KENDİNİ KEŞFETMEK | Ali Üstündağ | TEDxAtapark

Self-Discovery and Personal Values

• When considering the concept of self-discovery, it's essential to ask oneself who they are, which is a question that might not be frequently pondered until someone else asks (24s).
• The importance of knowing oneself varies from person to person, but it's crucial for those who want to achieve something or make a change in life (39s).
• Born in Carmel, America, and having lived in various countries, including Turkey and France, has led to multiple identities, including being an American, Turkish, and French citizen (1m34s).
• Growing up in Paris from the age of 4 to 19 has instilled a strong French influence, making it challenging to define a single identity (1m59s).
• The journey of self-discovery began with a professional career and was influenced by reading an article about a successful businesswoman who wrote a letter of advice to her grandchildren (2m38s).
• Inspired by this, a personal letter of advice to grandchildren would include the importance of being curious, exploring the world, and learning throughout life (3m4s).
• Other essential values to pass on include being a reliable friend, keeping one's word, listening more than speaking, being honest, and maintaining personal values (3m15s).
• Additionally, it's vital to be kind, humble, and compassionate, while also recognizing the privileges in life and appreciating the differences between individuals (3m34s).
• Ultimately, self-discovery is about finding meaningful things that bring excitement and purpose to life (3m47s).

Career in Advertising and Events

• A career in advertising began due to curiosity, starting with a job at a reklam ajansı, which was affiliated with Yapı Kredi Bankası in Istanbul, specifically in the Beyoğlu area (4m3s).
• The first event was organized, despite not knowing the term "etkinlik" at the time, and it involved projections and shows, similar to what was seen in Europe, particularly in France (4m24s).
• The event was a success, and it marked the beginning of a journey in organizing events, with the first visual-based event taking place in 1981 (5m1s).
• Over time, the events grew in number, and everyone wanted to participate, with a total of 40 events organized during this period (5m26s).
• However, the desire to take the events to the next level led to a decision to leave the current agency, Man Ajans, which did not want to expand, and a new company, TKİ, was established on April 1, 1987 (5m49s).
• The new company led to working with large institutions, including Garanti Bankası, where 14 years were spent organizing events, and collaborating with CEO Ergun Özen (6m12s).
• The collaboration with Garanti Bankası involved annual meetings with top-level executives to discuss and decide on the events and how to motivate managers and employees (6m34s).
• A 10-12 year collaboration with Denizbank also took place, during which time coaching and curation skills were developed, including learning how to coach individuals to give effective speeches within a limited time frame (7m9s).
• The importance of curation and creating a smooth flow of events was also learned, including the order of speakers and the timing of breaks (7m38s).

Pursuit of Knowledge and Innovation

• The flow of conversations can prepare the ground for the next speaker, and technology needs to be developed, including sound and Linear technologies, which were unfamiliar at the time (7m55s).
• To learn more, a trip was made to America, and later to England to learn about theater design, where it was discovered that Italy has double-sided theaters, and the goal was to learn about design since no one in Turkey was teaching it (8m17s).
• To satisfy curiosity, education was pursued in unrelated fields, such as microphones, and training was received, but it was found that there were many types of microphones, and Slide projectors were used for shows (8m45s).
• Being a pioneer in a field without realizing it can happen when no one acknowledges the work, and it was not until later that the value of being a pioneer was understood (9m8s).

Journey with TED and TEDx

• The journey with TED began when the acronym was discovered online one night in 2000 or 2001, and after researching, it was found that TED was packaging speakers and presenting them in a unique way (10m3s).
• The TEDx brand was created in March 1999, with Lara Stein as its head, and the first TEDx meeting was attended by 45 people, including the speaker, who was one of the three remaining from the original group (10m47s).
• The goal was to bring TED to Turkey, but it was not an easy task, and the journey to make it happen began (11m8s).
• The TEDx brand was created after the first TEDx event in Turkey was held in 2010, and now there are around 30-40 TEDx events organized in Turkey every year, with millions of views worldwide (11m18s).

Work with NGOs and Social Causes

• The speaker has worked with various institutions and NGOs, including those focused on social causes, such as the Turkish Education Volunteers Foundation (TEGEV) and the Tohum Autism Foundation (12m1s).
• The speaker worked with Türkan Saylan, a well-known Turkish doctor and educator, at a leprosy hospital, where they took photos of patients with leprosy for two weeks (12m8s).
• The speaker helped establish the TEMA Foundation, which aims to prevent soil erosion in Turkey, after meeting with its founder Hayrettin Karaca (13m7s).
• The speaker was invited to the Koç Holding headquarters by Suna Kıraç, where they discussed the Turkish Education Volunteers Foundation (TEGEV) and its projects (13m36s).
• The speaker became involved with the Tohum Autism Foundation and helped with their promotional efforts, learning about autism and its effects on children in the process (14m20s).
• The speaker worked on a film project with autistic children, which required them to understand and respect the children's routines to avoid triggering any negative reactions (14m39s).
• A film was made about a child from İzmit who wanted to be a police officer, and the filmmakers brought the child to Istanbul, provided a police uniform, and even arranged for a helicopter ride over the Bosphorus to make the child's dream come true (15m55s).

Reflections on Motivation and Values

• The experience led to self-reflection about the motivations behind such acts of kindness, and it is believed that the influence of the speaker's father, who worked for NATO and the US and was involved in development programs, played a role in shaping these values (16m28s).
• Through various projects, the speaker has been able to convert professional experience into valuable contributions, and these experiences have given life a sense of meaning and purpose (16m49s).
• Despite limited financial resources, the speaker has been able to make a difference by sharing knowledge, expertise, and time, and by volunteering and donating to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) (16m59s).
• The speaker believes that NGOs in Turkey have made significant progress over the years but still have some shortcomings and need to become stronger (17m16s).
• Through these experiences, personal growth and self-discovery have occurred, allowing the speaker to become their authentic self (17m33s).

Life Lessons and Advice

• A key lesson learned is the importance of not neglecting family, friends, and partners in pursuit of work, as they provide meaning and joy in life (17m55s).
• The speaker emphasizes the value of time, encourages people to pursue activities that bring happiness and fulfillment, and advises trusting in one's own abilities and working to improve the surroundings (18m22s).
• The speaker's efforts have led to the creation of a strong network and the opportunity to positively impact the lives of thousands of people through various endeavors, including TED talks and work with NGOs and companies like Garanti Bank (18m50s).
• Curiosity is key to a fulfilling life, and one should not be afraid to explore and learn new things, as it will prevent boredom and make life more enjoyable (19m5s).
• Spending time talking to people is more valuable than wasting time on social media, and it will make one's time more enjoyable and worthwhile (19m23s).
• Having clear and specific goals is essential, but it requires self-awareness and understanding of what one wants to achieve in life (19m38s).
• Knowing what one wants to achieve in life and setting clear goals makes it easier to work towards them and achieve success (19m53s).
• Helping others is one of the most fulfilling things in life, and one should be willing to go out of their way to make a positive impact (20m2s).
• Before taking action or speaking, one should take a moment to think and reflect on their decisions (20m13s).
• It's essential to remember that days may be long, but years are short, and one should make the most of their time (20m20s).
• Ultimately, the key to happiness lies within oneself, and one must understand who they are and what they want in life to achieve true fulfillment (20m38s).