What does DO mean?

The definitive statement everyone will agree on is: It is imperative that we need to DO in-order to have impact and success.

While this might seem a statement focused on professional success, it is a realistic stance for all facets of human life. An accomplished computer scientist Ray Kurzweil, predicted that advancement of human technologies will rise exponentially in the coming few decades at TED 2005.

This prediction is based on his understanding of Moore’s law which states that the power of computers will increase exponentially with time. Ray postulated “Law of Accelerating Returns” which explains the technologies follow an exponential growth based on the principle that the computing power that enables them doubles every two years. He quotes, “A lot of people when they think about the future, think about it linearly. They think they’re going to continue to develop a problem or address a problem using today’s tools, at today’s pace of progress, and fail to take into consideration this exponential growth.” The tools of today expedite the growth for tomorrow. This observation about computers can undeniably be applied to the personal and professional progress of an individual as well. We don’t make our lives better one step at a time; our one step lays the path for an accelerated improvement for some other accomplishments in future. Which is why it is very important that we stay on the path and DO every day. This doing isn’t just about the work or household chores, it is investing in ourselves mentally and physically to be the better versions every day. As an example, what we do personally to improve our health and fitness has a direct impact on our professional efficiency. While there is a lot to discuss this topic, one notably important thing is, doing the right things in the right way, is a sure sign of success.

Another computer scientist, Cal Newport recently coined a word, Deep Work, which is classified as, ‘professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that pushes your cognitive capabilities to their limits.’ It is to be noted that the concept of ‘deep work’ is not new; rather it is followed by all accomplished individuals around the world. For example, psychologist Carl Jung, built a retreat called Bollingen Tower in the Swiss Canton of St. Gallen in the 1920s to give himself a private office where would retreat to not as a vacation home, but as an enabler for his pursuits in academic progress. He went on become one of the most influential thinkers of the twentieth century and his commitment to take time away from his busy lectures and counselling practice enabled him to advance his professional life. There are many other examples ranging from Bill Gates to President Obama who practices this commitment focused living. One notable thing is, the author Cal Newport himself is a follower of it and it is clearly evident in his personal and professional progress which includes being a tenured professor at the age of 33 after he graduated from MIT in 2004. What this emphasizes is one must not just do the right thing, but also do it in a focused way to have maximal profits.

The famous TED speaker and innovator, Elon Musk has the vision to change the world and humanity. He constantly works to make sure his vision is fulfilled with every progress he makes. His Tesla is an initiative for cleaner alternatives of transportation which directly aids in its part to reduce global warming. Another initiative, Solar City, paves way for cleaner energy generation and sustainable energy production. His vision for SpaceX is to advance human life on interplanetary expansion, also innovated in reusable rockets which are an innovation in direction of affordable technologies. This was all possible due to his work ethic and his vision in positive advancement of human life.

We asked our TEDxHyderabad community about who their favourite DOer is. It was no surprise that their responses included the majority of above-mentioned individuals.

What I want to emphasize here is, it is the individual and collective effort of humanity which will aid in the advancement of the race. It is important that we DO what is required for that.

With that in mind, TEDxHyderabad released the theme of DO for its 2017 edition. The speakers are the ones who are living embodiment of its theme. One idea at a time, we aim to bring a positive impact on the community and encourage everyone to be a DOer and not just a passive member of the society.

 

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