Κάνε την αδυναμία - δύναμη. | Dimitris Papanikolaou | TEDxAthens

Part 1: Papanikolaou

• As for the surname "Papanikolaou," some additional titles will be mentioned, including being a six-time Greek champion, five-time Greek cup winner, two-time European champion, two-time Olympic medalist, and a world champion with the junior national team (1m43s).
• The discussion will also touch on the years of achieving these titles and the experiences that came with them (1m57s).
• People often highlight their strengths in their resumes, but there are also years when they didn't succeed, and the difference between a winner and a loser is that the winner tried again, which is something to remember in everything one does in life (2m6s).
• All winners had perseverance in what they loved, not what others loved, and this is what led to their success (2m11s).
• Growing up, parents wanted their children to become doctors or lawyers, but the individual wanted to become a basketball player, which they eventually achieved, becoming well-known by their name (2m21s).

Part 2: Dimitris

• The individual's journey began in a small house in a poor family in Nea Liosia, with four family members, including the individual, their brother, father, and mother, who were all tall except for the mother (2m31s).
• The family didn't have much money, but at some point, two basketball hoops were built under their house, and the individual started practicing basketball there (2m44s).
• In the past, children had fewer responsibilities after school and played more, which is how the individual spent most of their time playing basketball and other neighborhood games (2m54s).
• However, there were no opportunities to showcase their talent, no internet, and only one TV channel, ERT1, which made it difficult for people to discover them (3m8s).
• The individual's father read a newspaper ad about a team looking for players, and the individual decided to pursue the opportunity, with their father's advice to go out and find chances rather than waiting for them to come knocking (3m25s).
• The individual asked their mother for their basketball shoes, which had a hole in them, and they also had a pair of black shoes (3m32s).
• The nickname "kordeonia mou" was given by former teammates, who would remind the person of their afro hair and being a bit of a troublemaker, which led to the person wanting to prove themselves and show off their skills (3m35s).
• The person asked their father to buy them a new pair of Nike socks, but their father ended up buying them M socks instead, which didn't matter as the person believed that external appearance wasn't important, but rather the inner drive and passion (3m50s).
• The person started playing well, which made their father proud, but also anxious, as parents often do, and the person wanted to be left alone to play with other kids of the same age (4m9s).
• At a young age, the person started going on trips with the national youth team, which wasn't easy, as they had to deal with difficult conditions in some Balkan countries, such as cockroaches in their rooms (4m21s).
• During one trip to Turkey, the team won a title, and on the way back, they were given a fisherman's boat to travel on, which was not allowed, but the captain took responsibility and helped them cross the sea (4m36s).
• The team had to hold on to the boat's skinia (a type of rope or handle) as the waves crashed against them, and they managed to cross the distance in a few hours, arriving exhausted and covered in lemon juice (4m57s).
• At 15 years old, the individual had managed to get their first job at Sporting, where they could earn a salary to support their parents' income, and they would travel alone by bus and train from Nea Liosia to get there (5m24s).
• After turning 17, the individual moved out to live alone, believing it was necessary to be close to the stadium as they had transferred to a major team, Olympiacos (5m35s).
• At Olympiacos, the individual had a demanding coach, Ioannidis, who recently passed away, and who did not give the players much room for error, often saying that if they showed weakness, others would take advantage of it (5m47s).
• The coach would also take the team on 35-day trips abroad for training, without television or other comforts, and the players would face significant verbal and physical pressure (6m5s).
• Despite the challenges, the individual began to earn money and improve their situation, but notes that in many societies, difficult times can lead to prosperity, which can sometimes be followed by complacency or laziness, leading to more difficult times (6m22s).
• The individual expresses admiration for people who remain grounded and humble despite their circumstances (6m37s).
• Many people today are self-centered, and this can be seen in athletes who climb a mountain and talk about reaching the top until they die, whereas others climb mountains simply to have a better view of other peaks, and the latter tend to have a better duration because they remain grounded and do not talk much about the past (6m41s).
• The individual was on a trip with their then-future wife in America when their mother called to inform them that their father had a tumor in his side, prompting them to change their tickets and return home (7m7s).
• The individual was not doing well and asked their future wife to change the tickets, but she was not afraid of flying and did not take any medication, so they had to find a way to calm down during the 10-hour flight (7m24s).
• The future wife gave the individual some medication to help them relax, and they managed to sleep for 5 hours, but upon waking up, they found out that the plane had been diverted due to engine trouble (7m43s).
• The individual advises people to make sure the plane takes off before taking any medication, as they had to wait 10 more hours after the initial flight was diverted (8m1s).
• Unfortunately, the individual's father had metastases and did not want to worry his family, and he passed away, teaching the individual two lessons (8m16s).
• Everyone has the potential to become a burden to others because as people age, they may require assistance with their needs, and if they haven't prepared for this eventuality, they may become a burden to their loved ones (8m25s).
• If people live to an old age, they will likely experience a decline in their physical abilities, and if they haven't made arrangements for their care, they may become a burden to others (8m36s).
• It is essential to prepare for old age while one is still young, as this will prevent them from becoming a burden to others and will also give them the right to complain if they haven't taken care of themselves (8m50s).
• Culture is about dealing with things that may not seem to affect us directly, but ultimately, everything in life affects us (8m57s).
• A lesson learned from a disagreement with a mother was that the deceased are happy when the living continue to do what they love, and this gives them pride (9m11s).
• After a disagreement, a decision was made to change the funeral ceremony to a celebration, and the person went on to play a game, scoring 22 points, and then allowed themselves to grieve (9m21s).
• Everyone has emotions, and it's essential to allow oneself to feel and process them (9m27s).
• A future wife was met, and a question was asked about her origins, which led to a discovery of a shared connection (9m42s).
• A transfer was made to Panathinaikos, where there were excellent coaches, and the importance of building a home and securing a future for one's children was emphasized (9m52s).
• The idea of saving money and preparing for the future was also discussed, with the realization that this is essential for a secure old age (9m59s).
• The family used some of the earnings from basketball to build a house and have a daughter named Ari, after the grandfather's name, Arist. (10m7s)
• When Ari was born, the family was overjoyed, but at around 3.5 years old, they noticed a difference in her behavior compared to other children at the nursery. (10m29s)
• The family was informed that Ari might have autism, a word that was difficult to accept and led to feelings of despair and loss of direction. (10m39s)
• The mother was particularly affected, losing her sense of direction and ability to cope, and the father had to take her to see a psychiatrist. (10m48s)
• Despite the challenges, the family started working on Ari's development immediately, although they were unsure of what the future held and feared the worst. (10m57s)
• The diagnosis was a kind of mourning, especially since the topic of autism was not openly discussed in the past, and people with autism were often excluded and bullied. (11m11s)
• As Ari grew older, the family faced many challenges, including difficulty finding schools that would accept her, loss of friends, and bullying, which even extended to social media platforms like TikTok. (11m23s)
• The family felt isolated and desperate, but they had fallen in love with Ari and were determined to support her, just like the basketball player Dimitris Papanikolaou, who was known for his tough playing style. (11m39s)
• People who have not worked on their mental health with a specialist may eventually break down under pressure, and it's often those who have sought help who can cope with those who haven't (12m2s).
• During the quarantine, 99% of the population may struggle with their life and work, but 1% can turn their disadvantage into an advantage (12m33s).
• People with autism, such as Isaac Newton, can sometimes turn their disadvantage into an advantage; Newton discovered gravity in 1665 while in quarantine due to the plague (12m42s).
• While many people may not have the time to create something new in their busy lives, some individuals can use their time in quarantine to discover new things, just like Newton did (12m55s).
• Children with autism may be happier when they are not bullied or teased by others, and they often have a different approach to life, which can sometimes make them easy targets for bullying due to their lack of a social filter (13m9s).
• Autism is often referred to as an "invisible disability" because it is not immediately visible, unlike physical disabilities, and its prevalence is expected to increase in the future (13m17s).
• A school was considering expelling a student named Aria, citing that she was disturbing others and had low grades, but it was argued that the school only rewards high-achieving students and that Aria's expulsion would be unfair (13m33s).
• The student's family fought to keep her in the school, but they eventually became exhausted from the battles, and the student was only allowed to stay with great difficulty (13m51s).
• The student's family tried to find her a sports team to join, but they were unsuccessful, and the student was facing many challenges and setbacks (14m2s).
• The student's father, Dimitris, decided to make their struggles public in order to raise awareness and make the most of his own public recognition, but his wife, Ella, was initially hesitant, fearing that their child would be stigmatized (14m31s).
• The family was seeing a mental health specialist, who eventually diagnosed Dimitris with Asperger's syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism, which is also associated with famous individuals such as Newton, Einstein, and Elon Musk (14m43s).
• The individual had a disagreement with their child's doctor, who was not understanding of their child's autism, and stormed out of the office (15m10s).
• The person was feeling down during the quarantine, both physically and psychologically, and was trying to watch a movie but couldn't sleep (15m26s).
• Their phone lit up, showing the numbers 11-11, which is a significant date as it is when their child, Ari, was diagnosed with autism (15m34s).
• The person realized that seeing 11-11 everywhere was a sign that they needed to spread awareness about autism and make people understand that everyone is unique and equal (15m41s).
• They learned that in sports, there are no problems, only solutions, and this mindset can be applied to other areas of life, including helping their child with autism (15m56s).
• The person decided to take on the challenge of raising awareness about autism and helping others, by being open about their own experiences and using their platform (16m0s).
• They came up with a plan to achieve this goal, using a round table in their living room to brainstorm and think of ways to make it happen (16m12s).
• The person drew inspiration from the movie Gladiator, starring Russell Crowe, and remembered a scene where the character was given advice before going into battle (16m42s).
• To gain freedom, one must enter the arena and win over the public, as having their support will make it difficult for others to challenge them (16m46s).
• A former basketball player, the individual decided to take two social symbols, Nikos Galis and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who are also legends, to help them in their endeavor (17m4s).
• They announced the creation of an academy for children with autism, which would also benefit their own child, marking a shift from being self-centered to being useful (17m20s).
• The individual had removed their medals and awards from their home, as they only served to inflate their ego, and instead chose to focus on making a positive impact (17m45s).
• They believe in rewarding people for achieving their goals, regardless of how big or small they may be, and not just focusing on grand achievements like the Olympics (17m57s).
• The initiative has had a profound impact, with many people feeling empowered and sharing their stories on social media and in real life, and thousands of people have been inspired to take action (18m11s).
• The academy has also led to the creation of platforms for employment and other initiatives, and has even caught the attention of the President of the Parliament (18m27s).
• Many people think that mental health issues are only found in hospitals and institutions, but they can also be present in their own staff, and if their staff is not well, they cannot be productive, which is why mental health is a practical issue that affects everyone (18m37s).
• The importance of mental health is not just about being emotional or psychological, but it is also about being practical and functional in daily life (18m45s).
• The speaker has built a home for children, but they know that they may not be able to finish it, and even if they do, they may not be able to make it functional, but they will keep trying until the end (18m55s).
• However, life has taught them that what is most important is not the achievements or possessions, but the impact one has on people's lives and helping them reach their full potential (19m8s).
• The speaker's wealth is not the walls of their home, but the people they have helped and the children they have supported, and they believe that their legacy will live on through the people they have touched (19m16s).
• One day, when the speaker is no longer alive, they will rely on the children they have helped to take care of them and give them a peaceful departure from life (19m36s).
• The speaker has received enough applause in their life and has been to many stadiums, but they do not want to be applauded anymore; instead, they want to applaud those who need it more (19m54s).
• The speaker wants to recognize and applaud people like Aria, an 18-year-old girl who speaks perfect English, Japanese, and Portuguese, and has a remarkable story to tell (20m46s).

Closing

• The audience is being prepared for something in the future, with the phrase "ετοιμάσουμε στο μέλλον" which translates to "let's prepare for the future" (20m57s)
• A wish is expressed for the audience's well-being, with the phrase "να είστε καλά" which translates to "may you be well" (20m59s)
• The audience responds with applause, indicated by the word "χειροκρότημα" which translates to "applause" (21m2s)
• Music is played, indicated by the word "μουσική" which translates to "music" (21m8s)