 0:05:34.210,0:05:36.040 Words can make wounds that are so deep 0:05:36.040,0:05:37.780 they can't be seen. 0:05:38.150,0:05:41.070 So I had fears.[br]And words were my worst enemy. 0:05:41.260,0:05:42.491 Still are. 0:05:43.355,0:05:45.300 But I also had dreams. 0:05:45.300,0:05:47.980 I would go home[br]and I'd escape to Superman comics 0:05:47.980,0:05:49.774 and I'd read Superman comic books 0:05:49.774,0:05:53.440 and I dreamed I wanted to be a superhero[br]like Superman. 0:05:53.480,0:05:56.240 I wanted to fight for truth and justice, 0:05:56.240,0:05:58.680 I wanted to fight against[br]villains and kryptonite, 0:05:58.680,0:06:02.895 I wanted to fly around the world[br]doing superhuman feats and saving lives. 0:06:03.400,0:06:05.850 I also had a fascination[br]with things that were real. 0:06:05.860,0:06:09.460 I'd read Guinness Book of World Records[br]and Ripley's Believe It or Not book. 0:06:09.460,0:06:13.080 Any of you ever read Guinness[br]Book of World Records or Ripley's? 0:06:13.100,0:06:14.390 I love those books! 0:06:14.390,0:06:16.270 I saw real people doing real feats. 0:06:16.270,0:06:17.790 And I said, I want to do that. 0:06:17.790,0:06:19.330 If the bullies will not let me 0:06:19.330,0:06:21.030 play in any of their sports games, 0:06:21.030,0:06:23.335 I want to do real magic, real feats. 0:06:23.335,0:06:26.659 I want to do something really remarkable[br]that those bullies can't do. 0:06:26.659,0:06:28.609 I want to find my purpose and calling, 0:06:28.609,0:06:30.729 I want to know that my life has meaning, 0:06:30.729,0:06:33.320 I want to do something incredible[br]to change the world; 0:06:33.320,0:06:36.960 I want to prove[br]the impossible is not impossible. 0:06:38.340,0:06:40.240 Fast forward 10 years - 0:06:40.240,0:06:42.706 It was the week before my 21st birthday. 0:06:42.819,0:06:46.799 Two things happened in one day[br]that would change my life forever. 0:06:47.040,0:06:49.391 I was living in Tamil Nadu, South India 0:06:49.540,0:06:51.020 I was a missionary there, 0:06:51.020,0:06:53.090 and my mentor, my friend asked me, 0:06:53.090,0:06:54.720 "Do you have Thromes, Daniel?" 0:06:54.720,0:06:57.440 And I said, "Thromes?[br]What are Thromes?" 0:06:57.440,0:07:00.490 He said, "Thromes are major life goals. 0:07:00.490,0:07:04.630 They're a combination[br]of dreams and goals, like if you could 0:07:04.630,0:07:07.240 do anything you want to do,[br]go anyplace you want to go 0:07:07.240,0:07:08.479 be anyone you want to be, 0:07:08.479,0:07:10.356 where would you go?[br]What would you do? 0:07:10.356,0:07:11.280 Who'd you be? 0:07:11.280,0:07:14.500 I said, "I can't do that![br]I'm too scared! I've got too many fears!" 0:07:14.500,0:07:17.800 That night I took my rice mat[br]up on the roof of the bungalow, 0:07:17.810,0:07:19.259 laid out underneath the stars, 0:07:19.259,0:07:21.869 and watched the bats dive bomb[br]for mosquitoes. 0:07:21.869,0:07:26.200 And all I could think about were thromes,[br]and dreams and goals, 0:07:26.200,0:07:28.360 and those bullies with the dodgeballs. 0:07:28.760,0:07:30.730 A few hours later I woke up. 0:07:31.220,0:07:33.940 My heart was racing,[br]my knees were shaking. 0:07:34.080,0:07:36.020 This time it wasn't with fear. 0:07:36.420,0:07:38.395 My entire body was convulsing. 0:07:38.500,0:07:40.180 And for the next five days 0:07:40.330,0:07:44.199 I was in and out of consciousness,[br]on my deathbed fighting for my life. 0:07:44.199,0:07:48.239 My brain was burning up[br]with 105 degree malaria fever. 0:07:48.390,0:07:51.600 And whenever I was conscious,[br]all I could think about were thromes. 0:07:51.600,0:07:53.820 I thought,[br]"What do I want to do with my life?" 0:07:53.950,0:07:56.380 Finally, on the night before[br]my 21st birthday, 0:07:56.380,0:07:58.030 in a moment of clarity, 0:07:58.030,0:07:59.639 I came to a realization: 0:07:59.639,0:08:02.100 I realized that little mosquito, 0:08:02.620,0:08:05.020 Anopheles Stephensi, 0:08:05.280,0:08:06.610 that little mosquito 0:08:06.610,0:08:08.390 that weighed less than 5 micrograms 0:08:08.390,0:08:09.810 less than a grain of salt, 0:08:09.810,0:08:12.780 if that mosquito could take out[br]a 170 pound man, 80 kilo man, 0:08:12.780,0:08:14.860 I realized that was my kryptonite. 0:08:14.860,0:08:17.150 Then I realized,[br]no, no, it's not the mosquito, 0:08:17.150,0:08:19.480 It's the little parasite[br]inside the mosquito, 0:08:19.480,0:08:23.160 Plasmodium Falciparum,[br]that kills over a million people a year. 0:08:23.509,0:08:25.999 Then I realized[br]No, no, it's even smaller than that, 0:08:25.999,0:08:28.550 but to me, it seemed so much greater. 0:08:28.550,0:08:29.640 I realized, 0:08:29.640,0:08:31.270 fear was my kryptonite, 0:08:31.270,0:08:32.140 my parasite, 0:08:32.140,0:08:34.990 that had crippled[br]and paralyzed me my entire life. 0:08:35.200,0:08:38.080 You know, there's a difference[br]between danger and fear. 0:08:38.109,0:08:39.699 Danger is real. 0:08:39.990,0:08:42.010 Fear is a choice. 0:08:42.080,0:08:44.309 And I realized I had a choice: 0:08:44.309,0:08:48.180 I could either live in fear,[br]and die in failure that night, 0:08:49.070,0:08:52.080 or I could put my fears to death,[br]and I could 0:08:52.080,0:08:56.060 reach for my dreams,[br]I could dare to live life. 0:08:56.680,0:08:59.560 And you know, there's something about[br]being on your deathbed 0:08:59.560,0:09:04.080 and facing death that actually[br]makes you really want to live life. 0:09:04.180,0:09:07.140 I realized everyone dies,[br]not everyone really lives. 0:09:08.040,0:09:09.890 It's in dying that we we live. 0:09:09.890,0:09:11.580 You know, when you learn to die, 0:09:11.580,0:09:13.070 you really learn to live. 0:09:13.070,0:09:15.140 So I decided I was going to change 0:09:15.140,0:09:16.420 my story that night. 0:09:16.915,0:09:18.230 I did not want to die. 0:09:18.230,0:09:20.010 So I prayed a little prayer, I said, 0:09:20.010,0:09:22.230 "God, if you let me live[br]to my 21st birthday, 0:09:22.230,0:09:24.544 I will not let fear[br]rule my life any longer. 0:09:24.670,0:09:26.520 I'm going to put my fears to death, 0:09:26.520,0:09:29.530 I'm going to reach for my dreams, 0:09:29.530,0:09:31.270 I want to change my attitude, 0:09:31.270,0:09:33.540 I want to do something incredible[br]with my life, 0:09:33.540,0:09:35.550 I want to find my purpose and calling, 0:09:35.550,0:09:38.632 I want to know that the impossible[br]is not impossible." 0:09:38.780,0:09:42.820 I won't tell you if I survived that night;[br]I'll let you figure that out for yourself. 0:09:42.850,0:09:43.978 (Laughter) 0:09:43.978,0:09:47.100 But that night I made my list[br]of my first 10 Thromes: 0:09:47.100,0:09:50.210 I decided I wanted to[br]visit the major continents 0:09:50.210,0:09:51.820 visit the 7 Wonders of the World 0:09:51.820,0:09:53.410 learn a bunch of languages, 0:09:53.410,0:09:54.940 live on a deserted island, 0:09:54.940,0:09:56.480 live on a ship in the ocean, 0:09:56.480,0:09:58.650 live with a tribe of Indians[br]in the Amazon, 0:09:58.650,0:10:01.210 climb to the top[br]of the highest mountain in Sweden, 0:10:01.210,0:10:03.180 I wanted to see Mount Everest at sunrise, 0:10:03.190,0:10:05.390 to work in the music business[br]in Nashville, 0:10:05.400,0:10:07.060 I wanted to work with a circus, 0:10:07.080,0:10:09.120 and I wanted to jump out of an airplane. 0:10:09.120,0:10:12.380 Over the next twenty years,[br]I accomplished most of those thromes. 0:10:12.410,0:10:14.650 Every time I would[br]check a throme off my list, 0:10:14.650,0:10:18.190 I'd add 5 or 10 more onto my list[br]and my list continued to grow. 0:10:18.800,0:10:23.280 For the next seven years, I lived[br]on a little island in the Bahamas 0:10:23.320,0:10:25.360 for about seven years 0:10:25.370,0:10:27.274 in a thatch hut, 0:10:29.480,0:10:33.820 spearing sharks and stingrays to eat,[br]the only one on the island, 0:10:33.820,0:10:36.249 in a loincloth, 0:10:36.680,0:10:39.160 and I got to learn to swim with sharks. 0:10:39.160,0:10:40.980 And from there, I moved to Mexico, 0:10:40.980,0:10:45.000 and then I moved[br]to the Amazon River basin in Ecuador, 0:10:45.241,0:10:48.100 Pujo Pongo Ecuador,[br]lived with a tribe there, 0:10:48.100,0:10:52.180 and little by little I began to gain[br]confidence just by my thromes. 0:10:52.180,0:10:55.100 I moved to the music business[br]in Nashville, and then Sweden, 0:10:55.110,0:10:57.870 moved to Stockholm,[br]worked in the music business there, 0:10:57.870,0:11:01.920 where I climbed the top of Mt. Kebnekaise[br]high above the Arctic Circle. 0:11:03.300,0:11:04.750 I learned clowning, 0:11:04.750,0:11:05.860 and juggling, 0:11:05.860,0:11:07.480 and stilt-walking, 0:11:07.480,0:11:10.440 unicycle riding,[br]fire eating, glass eating. 0:11:10.450,0:11:13.620 In 1997 I heard there were[br]less than a dozen sword swallowers left 0:11:13.620,0:11:15.410 and I said, "I've got to do that!" 0:11:15.420,0:11:18.290 I met a sword swallower,[br]and I asked him for some tips. 0:11:18.290,0:11:20.190 He said, "Yeah, I'll give you 2 tips: 0:11:20.190,0:11:21.926 Number 1: It's extremely dangerous, 0:11:21.926,0:11:23.948 People have died doing this. 0:11:23.948,0:11:24.953 Number 2: 0:11:24.953,0:11:26.206 Don't try it!" 0:11:26.206,0:11:27.520 (Laughter) 0:11:27.540,0:11:29.540 So I added it to my list of thromes. 0:11:30.440,0:11:33.320 And I practiced[br]10 to 12 times a day, every day 0:11:33.660,0:11:35.160 for four years. 0:11:35.209,0:11:36.709 Now I calculated those out... 0:11:36.709,0:11:40.020 4 x 365 [x 12] 0:11:40.020,0:11:42.660 It was about 13,000[br]unsuccessful attempts 0:11:42.660,0:11:45.420 before I got my first sword[br]down my throat in 2001. 0:11:46.002,0:11:47.630 During that time I set a throme 0:11:47.630,0:11:50.940 to become the world's leading expert[br]in sword swallowing. 0:11:50.970,0:11:53.820 So I searched for every book,[br]magazine, newspaper article, 0:11:53.820,0:11:57.670 every medical report,[br]I studied physiology, anatomy, 0:11:57.676,0:11:59.719 I talked with doctors and nurses, 0:11:59.719,0:12:01.760 networked all the sword swallowers[br]together 0:12:01.760,0:12:04.250 into the Sword Swallowers[br]Association International, 0:12:04.250,0:12:06.450 and conducted a 2-year[br]medical research paper 0:12:06.450,0:12:08.580 on Sword Swallowing and its Side Effects 0:12:08.580,0:12:10.980 that was published[br]in the British Medical Journal. 0:12:10.980,0:12:11.840 (Laughter) 0:12:11.840,0:12:12.940 Thank you. 0:12:12.960,0:12:17.748 (Applause) 0:12:18.200,0:12:21.570 And I learned some fascinating things[br]about sword swallowing. 0:12:21.571,0:12:25.260 Some things I bet you never thought[br]about before, but you will after tonight. 0:12:25.260,0:12:28.550 Next time you go home, and you're cutting[br]your steak with your knife 0:12:28.550,0:12:31.759 or a sword, or your "bestek",[br]you'll think about this... 0:12:34.257,0:12:36.589 I learned that sword swallowing[br]started in India - 0:12:36.589,0:12:39.889 right where I'd seen it first of all[br]as a 20-year old kid - 0:12:39.889,0:12:42.290 about 4000 years ago, about 2000 BC. 0:12:42.290,0:12:45.580 Over the past 150 years,[br]sword swallowers have been used 0:12:45.590,0:12:47.400 in the fields of science and medicine 0:12:47.480,0:12:51.160 to help develop[br]the rigid endoscope in 1868 0:12:51.160,0:12:53.820 by Dr. Adolf Kussmaul in Freiburg Germany. 0:12:53.880,0:12:56.639 In 1906, the electrocardiogram in Wales, 0:12:56.639,0:13:00.240 to study swallowing disorders,[br]and digestion, 0:13:00.240,0:13:01.860 bronchoscopes, that type of thing. 0:13:01.860,0:13:03.840 But over the past 150 years, 0:13:03.840,0:13:07.860 we know of hundreds of injuries[br]and dozens of deaths... 0:13:07.880,0:13:14.560 Here's the rigid endoscope[br]that was developed by Dr. Adolf Kussmaul. 0:13:14.740,0:13:18.679 But we discovered that there were[br]29 deaths over the past 150 years 0:13:18.679,0:13:22.462 including this sword swallower in London[br]who impaled his heart with his sword. 0:13:23.142,0:13:25.340 We also learned that there are from 3 to 8 0:13:25.340,0:13:27.780 serious sword swallowing injuries[br]each year. 0:13:27.780,0:13:29.880 I know because I get the phone calls. 0:13:29.880,0:13:31.150 I just had two of them, 0:13:31.150,0:13:34.320 one from Sweden, and one from Orlando[br]just over the past few weeks, 0:13:34.320,0:13:37.019 sword swallowers who are in the hospital[br]from injuries. 0:13:37.019,0:13:38.769 So it is extremely dangerous. 0:13:38.769,0:13:41.629 The other thing I learned is that [br]sword swallowing takes 0:13:41.629,0:13:44.320 from 2 years to 10 years[br]to learn how to swallow a sword 0:13:44.320,0:13:45.610 for many people. 0:13:45.610,0:13:48.020 But the most fascinating discovery[br]I learned was 0:13:48.020,0:13:51.360 how sword swallowers learn[br]to do the impossible. 0:13:51.460,0:13:53.460 And I'm going to give you a little secret: 0:13:53.520,0:13:57.580 Don't focus on the 99.9%[br]that is impossible. 0:13:57.580,0:14:02.030 You focus on that .1% that is possible,[br]and figure out how to make it possible. 0:14:02.817,0:14:06.140 Now let me take you on a journey[br]into the mind of a sword swallower. 0:14:06.140,0:14:09.479 In order to swallow a sword,[br]it requires mind over matter meditation, 0:14:09.479,0:14:12.270 razor-sharp concentration,[br]pinpoint accuracy in order 0:14:12.270,0:14:15.670 to isolate internal body organs[br]and overcome automatic body reflexes 0:14:15.710,0:14:20.370 through reinforced brain synopsis,[br]through repeated muscle memory 0:14:20.450,0:14:23.720 by deliberate practice [br]of over 10,000 times. 0:14:24.020,0:14:28.090 Now let me take you on a little journey[br]into the body of a sword swallower. 0:14:28.310,0:14:30.130 In order to swallow a sword, 0:14:30.130,0:14:32.250 I have to slide the blade over my tongue, 0:14:32.250,0:14:34.780 repress the gag reflex[br]in the cervical esophagus, 0:14:34.780,0:14:37.740 navigate a 90 degree turn[br]down the epiglottis, 0:14:38.240,0:14:41.040 go through the cricopharyngeal[br]upper esophageal sphincter, 0:14:41.060,0:14:42.600 repress the perystalsis reflex, 0:14:42.600,0:14:44.380 slide the blade into the chest cavity 0:14:44.380,0:14:45.960 between the lungs. 0:14:46.080,0:14:48.349 At this point, 0:14:48.399,0:14:50.389 I actually have to nudge my heart aside. 0:14:50.389,0:14:51.720 If you watch very carefully, 0:14:51.720,0:14:53.580 you can see the heart beat with my sword 0:14:53.580,0:14:55.339 because it's leaning against the heart 0:14:55.339,0:14:58.299 separated by about an eighth of an inch[br]of esophageal tissue. 0:14:58.299,0:15:00.140 That's not something you can fake. 0:15:00.320,0:15:02.480 Then I have to slide it[br]past the breastbone, 0:15:02.480,0:15:05.250 past the lower esophageal sphincter,[br]down into the stomach, 0:15:05.250,0:15:08.680 repress the retch reflex in the stomach[br]all the way down to the duodenum. 0:15:08.680,0:15:09.750 Piece of cake. 0:15:09.750,0:15:10.930 (Laughter) 0:15:10.930,0:15:12.880 If I were to go further than that, 0:15:12.880,0:15:17.720 all the way down to my Fallopian tubes.[br](Dutch) Fallopian tubes! 0:15:17.720,0:15:20.980 Guys, you can ask your wives[br]about that one later... 0:15:22.160,0:15:23.900 People ask me, they say, 0:15:23.900,0:15:26.740 "It must take a lot of courage[br]in order to risk your life, 0:15:26.740,0:15:28.800 to nudge your heart,[br]and swallow a sword..." 0:15:28.800,0:15:30.500 No. What takes real courage 0:15:30.500,0:15:33.020 is for that scared, shy, skinny wimpy kid 0:15:33.080,0:15:35.620 to risk failure and rejection, 0:15:35.620,0:15:37.040 to bear his heart, 0:15:37.040,0:15:38.240 and swallow his pride 0:15:38.240,0:15:41.060 and stand up here in front[br]of a bunch a total strangers 0:15:41.060,0:15:43.670 and tell you his story[br]about his fears and dreams, 0:15:43.680,0:15:47.580 to risk spilling his guts,[br]both literally and figuratively. 0:15:48.280,0:15:49.450 You see - thank you. 0:15:49.450,0:15:53.720 (Applause) 0:15:53.850,0:15:56.250 You see, the really amazing thing is 0:15:56.250,0:15:58.650 I've always wanted to do[br]the remarkable in my life 0:15:58.650,0:15:59.780 and now I am. 0:15:59.780,0:16:02.880 But the really remarkable thing[br]is not that I can swallow 0:16:02.880,0:16:05.170 21 swords at once, 0:16:07.640,0:16:10.500 or 20 feet underwater in a tank[br]of 88 sharks and stingrays 0:16:10.500,0:16:12.307 for Ripley's Believe It or Not, 0:16:13.840,0:16:17.600 or heated to 1500 degrees red hot[br]for Stan Lee's Superhumans 0:16:17.610,0:16:19.470 as a "Man of Steel" 0:16:19.520,0:16:21.574 and that sucker was hot! 0:16:22.460,0:16:24.920 Or to pull a car by sword for Ripley's, 0:16:24.930,0:16:26.290 or Guinness, 0:16:26.290,0:16:28.760 or make it on the finals[br]of America's Got Talent, 0:16:28.820,0:16:31.540 or win the 2007[br]Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine. 0:16:31.550,0:16:33.900 No, that's not[br]the really remarkable thing. 0:16:33.900,0:16:36.350 That's what people think.[br]No, no, no. That's not it. 0:16:36.350,0:16:37.800 The really remarkable thing 0:16:37.800,0:16:40.660 is that God could take that scared,[br]shy, skinny wimpy kid 0:16:40.660,0:16:42.200 who was afraid of heights, 0:16:42.200,0:16:43.890 who was afraid of water and sharks, 0:16:43.890,0:16:46.370 and doctors and nurses[br]and needles and sharp objects 0:16:46.370,0:16:47.640 and speaking to people 0:16:47.640,0:16:49.800 and now he's got me[br]flying around the world 0:16:49.800,0:16:51.320 at heights of 30,000 feet 0:16:51.320,0:16:53.900 swallowing sharp objects[br]underwater in tanks of sharks, 0:16:53.900,0:16:57.430 and speaking to doctors and nurses[br]and audiences like you around the world. 0:16:57.430,0:16:59.580 That's the really amazing thing for me. 0:16:59.580,0:17:01.450 I always wanted to do the impossible - 0:17:01.450,0:17:02.380 Thank you. 0:17:02.380,0:17:03.760 (Applause) 0:17:03.760,0:17:05.220 Thank you. 0:17:05.660,0:17:09.040 (Applause) 0:17:09.700,0:17:12.569 I always wanted to do the impossible,[br]and now I am. 0:17:12.569,0:17:15.858 I wanted to do something remarkable[br]with my life and change the world, 0:17:15.858,0:17:16.899 and now I am. 0:17:16.899,0:17:19.819 I always wanted to fly around the world[br]doing superhuman feats 0:17:19.819,0:17:21.379 and saving lives, and now I am. 0:17:21.379,0:17:22.720 And you know what? 0:17:22.720,0:17:25.569 There's still a small part[br]of that little kid's big dream 0:17:25.569,0:17:27.291 deep inside. 0:17:30.320,0:17:36.197 (Laughter) (Applause) 0:17:37.000,0:17:40.240 And you know, I always wanted to find[br]my purpose and calling, 0:17:40.270,0:17:41.530 and now I've found it. 0:17:41.540,0:17:42.920 But guess what? 0:17:42.920,0:17:46.230 It's not with the swords,[br]not what you think, not with my strengths. 0:17:46.230,0:17:48.510 It's actually with my weakness, my words. 0:17:48.510,0:17:51.090 My purpose and calling[br]is to change the world 0:17:51.090,0:17:52.390 by cutting through fear, 0:17:52.390,0:17:54.910 one sword at a time, one word at a time, 0:17:55.070,0:17:57.450 one knife at a time, one life at a time, 0:17:57.540,0:17:59.700 to inspire people to be superheroes 0:17:59.700,0:18:01.860 and do the impossible in their lives. 0:18:02.060,0:18:04.680 My purpose is to help others find theirs. 0:18:04.680,0:18:05.680 What's yours? 0:18:05.680,0:18:06.960 What's your purpose? 0:18:06.960,0:18:08.960 What were you put here to do? 0:18:09.260,0:18:11.590 I believe we're all[br]called to be superheroes. 0:18:12.160,0:18:14.260 What is your superpower? 0:18:14.560,0:18:17.990 Out of a world population[br]of over 7 billion people, 0:18:17.990,0:18:20.250 there are less than a few dozen[br]sword swallowers 0:18:20.250,0:18:21.661 left around the world today, 0:18:21.661,0:18:22.940 but there's only one you. 0:18:22.940,0:18:24.070 You are unique. 0:18:24.070,0:18:25.540 What is your story? 0:18:25.540,0:18:27.760 What makes you different? 0:18:27.760,0:18:29.180 Tell your story, 0:18:29.180,0:18:31.721 even if your voice is thin and shaky. 0:18:31.900,0:18:33.340 What are your thromes? 0:18:33.340,0:18:35.850 If you could do anything,[br]be anyone, go anywhere - 0:18:35.850,0:18:37.430 What would you do?[br]Where'd you go? 0:18:37.430,0:18:38.480 What would you do? 0:18:38.480,0:18:40.340 What do you want to do with your life? 0:18:40.340,0:18:41.760 What are your big dreams? 0:18:41.760,0:18:44.450 What were your big dreams as a little kid?[br]Think back. 0:18:44.450,0:18:46.240 I bet this wasn't it, was it? 0:18:46.483,0:18:47.880 What were your wildest dreams 0:18:47.880,0:18:50.450 that you thought were so strange[br]and so obscure? 0:18:50.450,0:18:54.040 I bet this makes your dreams look[br]not so strange after all, doesn't it? 0:18:55.370,0:18:57.050 What is your sword? 0:18:57.050,0:18:58.650 Each one of you has a sword, 0:18:58.650,0:19:00.600 a double-edged sword of fears and dreams. 0:19:00.600,0:19:03.520 Swallow your sword, whatever it might be. 0:19:03.890,0:19:05.870 Follow your dreams, ladies and gentlemen, 0:19:05.870,0:19:08.900 It's never too late to be[br]whatever you wanted to be. 0:19:09.720,0:19:12.920 For those bullies with the dogdeballs,[br]those kids who thought 0:19:12.920,0:19:14.916 that I would never do the impossible, 0:19:15.060,0:19:17.645 I've got just one thing to say to them: 0:19:17.645,0:19:18.841 Thank you. 0:19:18.940,0:19:22.220 Because if it weren't for villains,[br]we wouldn't have superheroes. 0:19:23.020,0:19:27.237 I'm here to prove[br]the impossible is not impossible. 0:19:28.300,0:19:32.310 This is extremely dangerous,[br]It could kill me. 0:19:32.340,0:19:33.720 I hope you enjoy it. 0:19:33.720,0:19:35.260 (Laughter) 0:19:36.350,0:19:38.700 I'm going to need your help with this one. 0:19:46.731,0:19:48.405 Audience: Two, three. 0:19:48.405,0:19:52.100 Dan Meyer: No, no, no. I need your help[br]on the counting part, all of you, ok? 0:19:52.100,0:19:53.210 (Laughter) 0:19:53.210,0:19:55.840 If you know the words? Ok?[br]Count with me. Ready? 0:19:55.870,0:19:56.964 One. 0:19:56.964,0:19:58.150 Two. 0:19:58.170,0:19:58.980 Three. 0:19:58.980,0:20:00.920 No, that's 2, but you've got the idea. 0:20:06.760,0:20:07.780 Audience: One. 0:20:07.840,0:20:08.750 Two. 0:20:08.800,0:20:10.010 Three. 0:20:11.260,0:20:13.280 (Gasping) 0:20:14.360,0:20:15.940 (Applause) 0:20:16.251,0:20:17.450 DM: Yeah! 0:20:17.450,0:20:23.100 (Applause) (Cheers) 0:20:23.100,0:20:24.820 Thank you very much. 0:20:25.450,0:20:28.800 Thank you, thank you, thank you.[br]Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 0:20:28.800,0:20:31.290 Actually, thank you[br]from the bottom of my stomach. 0:20:31.880,0:20:35.020 I told you I came here to do[br]the impossible, and now I have. 0:20:35.030,0:20:37.730 But this was not the impossible.[br]I do this every day. 0:20:37.800,0:20:42.800 The impossible thing was for that scared,[br]shy, skinny wimpy kid to face his fears, 0:20:42.840,0:20:44.600 to stand up here on a [TEDx] stage, 0:20:44.600,0:20:47.100 and to change the world,[br]one word at a time, 0:20:47.100,0:20:49.080 one sword at a time, one life at a time. 0:20:49.080,0:20:52.060 If I've made you think in new ways,[br]if I've made you believe 0:20:52.060,0:20:54.460 the impossible is not impossible, 0:20:54.460,0:20:57.960 if I've made you realize that you can[br]do the impossible in your life, 0:20:58.120,0:21:01.020 then my job is done,[br]and yours is just beginning. 0:21:01.020,0:21:04.100 Never stop dreaming. Never stop believing. 0:21:04.820,0:21:06.350 Thank you for believing in me 0:21:06.350,0:21:08.250 and thanks for being part of my dream. 0:21:08.250,0:21:09.550 And here's my gift to you: 0:21:09.550,0:21:11.486 The impossible is not... 0:21:11.486,0:21:12.920 Audience: Impossible. 0:21:12.920,0:21:14.920 Long walk part of gift. 0:21:15.100,0:21:19.560 (Applause) 0:21:19.560,0:21:21.020 Thank you. 0:21:21.060,0:21:25.360 (Applause) 0:21:25.580,0:21:27.560 (Cheering) 0:21:27.780,0:21:30.240 Host: Thank you, Dan Meyer, wow!