What open water swimming taught me about resilience
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0:00 - 0:03Shah Rukh Khan: Courage, determination,
and a single-minded vision. -
0:03 - 0:06These are the qualities
the biggest achievers have in common. -
0:06 - 0:11These are those brave hearts
for whom failure is not an option. -
0:11 - 0:13What looks to us an unconquerable sea,
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0:13 - 0:16to our next speaker
is an irresistible stage -
0:16 - 0:18she was born to perform on.
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0:18 - 0:21So let's dive straight
into the story of our fearless speaker, -
0:21 - 0:22Bhakti Sharma,
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0:22 - 0:25who's making waves in the world
of long-distance swimming. -
0:26 - 0:27Bhakti Sharma.
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0:27 - 0:34(Applause)
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0:40 - 0:43Bhakti Sharma: Imagine,
in the scorching Rajasthan heat, -
0:43 - 0:45on a hot summer afternoon,
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0:45 - 0:49a two-and-a-half-year-old
riding on a moped behind her mom, -
0:49 - 0:51not knowing where they were headed.
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0:51 - 0:53And 20 minutes later,
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0:53 - 0:55that two-and-a-half-year-old finds herself
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0:55 - 0:58completely submerged in water.
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0:58 - 0:59Before I knew it,
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0:59 - 1:02I would be kicking, splashing, screaming,
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1:02 - 1:04gulping down water,
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1:04 - 1:06holding onto my mom for my dear life.
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1:06 - 1:08That's how I learned how to swim.
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1:08 - 1:11I started pool-swimming
when I was two and a half, -
1:11 - 1:13and open water swimming
when I was 14 years old. -
1:14 - 1:19And so I have given
over 25 years of my life to this sport, -
1:19 - 1:22during which I have swum
in all five oceans of the world, -
1:24 - 1:25crossed the English Channel --
-
1:25 - 1:29which is also known
as the Mount Everest of swimming -- -
1:29 - 1:33and set a world record
in the freezing Antarctic ocean. -
1:33 - 1:36(Applause)
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1:36 - 1:39When you spend so much time with a sport,
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1:39 - 1:41it ceases to be just that
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1:41 - 1:43and becomes a mirror.
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1:43 - 1:45And that shows who you really are.
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1:46 - 1:50You see that your mettle as an athlete
is not only tested on race day -
1:50 - 1:52but every single day,
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1:52 - 1:56when the sport demands that you get up
at 4:30 in the morning, -
1:56 - 1:58swim for two hours,
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1:58 - 2:00go to school, come back,
swim for three hours, -
2:01 - 2:03go home, eat and sleep.
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2:03 - 2:06When you win a medal
or set a world record, -
2:06 - 2:10this mirror shows the happiness
that you and your loved ones feel, -
2:10 - 2:14but also reflects the tears that you shed
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2:14 - 2:16all by yourself, alone in the water.
-
2:17 - 2:20Open water swimming
is a very lonely sport. -
2:20 - 2:21I have spent hours
-
2:21 - 2:26looking into the infinite,
seemingly bottomless ocean underneath me, -
2:26 - 2:29with nothing to keep me company
but my own thoughts. -
2:30 - 2:33And so, I have not only
been tested as a swimmer -
2:33 - 2:37but also as a thinking, feeling,
imaginative human being. -
2:38 - 2:40Be it my first test as a marathon swimmer,
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2:40 - 2:45when I decided to swim for 12 hours
non-stop in a swimming pool -
2:45 - 2:49or crossing the English Channel
in 13 hours and 55 minutes. -
2:50 - 2:52When you're swimming, you don't talk,
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2:52 - 2:54you don't hear very well,
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2:54 - 2:57and your vision is restricted
to what's right in front of you -
2:57 - 2:58or underneath you.
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2:59 - 3:03This isolation has been
my sport's biggest gift to me. -
3:03 - 3:05Through open water swimming,
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3:05 - 3:09I have come to know myself in ways
that I could have never expected to. -
3:10 - 3:12I remember, at the age of 14,
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3:12 - 3:15when I jumped into an ocean
for the first time for a swim, -
3:15 - 3:17and throughout this swim,
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3:17 - 3:20the waves were picking me up
and throwing me down, -
3:20 - 3:24I saw the child in me,
who enjoys such adventures. -
3:24 - 3:26While crossing the English Channel,
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3:26 - 3:29after already having swam for 10 hours,
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3:29 - 3:31when I got stuck in one place
for one and a half hour -
3:31 - 3:33because of the currents,
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3:33 - 3:36I saw the strong
and dedicated athlete in me, -
3:36 - 3:40who did not want to disappoint
her parents or her country. -
3:40 - 3:43In an open water marathon
held in Switzerland, -
3:43 - 3:46when I won my first
gold medal for India -- -
3:46 - 3:51(Applause)
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3:51 - 3:53I witnessed a proud Indian in me.
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3:54 - 3:56While crossing the English Channel again,
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3:56 - 3:58this time in a relay with my mother,
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3:58 - 4:01not knowing that we were creating history,
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4:01 - 4:03I saw the protective daughter in me,
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4:03 - 4:07who just wanted to see her mom
fulfill her own dreams. -
4:07 - 4:08And four years ago,
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4:08 - 4:11when I jumped into the Antarctic Ocean,
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4:11 - 4:14wearing nothing but a swimsuit,
cap and goggles, -
4:14 - 4:17with an unwavering spirit of just doing,
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4:17 - 4:19I saw a fighter in me.
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4:19 - 4:23When I jumped into that
zero-to-one-degree-Celsius water, -
4:23 - 4:27I realized that I had prepared
my body and mind for the cold, -
4:27 - 4:31but what I wasn't prepared for
was the density of the water. -
4:32 - 4:35Every stroke felt
like pulling through oil. -
4:35 - 4:36And in the first five minutes,
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4:36 - 4:39I had that paralyzing thought
of just giving up. -
4:40 - 4:43How nice it would be
to just forget about all this, -
4:43 - 4:44get on the boat,
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4:44 - 4:46stand underneath the hot shower
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4:46 - 4:49or wrap myself in a warm blanket?
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4:49 - 4:50But with that thought,
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4:50 - 4:55also came a stronger,
a more willful voice from deep within. -
4:55 - 4:58"You know you have it in you
to just take one more stroke." -
4:58 - 5:01So I lifted my arm and took a stroke.
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5:01 - 5:02"Now one more."
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5:02 - 5:05So I took a second and a third stroke.
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5:05 - 5:07By the fourth one,
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5:07 - 5:10I saw a penguin swimming
underneath my stomach. -
5:10 - 5:13It came up to my left
and started swimming with me. -
5:13 - 5:16"See? A penguin is cheering you on,"
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5:16 - 5:17said that voice within.
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5:17 - 5:20(Applause and cheers)
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5:20 - 5:23I looked up to my people on the boat.
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5:23 - 5:27They had the same smile on their faces
that I had on mine. -
5:27 - 5:29The same smile that we all have
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5:29 - 5:32when we are stuck in a difficult situation
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5:32 - 5:33and we see a ray of hope.
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5:34 - 5:36We take it as a sign from destiny,
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5:36 - 5:38and we just keep pushing forward.
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5:38 - 5:39Just as I did,
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5:39 - 5:41and 41 minutes later,
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5:41 - 5:44set the world record
for swimming the longest distance -
5:44 - 5:45in the Antarctic Ocean.
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5:45 - 5:49(Applause)
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5:49 - 5:52Imagine, it doesn't even
snow in Rajasthan. -
5:52 - 5:54(Laughter)
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5:54 - 5:57That voice, which has accompanied me
through all my difficult situations -
5:57 - 5:59throughout my swims,
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5:59 - 6:00would have never shown itself
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6:00 - 6:03if I had not spent so much time alone,
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6:03 - 6:06had not paid attention
to every single thought -
6:06 - 6:08that crossed my mind.
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6:08 - 6:13When you find yourself alone
in an ocean, with your thoughts, -
6:13 - 6:16the dangers that you face
are not just external, -
6:16 - 6:18like whales, sharks, jellyfish
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6:18 - 6:20or even demotivating people.
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6:21 - 6:24But the more dangerous demons you face
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6:24 - 6:27are the fear and negativity inside you
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6:27 - 6:29that tell you, "You're not good enough.
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6:29 - 6:31You will never reach the other shore.
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6:31 - 6:33You haven't trained enough.
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6:33 - 6:36What if you fail? What will people think?
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6:36 - 6:39I'm sure everybody is thinking
right now how slow you are." -
6:39 - 6:42We all have our own
internal demons, don't we? -
6:42 - 6:45In a day-to-day life,
you can hide from them, -
6:45 - 6:48behind your work
or many other distractions. -
6:49 - 6:51But like I said,
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6:51 - 6:54in the middle of the ocean,
there is nowhere to hide. -
6:54 - 6:57I have to face my internal demons,
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6:57 - 7:00just as much as I have to taste
the salt in the sea, -
7:00 - 7:02feel the chafing on my skin,
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7:02 - 7:05and acknowledge the whales
swimming beside me. -
7:05 - 7:08I hate it, and I love it.
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7:09 - 7:13I hate it because this sport
shows me the side of myself -
7:13 - 7:16that I don't want to believe exists.
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7:16 - 7:19The side of me that is human
and not perfect. -
7:19 - 7:21Like the part of me
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7:21 - 7:24that can't get out of bed in the morning
and make it to practice. -
7:24 - 7:28The side of me that gets
so burned out, so tired, -
7:28 - 7:30that just wants to quit swimming.
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7:30 - 7:32But I also love it,
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7:32 - 7:36because this sport has given me
moments that I can look back on -
7:36 - 7:38when I feel unmotivated.
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7:38 - 7:40And they bring me to my knees,
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7:40 - 7:42because I feel so grateful.
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7:43 - 7:48Many of you may not
spend hours swimming non-stop. -
7:48 - 7:52But who do you spend
the most amount of your time with? -
7:53 - 7:56You may share your external space
with many others, -
7:56 - 8:00but there is one constant companion
that you all have: -
8:00 - 8:01you.
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8:02 - 8:06And yet, most of us may never come
to knowing who we really are. -
8:07 - 8:10I'm a daughter, an Indian,
a swimmer, a student. -
8:11 - 8:12But I am so much more.
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8:13 - 8:16If you are not investing in yourself,
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8:16 - 8:20not setting a path
that brings you closer to you, -
8:20 - 8:25no amount of "success" in life
can bring you lasting joy or satisfaction. -
8:25 - 8:27Even today,
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8:27 - 8:30when I can't find motivation
or joy in what I'm doing, -
8:30 - 8:32all I ask myself is,
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8:32 - 8:34"Is this the best I can do right now?"
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8:35 - 8:37And the meaning of my "best" changes.
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8:37 - 8:40On some days, it means not giving up,
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8:40 - 8:43continuing to swim in freezing water
and setting a world record. -
8:44 - 8:45But on many other days,
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8:45 - 8:48it means getting over
my depressing thoughts, -
8:48 - 8:49stepping out of the house
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8:49 - 8:52and being able to do the daily chores.
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8:52 - 8:55What does not change is that voice within.
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8:55 - 8:57That internal compass
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8:57 - 8:59which guides me
to a better self every day. -
9:00 - 9:02And I believe
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9:02 - 9:07that a truly successful life
is the one which is spent in the pursuit -
9:07 - 9:11of becoming the best possible
version of yourself -
9:11 - 9:13when you take that last breath.
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9:13 - 9:14Thank you.
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9:14 - 9:21(Applause)
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9:22 - 9:25SRK: I think the only sport
I can't do is swim -- -
9:25 - 9:26I sink like a rock.
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9:26 - 9:29So standing next to
the world's best swimmer -
9:29 - 9:31makes me kind of feel --
-
9:31 - 9:32if you can excuse my pun --
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9:32 - 9:33kind of at sea.
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9:33 - 9:35But --
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9:35 - 9:37BS: (Laughs) No pun intended, of course.
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9:37 - 9:39SRK: But what is your next
goal as a swimmer? -
9:39 - 9:41BS: I have a major fear of competition,
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9:41 - 9:44so what better goal to set
than aiming for the Olympics? -
9:44 - 9:47Because open water swimming
is an Olympic sport now. -
9:47 - 9:49(Applause)
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9:49 - 9:52Even saying it out loud gives me shivers,
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9:52 - 9:53because it's such a huge goal
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9:53 - 9:56that I don't want to accept
that I have set that goal, -
9:56 - 9:58but that's the thrill of it,
that's the part of it. -
9:58 - 10:03And my idea is that if I make it
to the Olympics or I don't make it, -
10:03 - 10:04that doesn't matter,
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10:04 - 10:06but in the process of training for it,
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10:06 - 10:08I will have become a better swimmer
and a better person. -
10:08 - 10:11SRK: Inshallah, you will make it
to the Olympics. -
10:11 - 10:12And I want to tell you
-
10:12 - 10:15a lot of people who are watching
this show at home, -
10:15 - 10:18there's lots of people, all of whom
are thinking only positively for you, -
10:18 - 10:20so when you go for the Olympics,
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10:20 - 10:23imagine all of us will be wearing
our penguin suits and swimming with you, -
10:23 - 10:26and saying, "Go on,
go on, Bhakti, go on, go on." -
10:26 - 10:27BS: Can you be my personal penguin?
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10:27 - 10:29SRK: I am your penguin now.
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10:30 - 10:33It would have been cooler
if you said, like, a shark and all, -
10:33 - 10:34but penguin --
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10:34 - 10:36BS: Orcas are my spirit animal,
but you can be my orca. -
10:36 - 10:38(Applause)
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10:38 - 10:39SRK: Ladies and gentleman, Bhakti.
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10:39 - 10:41BS: Thank you.
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10:41 - 10:43(Applause)
- Title:
- What open water swimming taught me about resilience
- Speaker:
- Bhakti Sharma
- Description:
-
Dive into the deep with open water swimmer Bhakti Sharma, as she shares what she learned about resilience during her personal journey from the scorching heat of Rajasthan, India to the bone-chilling waters of her record-breaking swim in Antarctica and her courageous crossing of the English Channel. "In the middle of the ocean, there is nowhere to hide," Sharma says.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDTalks
- Duration:
- 10:56
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for What open water swimming taught me about resilience | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for What open water swimming taught me about resilience | ||
Brian Greene approved English subtitles for What open water swimming taught me about resilience | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for What open water swimming taught me about resilience | ||
Krystian Aparta accepted English subtitles for What open water swimming taught me about resilience | ||
Krystian Aparta edited English subtitles for What open water swimming taught me about resilience | ||
Krystian Aparta edited English subtitles for What open water swimming taught me about resilience | ||
Ivana Korom edited English subtitles for What open water swimming taught me about resilience |