Why you will fail to have a great career: Larry Smith at TEDxUW

Throughout his three-decade career here at the University of Waterloo, Larry Smith has inspired legions of students to take up the mantle of economics with his passionate and homespun tales of economic wizardry. A renowned story-teller, teacher and youth leadership champion, Larry has also coached and mentored countless numbers of students on start-up business management and career development strategies.

Having taught introductory microeconomics, macroeconomics and entrepreneurship classes, he recently celebrated assigning his 29,000th grade earlier this year.

Recipient of the Distinguished Teacher Award, Larry has also coached several of his former students to help them position and develop their businesses, the most famous of which is Research in Motion (RIM), maker of the revolutionary BlackBerry wireless mobile smartphone. Larry also sits on the advisory panels of start-ups to provide his guidance on financing and negotiation with investors and venture capitalists.

http://www.tedxuw.com/speakers/larry-...

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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)

• Category

  Science & Technology

[John Galvin]

I loved it, didn't expect bane to be so inspirational

[achemhem]

Such an uncomfortable 15 minutes...in a good way?

[Dal Pal]

I thought a lot about this, and I don't like what he's saying. Too complicated to fully explain. My dream is to stay happy, isn't that what everybody really wants? The overall dream? It's obtainable in every job you just need the right mentality and morals. The world doesn't function with 1 billion rock stars.

[MrLeshann]

Twisted view on success if you ask me, focused more on proving your worth to others than necessarily fulfilling one's desire. Very American actually.

[Fluoride INwater]

"if only you had" watched the whole thing, he has a great career, He said pursue 10 things of passion. Romper Room - looks like your passion is "chat rooms" hows that payin out? Fluoride is poison it's time to get passionate...unless...

[Lex Wick]

dumb ass boring cliche crap

[G Dempster]

Just take the advice smh, what if his dream is to teach what he does more than just teach...watch what they do ?? its not about him or anybody its about following your dreams, watching other will stop u from getting things done

[sor3999]

His dream is to teach.

[sor3999]

That's really cynical to think people would not be motivated unless they had competition.

[sor3999]

There are many different types of fields in either sports or music. You can be a project planner. Or a sound engineer. Unless you meant specifically a pro sports baller or a platinum musician with sold out concerts. People who love video games think they should go into programming, but forget that music, art, story telling, and planning make up the rest of it.