Nuggets of love | Simon Scriver | TEDxDublinInstituteofTechnology
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0:04 - 0:07Can a chicken nugget change the world?
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0:09 - 0:13My first job, when I was 16,
was in McDonald's, -
0:13 - 0:16and my career has pretty much
gone downhill since then. -
0:16 - 0:18But I showed a flair for cleaning toilets,
-
0:18 - 0:22and pretty soon, I was promoted
to the chicken station. -
0:23 - 0:26Now on the chicken station,
I was responsible for the chicken nuggets, -
0:26 - 0:30and what I would do
with the boxes of six chicken nuggets -
0:31 - 0:34is I would put in an extra nugget.
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0:35 - 0:37I would put in seven nuggets,
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0:37 - 0:41and then I would watch,
peeking out from the kitchen, -
0:41 - 0:43as a person opened it
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0:43 - 0:46and had that first nugget
and that second nugget, -
0:46 - 0:49and somewhere around the third nugget,
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0:52 - 0:53they would notice,
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0:54 - 0:58and they would look around suspiciously
as if they were going to get caught, -
0:59 - 1:03and then they would realize
that this was their lucky day. -
1:04 - 1:08They were being smiled upon
by the big guy upstairs, Ronald McDonald, -
1:08 - 1:11and this was significant,
this was a sign. -
1:11 - 1:13This was a symbol
-
1:13 - 1:16that today should be the day
they took that leap: -
1:16 - 1:19they should move across the country
to follow their dreams, -
1:20 - 1:23they should quit their job
and start their own business, -
1:23 - 1:26they should propose
to the woman of their dreams. -
1:27 - 1:31I dread to think
how many children were conceived -
1:31 - 1:33(Laughter)
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1:34 - 1:35because of my nuggets.
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1:35 - 1:37(Laughter)
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1:39 - 1:41It's ridiculous, isn't it?
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1:42 - 1:44This idea that something so small
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1:44 - 1:46could have such an impact
on someone's life. -
1:47 - 1:49Let me read to you this letter
that I saw floating around -
1:49 - 1:53that someone wrote
in to a local newspaper in the UK. -
1:54 - 1:57"Thank you to the man
who gave me 20 p in the car park -
1:57 - 2:00at West Middlesex Hospital
last Tuesday morning -
2:00 - 2:02when I found myself short for parking.
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2:02 - 2:03Thanks to you,
-
2:03 - 2:06I was able to see my father alive
for the last time. -
2:07 - 2:08He died that afternoon."
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2:12 - 2:15These days I don't work at McDonald's.
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2:15 - 2:17I work with a lot of nonprofits,
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2:17 - 2:21helping them to share their story,
helping them to raise more money. -
2:22 - 2:24One of the organizations I worked with
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2:24 - 2:29worked with survivors of sexual abuse,
people who were abused as children, -
2:29 - 2:30who were now adults.
-
2:30 - 2:32And they helped them
through the legal system -
2:32 - 2:34to get some sort of justice,
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2:34 - 2:36and they helped them through therapy
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2:36 - 2:39to cope with this terrible thing
that had happened to them. -
2:40 - 2:42One of the clients was a farmer,
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2:42 - 2:43and he told his therapist
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2:43 - 2:46that sometimes he still thought
about what had happened to him. -
2:46 - 2:48And this darkness inside of him,
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2:48 - 2:52every once in awhile, it would rise up,
and it would overcome him, -
2:52 - 2:55and he would start to have
the most horrible thoughts -
2:55 - 2:57of how he could possibly escape it.
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2:59 - 3:02And his therapist said,
"What do you need?" -
3:03 - 3:05And he said, "I just
need you there with me -
3:05 - 3:08at those times to tell me I'm okay."
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3:09 - 3:11So do you know what she did?
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3:11 - 3:13This amazing super-fantastic therapist,
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3:13 - 3:15she wrote on a little bit of paper,
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3:16 - 3:17"You're okay."
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3:18 - 3:19And he kept it in his pocket,
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3:19 - 3:23and every time that darkness
rose up inside of him, -
3:23 - 3:26he took it out and read
those two simple words: -
3:27 - 3:28"You're okay."
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3:31 - 3:33When I think back over my life,
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3:34 - 3:37and the ups and downs,
and dealing with the death of loved ones, -
3:37 - 3:41and dealing with depression,
dealing with the hard times, -
3:42 - 3:46it isn't grand gestures
that got me through it and helped me, -
3:46 - 3:48and helped me survive,
and kept me here today. -
3:49 - 3:51It was the little things:
-
3:51 - 3:53it was the hugs and cuddles;
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3:54 - 3:57it was the text messages,
six months later, to check if I was okay; -
3:58 - 4:00it was the cups of tea in bed;
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4:00 - 4:03it was the lasagnas
when I couldn't cook for myself. -
4:05 - 4:07Do you have those moments in your life?
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4:08 - 4:11Do you remember the people,
the friends, the families, the strangers -
4:11 - 4:15who did something small for you,
and it saved you? -
4:15 - 4:17It changed the course of your life;
-
4:18 - 4:21it had a huge impact on you,
and they probably don't even remember it. -
4:23 - 4:27Do you ever stop to think of the number
of people that you've done that for, -
4:28 - 4:29that you don't remember,
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4:29 - 4:32and they still think of you
every once in a while -
4:32 - 4:34because you changed their lives?
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4:38 - 4:43These nuggets, these nuggets of love
that we can put out there, -
4:43 - 4:45they're huge.
-
4:45 - 4:49You do them when you think of it
and when you feel a little bit brave -
4:49 - 4:51because they're the right thing to do.
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4:52 - 4:54But it's more than that;
they're good for you. -
4:55 - 4:58Research shows that they reduce
your anxiety levels -
4:58 - 5:01by being kind to other people
in those minor ways: -
5:02 - 5:04they make you happier over time,
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5:04 - 5:07they lower your blood pressure,
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5:07 - 5:10they make you live longer
by being kind. -
5:12 - 5:15And if you don't care about your health,
if you only care about money, -
5:15 - 5:18until we smash this capitalist society,
-
5:19 - 5:22then they're good for business,
they're good for your career. -
5:22 - 5:26The interview panel remembers you
through those nuggets of love. -
5:27 - 5:31You keep more customers,
more people buy your stuff -
5:31 - 5:32if they're given that wow factor,
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5:32 - 5:36that little treat, that little bit extra
that they weren't expecting. -
5:37 - 5:39I use it myself.
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5:39 - 5:41I teach nonprofits, I teach charities
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5:41 - 5:46to write thank you letters
that surprise people, that delight people, -
5:46 - 5:50thank you letters that they put
on their fridge and show other people -
5:50 - 5:53and cause them to donate more
without even asking. -
5:54 - 5:57I do it as well, as an Airbnb host.
-
5:57 - 5:59I rent out my apartment
when I'm not there. -
5:59 - 6:02Right now, there's possibly some people
going through my underwear, -
6:02 - 6:03(Laughter)
-
6:03 - 6:04hopefully.
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6:04 - 6:05(Laughter)
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6:06 - 6:07And what I leave for them?
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6:07 - 6:09I leave for them cans of Guinness
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6:09 - 6:12because they come to Ireland
and that's what they want, -
6:12 - 6:13and they're delighted
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6:13 - 6:16because there's Guinness
sitting on the table for them. -
6:16 - 6:17And they all give me good reviews,
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6:17 - 6:21and they all send me a message to say,
"Thanks so much for the free Guinness." -
6:21 - 6:22Free?
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6:23 - 6:24You're paying for it.
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6:24 - 6:26(Laughter)
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6:28 - 6:30But you know the best thing
about these nuggets, -
6:30 - 6:31these little delighters?
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6:31 - 6:35Well, I tell you the super-amazing
thing about them: -
6:37 - 6:38they're easy,
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6:39 - 6:40they're accessible,
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6:40 - 6:42any of us can do them.
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6:42 - 6:45You might be a loser and a twerp like me,
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6:45 - 6:48you might have no talents,
you might have dropped out of college, -
6:48 - 6:50you might have so much emotional baggage
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6:50 - 6:52that you're probably going to die alone,
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6:54 - 6:58but ... you can still do these things.
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6:58 - 7:00You have to make a conscious effort
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7:01 - 7:05to give these nuggets of love,
these delighters to other people. -
7:05 - 7:07I try and manufacture them every day:
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7:07 - 7:09I wave at tour buses;
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7:11 - 7:15I stop and ask tourists
if they need help with directions; -
7:15 - 7:17I compliment more;
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7:17 - 7:19I say, "I love your hat,"
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7:19 - 7:21"You're beautiful,"
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7:21 - 7:23"I love your - "
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7:23 - 7:25Well, you get the idea.
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7:25 - 7:26(Laughter)
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7:26 - 7:29I pay for people behind me
when I go through toll booths, -
7:30 - 7:32and you can do the same.
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7:32 - 7:36Every day you have
that power in every action, -
7:36 - 7:40and every action you have the power
to change someone's life. -
7:41 - 7:43In TED Talks, we talk
about changing the world - -
7:44 - 7:48these grand schemes, these grand ideas
that are going to change the world. -
7:48 - 7:49But I have to be honest,
-
7:49 - 7:51I don't think I can change the world,
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7:52 - 7:56and I'm not entirely convinced
anyone in this room can change the world, -
7:57 - 8:01but you can change someone's world.
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8:02 - 8:07You can change someone's world
right after I shut up speaking. -
8:07 - 8:11You can take out your phone,
you can send a two-sentence text message -
8:11 - 8:16that is going to cause this emotional
explosion in someone's brain, -
8:16 - 8:18and it's going to change
the course of their lives, -
8:18 - 8:20give them power, give them inspiration,
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8:20 - 8:21and give them hope,
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8:21 - 8:24and save them from whatever it is
they're going through. -
8:24 - 8:25You have that power.
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8:25 - 8:29It's inside of you, it's simmering,
it's waiting to boil over, -
8:30 - 8:33but you have to consciously do it.
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8:33 - 8:35You have to make a decision,
each and every day, -
8:35 - 8:38through every action,
through every interaction: -
8:38 - 8:40Will I offer this nugget?
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8:41 - 8:43Will I pay someone's parking?
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8:43 - 8:45Will I tell someone, "You're okay?"
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8:45 - 8:48Will I ask, "What do you need?"
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8:48 - 8:54You have that in you, but will you use it?
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8:55 - 8:56Thank you.
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8:56 - 8:58(Applause)
- Title:
- Nuggets of love | Simon Scriver | TEDxDublinInstituteofTechnology
- Description:
-
Simon Scriver speaks about how small actions can help change someone's world. Simon Scriver is a professional fundraising consultant, coach and trainer. He received Fundraising Ireland's 'Small Budget, Big Impact' award in 2016 and has previously won Supplier of the Year, Eircom's Start-up Award, and the Toastmasters UK & Ireland International Speech Contest. A board member of a small non-profit ‘Making Connections’, he also sits on the advisory panel of Rogare, the international fundraising think tank, and is a member of the Institute of Fundraising and the AFP.
Simon also offers consultancy to some of the biggest and smallest charities in Ireland and abroad. He offers advice and training to non-profits to make their fundraising more cost-effective, speaking regularly at international conferences.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDxTalks
- Duration:
- 09:00
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David DeRuwe edited English subtitles for Nuggets of love | Simon Scriver | TEDxDublinInstituteofTechnology | ||
David DeRuwe edited English subtitles for Nuggets of love | Simon Scriver | TEDxDublinInstituteofTechnology | ||
David DeRuwe edited English subtitles for Nuggets of love | Simon Scriver | TEDxDublinInstituteofTechnology |
David DeRuwe
Hi,
I'm reviewing the transcription for this talk - great talk! Unfortunately it only plays in one ear of my headphones which is enough to hear, but a little uncomfortable. My headphones work in stereo with the other talks I'm working with. Perhaps it's an issue that affects more than my headphones and can be fixed, so I'm writing the comment in case someone may be in the position to correct this problem. Thank you.
TED Translators admin
Hi David,
Unfortunately, this is likely related to the way the talk was recorded at the event, so there's not much TED can do to fix it. Thanks for bringing this to our attention, though!