Why I love TEDx! By Michael Rossney

I have been a raving fan of TED talks since I first downloaded the inspirational podcasts since they became free (online) to the public in 2006.  I heard about them through another performance coach who I met in Australia called Tony Robbins.  Tony spoke at TED in California and is an inspirational chap himself! When I learned that free live and simlucasted TEDx events were coming to Dublin I was delighted!

In 2008 after watching Dave Egger’s TED wish myself and my wife Cara decided to implement some of his ideas and we used them in a youth group we ran which we renamed Generation Text.  We were based in Rialto in Dublin and had dozens of volunteers get the vision and join us to mentor children in cooking, gardening, creative writing and other educational and fun activities.

I was finally able to get hold of tickets and attended a TEDx Tallaght talk facilitated by Tallaght library recently (I also dragged two family members along).  It was inspirational to be a part of the ‘live’ TED community - and being there in person was much more engaging than being a 'spectator' online.

The original culture of TED events are very action focused and almost elitist.  TED speakers such as Bill Clinton or Bono were expected to speak at an incredibly high standard and they queued up to speak at TED because they knew that TED attendees are players on the stage of life, movers and shakers who are passionate about influencing society for the good!

The point is that there is no drifting off asleep during a live TED or TEDx event when you are in the room.  People are excited, engaged and they want to know where you stand on an issue.  There is an assumption that each attendee has an agenda which they are passionate about.  Networking is actively encouraged and even facilitated through the TED wish where attendees chose a speaker to present an idea or ‘wish’ where the community commits to support the winner’s vision. One of the recent TED wish winners was Jamie Oliver with his food revolution vision.

In contrast, as someone who ‘attended’ TED by podcast I can sometimes drift asleep during TED talks or forget to follow up on a great idea that I learn online because I watch podcasts on my phone or computer and generally on my own.

I would like to be a part of making TEDx Tallaght’s culture one where as attendees we are encouraged to engage, take ownership of the events and where there is an expectation that we take and implement the ideas from TED talks whenever possible.

In short, I’d like TEDx Tallaght’s culture to be more like the culture of the original TED events where ideas are spread but they are also followed up on instantaneously, where networking thrives and where community and collaboration are expected.

I’m passionate about TED because it is a place where big thinking and creativity are cherished and nurtured.  TED is a place where passionate, productive and entrepreneurial people flock to share ideas, to fill up with inspiration and for fellowship.

In Ireland, with so much doom and gloom about the economy events and communities like TEDx Tallaght are oases to entrepreneurial types with great vision.  Great ideas need to be nurtured and their fruit should be celeb

rated.  Great entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders should also be nurtured, invested in and celebrated - especially during tough times.
I’d like to be a part of growing this vision for TEDx Tallaght and have a few suggestions below on how I might be a part of that growth.  If you like the idea of making the TEDx Tallaght events a little more interactive and crowd sourced then drop me an email and let's make it happen!

Warm Regards
Michael Rossney
Michael at theenergycoach dot ie
The Energy Coach Consultancy & Training

 

Posted via email from The Energy Coach Blog

Why I love TEDx! By Michael Rossney

I have been a raving fan of TED talks since I first downloaded the inspirational podcasts since they became free (online) to the public in 2006.  I heard about them through another performance coach who I met in Australia called Tony Robbins.  Tony spoke at TED in California and is an inspirational chap himself! When I learned that free live and simlucasted TEDx events were coming to Dublin I was delighted!

In 2008 after watching Dave Egger’s TED wish myself and my wife Cara decided to implement some of his ideas and we used them in a youth group we ran which we renamed Generation Text.  We were based in Rialto in Dublin and had dozens of volunteers get the vision and join us to mentor children in cooking, gardening, creative writing and other educational and fun activities.

I was finally able to get hold of tickets and attended a TEDx Tallaght talk facilitated by Tallaght library recently (I also dragged two family members along).  It was inspirational to be a part of the ‘live’ TED community - and being there in person was much more engaging than being a 'spectator' online.

The original culture of TED events are very action focused and almost elitist.  TED speakers such as Bill Clinton or Bono were expected to speak at an incredibly high standard and they queued up to speak at TED because they knew that TED attendees are players on the stage of life, movers and shakers who are passionate about influencing society for the good!

The point is that there is no drifting off asleep during a live TED or TEDx event when you are in the room.  People are excited, engaged and they want to know where you stand on an issue.  There is an assumption that each attendee has an agenda which they are passionate about.  Networking is actively encouraged and even facilitated through the TED wish where attendees chose a speaker to present an idea or ‘wish’ where the community commits to support the winner’s vision. One of the recent TED wish winners was Jamie Oliver with his food revolution vision.

In contrast, as someone who ‘attended’ TED by podcast I can sometimes drift asleep during TED talks or forget to follow up on a great idea that I learn online because I watch podcasts on my phone or computer and generally on my own.

I would like to be a part of making TEDx Tallaght’s culture one where as attendees we are encouraged to engage, take ownership of the events and where there is an expectation that we take and implement the ideas from TED talks whenever possible.

In short, I’d like TEDx Tallaght’s culture to be more like the culture of the original TED events where ideas are spread but they are also followed up on instantaneously, where networking thrives and where community and collaboration are expected.

I’m passionate about TED because it is a place where big thinking and creativity are cherished and nurtured.  TED is a place where passionate, productive and entrepreneurial people flock to share ideas, to fill up with inspiration and for fellowship.

In Ireland, with so much doom and gloom about the economy events and communities like TEDx Tallaght are oases to entrepreneurial types with great vision.  Great ideas need to be nurtured and their fruit should be celeb

rated.  Great entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders should also be nurtured, invested in and celebrated - especially during tough times.
I’d like to be a part of growing this vision for TEDx Tallaght and have a few suggestions below on how I might be a part of that growth.  If you like the idea of making the TEDx Tallaght events a little more interactive and crowd sourced then drop me an email and let's make it happen!

Warm Regards
Michael Rossney
Michael at theenergycoach dot ie
The Energy Coach Consultancy & Training

 

Posted via email from The Energy Coach Blog

Day 3: Mizen - Malin: Even the word hopeless has hope in it!

Day 3: Wednesday 4th April 2012 Spanish Point - Galway  Approx 90K

(Today's route looks very short on paper but the wind was relentless which made it feel like one of the longest days)

 

Day three started with an early morning debate with Cara.  We decided that it was best for her to take Fauna (the dog) home as she had been sick since the first day of cycling. We found out that the one and only bus out of Spanish point left at twenty past eight in the morning so we raced around the hotel trying to pack up everything for Cara and the dog.  Cara grabbed some fruit for breakfast as I stalled the bus driver outside the hotel and then they were off. 

The cycling started at approximately ten o’clock.  I was reeling following our race to get Cara on the bus, quick breakfast and checking out of the hotel. We started on a hill and within a few minutes I could feel my mindset starting to drift in the wrong direction again.  Thankfully those first kilometres turned out to be the hardest of the day and we went on to see some of the most beautiful scenery in Ireland over the rest of the day. 

 

 We cycled along the cliffs of Moher and through the Burren which were both experiences that I hope I never forget. The scenery was breathtaking which made the cycling a bit easier. (I hope to add more images later). Heavy winds meant that we needed to start working as a team and drafting behind the cyclists in front. We soon learned how to do this and started to mitigate against the effects of heavy winds. 

 

It was a long hard cycle and it was frustrating as we took lunch a bit too early so it seemed like we should have been finished hours before we did finish. Some of they cyclists decided to take a break in the afternoon and three or four of us started to up the pace and work as a tight unit. It was a long, hard spin to Galway for me as I think I was still recovering from my tiredness from the start of the week but the rest of the guys seemed to enjoy themselves. 

 

 

At one point during the day (isolated from the pack and with the wind howling) I completely gave up on the Mizen to Malin Goal. I figured that this was just not enough fun, it was too hard etc. I was about to tell the guys and jump into one of the back-up cars and eat a vast quantity of chocolate. I then had a thought; ‘If I can make it to Galway then at least I can say I’ve cycled Mizen to Galway (approximately half the length of Ireland) and then I could always do the second half another time.’ I didn’t say a word to the rest of the gang but I quit mentally and it was a relief!

 

The hotel in Galway was really nice. The thougts of a nice long lie in in the morning there were tempting. Amazingly I had enough energy to make it down to the pool for a jacuzzi to help my legs as well as to the bar for a quick dinner. When preparing for the trip I had imagined going for swims and even brick sessions (jogs post cycling) but by the end of Day three I knew that was pure fantasy! 

 

I went back to the basics that evening and decided to think about it one day at a time and even one scene at a time. After dinner I decided to just focus on recovery which needed to happen whether I proceeded or not. I fueled up as optimally as I could (pretzels and dioralyte for salts, fruit, lots of herbal tea and water). I also massaged out my legs and got a bath. I decided to have breakfast with the gang the following morning and not mention my quitting until the very last minute. If at the end of breakfast then I still wanted to quit I’d go back to bed for a lie in and let the team go on without me. That way I could opt out as the guys were leaving the hotel and avoid the inevitable slagging or worse still the encouraging pep talks encouraging me to continue.

 

After a chat with Cara on the phone I decided to have a look at the route for the following day. It was starting to look doable. A bit of hope came back that I could get through the following day. I knew that if I made it through until Day six that nothing would stop me from completing the journey but it was still too much to think about day four and five before that so I went back to my game plan and decided not to decide until after breakfast.  

 

Posted via email from michaelrossney's posterous

Day 3: Mizen - Malin: Even the word hopeless has hope in it!

Day 3: Wednesday 4th April 2012 Spanish Point - Galway  Approx 90K

(Today's route looks very short on paper but the wind was relentless which made it feel like one of the longest days)

 

Day three started with an early morning debate with Cara.  We decided that it was best for her to take Fauna (the dog) home as she had been sick since the first day of cycling. We found out that the one and only bus out of Spanish point left at twenty past eight in the morning so we raced around the hotel trying to pack up everything for Cara and the dog.  Cara grabbed some fruit for breakfast as I stalled the bus driver outside the hotel and then they were off. 

The cycling started at approximately ten o’clock.  I was reeling following our race to get Cara on the bus, quick breakfast and checking out of the hotel. We started on a hill and within a few minutes I could feel my mindset starting to drift in the wrong direction again.  Thankfully those first kilometres turned out to be the hardest of the day and we went on to see some of the most beautiful scenery in Ireland over the rest of the day. 

 

 We cycled along the cliffs of Moher and through the Burren which were both experiences that I hope I never forget. The scenery was breathtaking which made the cycling a bit easier. (I hope to add more images later). Heavy winds meant that we needed to start working as a team and drafting behind the cyclists in front. We soon learned how to do this and started to mitigate against the effects of heavy winds. 

 

It was a long hard cycle and it was frustrating as we took lunch a bit too early so it seemed like we should have been finished hours before we did finish. Some of they cyclists decided to take a break in the afternoon and three or four of us started to up the pace and work as a tight unit. It was a long, hard spin to Galway for me as I think I was still recovering from my tiredness from the start of the week but the rest of the guys seemed to enjoy themselves. 

 

 

At one point during the day (isolated from the pack and with the wind howling) I completely gave up on the Mizen to Malin Goal. I figured that this was just not enough fun, it was too hard etc. I was about to tell the guys and jump into one of the back-up cars and eat a vast quantity of chocolate. I then had a thought; ‘If I can make it to Galway then at least I can say I’ve cycled Mizen to Galway (approximately half the length of Ireland) and then I could always do the second half another time.’ I didn’t say a word to the rest of the gang but I quit mentally and it was a relief!

 

The hotel in Galway was really nice. The thougts of a nice long lie in in the morning there were tempting. Amazingly I had enough energy to make it down to the pool for a jacuzzi to help my legs as well as to the bar for a quick dinner. When preparing for the trip I had imagined going for swims and even brick sessions (jogs post cycling) but by the end of Day three I knew that was pure fantasy! 

 

I went back to the basics that evening and decided to think about it one day at a time and even one scene at a time. After dinner I decided to just focus on recovery which needed to happen whether I proceeded or not. I fueled up as optimally as I could (pretzels and dioralyte for salts, fruit, lots of herbal tea and water). I also massaged out my legs and got a bath. I decided to have breakfast with the gang the following morning and not mention my quitting until the very last minute. If at the end of breakfast then I still wanted to quit I’d go back to bed for a lie in and let the team go on without me. That way I could opt out as the guys were leaving the hotel and avoid the inevitable slagging or worse still the encouraging pep talks encouraging me to continue.

 

After a chat with Cara on the phone I decided to have a look at the route for the following day. It was starting to look doable. A bit of hope came back that I could get through the following day. I knew that if I made it through until Day six that nothing would stop me from completing the journey but it was still too much to think about day four and five before that so I went back to my game plan and decided not to decide until after breakfast.  

 

Posted via email from michaelrossney's posterous

Length of Ireland Cycle: Day 2: How to suffer for 10 hours by making silly mistakes!

Day 2: Tuesday 3rd April 2012 Killarney - Spanish Point    Approx 112

 

Day two was one of the longest and most difficult days of my life.  Cara and I paid a price for bringing our dog (Fauna) with us as the dog had been sick and woke us up several times during the night.  The rain poured down outside as we ate breakfast and I still didn’t have cycling shoes. My body was exhausted after the chaos and exertion of day one and I was disorganised.  

 

By the time I processed my situation about and decided to go and invest in a new pair of cycling shoes the rest of the team were ready to leave so I told them to go ahead and very optimistically told them I’d catch up with them soon. 

 

 

 

(Very happy with my new cycling shoes and covers)

 

The big lessons of the day were about equipment and a little cycle nerdy so skip this paragraph if you aren't a cyclist!  I wore a waterproof hiking jacket to keep the rain off which would later prove to be a mistake.  I learned that hiking and cycling jackets are not interchangeable and that trying to cycle in a hiking jacket is like trying to cycle in a sauna!  How I wished I’d bought one in The Cycle Superstore before I left.  When I put on my new cycling shoes I also realised how bad my old pair had been.  It turns out that by skimping on costs ten years ago when I bought my triathlon shoes it cost me a lot in terms of cycling technique and therefore speed.

 

An hour later I was on the road to Tralee, very happy with myself, with my lovely new shoes and rain covers. I was making great time and thought I could turn the day around!  Approximately twenty minutes from Tralee a text arrived from the gang which let me know that they were only five kilometres ahead of me.  I was delighted at the news and stretched forward onto my tri bars to speed up and catch them.    Then I heard a hissing noise and realised I had a puncture in my back tyre.  Then it dawned on me - I don’t have a pump with me!  Oh no! 

 

 

 

(Feeling a bit silly at this point with no bike pump!)

I replaced the tube with a new one and prayed for a cyclist to pass by to help me.  I rang our back up team and confessed my silly mistake.  They were with me about forty-five minutes later and in the meantime I had become borderline hypothermic.  After almost an hour in total of being stopped I was shaking uncontrollably and sat into the back up car; put the heating on full tilt,  got some warm clothes off the girls and drank a cup of tea.  The Mizen to Malin dream was in jeopardy because of another silly mistake - I couldn’t believe it.  The gang ahead had left McDonalds Tralee so I decided to imagine myself sitting in McDonalds, feeling warm and having made ground on the team.  I needed a new, achievable target and despite how I feel about McDonalds food that one suited just right.  Imagining the heat of the restaurant helped me to keep my focus off feeling so cold. 

 

I eventually made it to the restaurant and quickly re fueled and got back on the road so that I could make an inroad into their lead.  I text them to say I was leaving and a text came back immediately to say they were only ten kilometres ahead.  I was delighted and tried to speed up again but in my haste I got lost leaving Tralee and ended up adding on even more distance to catch up.  The gang must have speeded up because I seemed to get further and further from them as the day went on. We had a ferry crossing to catch at one point so I fueled up on the bike and cycled as fast as my legs would carry me to catch them.  When all hope was lost of me catching the ferry I started to worry about having to finish my cycle in the dark (with no lights and little reflective gear).  

 

(Meanwhile somewhere in Killarney National Park - Fauna finally braves the water but then tries to drink half of it!)

 

I tried calling Cara who was in a backup car to arrange a plan to meet them and get some supplies.  I was soaked, hungry and struggling to stay motivated.  My phone died as I said hello so I was faced with a forty five minute wait for the next ferry, a 50k cycle and the possibility of cycling alone for the rest of the day. 

 

When I arrived at the port I was overjoyed when the sun came out.  I was able to dry out my clothes as I waited for the next ferry.  I used the time to stretch, rehydrate and form a plan to make it home. I was desperately cold. When the ferry arrived I was delighted to find out they had a warm lounge and shop.  I fueled up again and managed to get enough life out of my phone to tell Cara my plan and that I was going to try a shorter route to Spanish Point than originally planned. 

 

 (Above Cara brings Fauna from Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind on her first boat journey)

 

Once off the ferry things started looking up.  The rain stayed off and I made reasonably good time.  The shortcut turned out to be gentle and without too much traffic.  Eventually Cara caught up on me with about fifteen or twenty kilometres to go.  I was able to sit in the car and take some salts and fluids on. It is amazing how much life it gives to be fussed over for a few minutes! I was soon ready to go again and I had to because it was starting to get dark.

 

The last hour was a real battle to keep my mindset positive. With ten kilometres to go I was starting to lose the battle and my mind was drifting toward thoughts of pulling out of the trip. I said a little prayer for inspiration and almost immediately hit a bit of a downhill which I was glad to see.  As I sped up a horse appeared from out of the blue in a field next to me and ran along beside me which really lifted my spirits.  It was one of those magic moments that I’ll really remember from the trip.

 

I was thrilled when one of the guys came back to me and in an act of real sacrifice cycled the last seven kilometres again along side me. I was able to focus on the conversation rather than the fact that I had been on the bike for almost ten hours. I received a round of applause from the gang who were waiting to order their dinner when I arrived at the hotel. I was grateful for the reception and the thought of a meal but when it arrived I was just too tired to eat it.  I think my body just decided that it needed a sleep and couldn’t manage another process! 

 

After 2 very rough first days it was time for a serious debate about whether it was wise to continue with Day 3..

 

Posted via email from michaelrossney's posterous

Cycling the length of Ireland: Mizen Head - Malin Head. Day 1

Day 1 of 6: Monday April 2nd 2012

 

Route: Mizen Head - Killarney (via Moll’s gap) Approx 127k total

 

On a visit to Mizen Head about ten years ago I first had the idea of cycling the length of Ireland. The scenery in West Cork is rugged and inspirational. About six months ago I mentioned this dream to a friend who ended up pushing me to commit to a date and make it happen. As a coach, I’m normally the one encouraging people to take a leap of faith and make it happen so I am very grateful for the push! 

 

 

 

The task itself looked achievable on paper. Approximately 120 kilometres per day. The distance seemed achievable because I am training for a long distance triathlon and it was the perfect way to commit to some long hours on the bike which takes too much discipline for me to do on my own I’m afraid. 

 

My first obstacle was the state of my bike! I asked the guys at The Cycle Superstore in Tallaght to work their magic on my racer which they did. If you are ever thinking of doing this challenge then I’d suggest taking no shortcuts with your bike and clothes. I ended up buying a new set of wheels and keeping my old set in a backup car just in case I got a buckle. 

(Above - My beautiful wife Cara and Fauna (from IGDB) prepare for the first leg of our adventure)

 

We woke to the perfect morning on Day 1 and had a stunning breakfast at the White House B&B which I highly recommend. The service was outstanding - Joan the owner insisted on feeding Fauna (our guide dog in training puppy) with chicken for breakfast! 

 

 

After a huge feed we met up with the rest of the gang and I soon realised I had forgotten a key bag containing essential elements for cycling like my cycling shoes and gas tyre pump! We worked around it thanks to some help from Cara and my brother Eoin who always seems to show up for me when things like this go wrong! 

 

Before we ever began cycling we had a mini photo shoot, some mechanical issues, one fall off a bike and a robust ego debate about whether we should be touch the sea at land’s end in order to technically begin the Mizen to Malin experience justice! Therefore we were much later than expected getting on the road. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for my gorgeous wife Cara and for what an encouraging person she is as I set off. 

 

The cycling on Day 1 was tough at first but then got easier as we neared Bantry. We had our second fall about 25 or 30k in and one of the girls badly bruised her thumb. She ended up being taken to hospital later to make sure it wasn’t broken. At 42k we stopped in Bantry and were just finishing lunch as the heavens opened. We waited for the rain to slow down and set off again. I was delighted that I was able to get a loan of a pair of fancy cycling shoes for the rest of the day. It turns out that I’ve been using a cheap and frankly useless pair of cycling shoes for 10 years. When I tried the high quality shoes I couldn’t believe how much more comfortable and effective they were. 

 

The low point of the day for me was the very, very tip of Moll’s gap where I ‘got the knock’. For those who aren’t familiar with the expression it is a phenomenon very similar to ‘hitting the wall’ in a marathon. Things start to feel challenging physically, then the mental game begins. The first negative thought starts with something like; ‘this is feeling hard all of a sudden’ and soon the world can start to feel like a dark and hopeless place. The ability to manage ‘the knock’ and keep going is what will determine if I make it to Malin Head or not! 

 

 

I suffered the rest of the way home but arriving in Killarney was an uplifiting experience. The scenery was something special. I jumped in the bath, ate some food and was too tired to join Cara and the gang for dinner! 

 

We learned a few lessons on Day 1. Get out earlier in the mornings, don’t take so long on lunch breaks, never stop on gravel and never ever forget your cycling shoes or it will make for a very hard day when the quads start to pack in! 

 

Posted via email from michaelrossney's posterous