People often ask me how to give a TED talk. Not the technical side of writing a script or what to do with your hands, but how you actually get there. How you go from watching other people on that iconic red dot to being the one sharing an idea of your own.

For me, that journey didn’t begin with an application or a six minute script. It began at nineteen years old, sitting in my bedroom, watching TED talks and imagining what it would feel like to stand on that stage one day. This is the story of how that dream slowly became real, what I learned along the way and what I want anyone who hopes to give a TED talk to know before they begin.

Where the TED Dream Started

The first TED talk I ever watched was Drew Dudley’s talk on leadership. Something about his simplicity, warmth and storytelling drew me in. After that I fell into the world of Simon Sinek, Brené Brown, Sir Ken Robinson and Adam Grant. I would watch how they delivered a line, how they held a pause, how their voices softened or lifted at the exact right moment. I admired both the message and the delivery. And I'm sure, we know of people who have great messages but are shocking at delivery.

At 19, the dream began. At 21, after delivering more than a hundred school seminars a year, I felt like I was finally building the skill and presence needed to stand on that stage. But, I still had no clear idea. I knew what I cared about, but I didn’t know what was worth sharing with the world.

The Road to TED is Long, Quiet and Not Glamorous

A TED talk looks effortless.

It looks like one crisp idea, shaped into a talk filled with clarity and being shared by a speaker who looks completely at ease.

But from my experience, that ease is anything but effortless. It took me years to do what I did on that stage. I have delivered well over seven hundred presentations, many of which went horribly wrong, to finally reach a point where I could stand comfortably and speak in a voice that felt like my own.

A lot of work goes into shaping you and your talk long before anyone else ever sees the result.

And even then, none of it guarantees a spot. The selection process is incredibly competitive with hundreds, sometimes thousands of applications. You can have experience, passion, a meaningful story and still never hear anything back.

That was exactly what happened to me.

Rejection, Rejection, Rejection

Before the TEDx Global Idea Search came along, I applied to three TEDx events. Each one felt like a chance. Each one came back as a no. One of them didn’t even reply, which meant I had no idea whether my idea was seen, overlooked or simply not strong enough.

At the time of my third rejection I remember seeing this post by Adam Grant,

I thought to myself, if Adam Grant could get rejected by TED 3 times, and still get a TED talk, maybe I can too!

One of the most helpful ways to view failure is to see it as a datapoint rather than a dead end. A datapoint simply tells you something that didn’t work. The next step is to inquire into it and understand why. In this context, that meant asking for specific feedback about why my idea didn’t get through.

Two weeks after I emailed one of the TEDx curators, they replied with a detailed explanation. I had submitted a talk on resilience and courage. These themes have shaped my work and my identity for years, so it made sense to me. But they were also topics TED had explored many times before.

My idea wasn’t new. It wasn’t surprising. It didn’t offer a fresh angle to a conversation people already believed they understood.

Which meant I had to go back to the drawing board. I won’t pretend that felt inspiring or energising. It sucked. But it was the only way forward.

How I Finally Found an Idea Worth Sharing

I stopped thinking about “my topic” and started thinking about the insight behind it. What was something I had lived that most people had not? What truth had I discovered that was bigger than me?

Those questions, along with life experiences and great conversations with my wife, mentors and friends eventually led me to the idea of multigenerational living and the old new way of building connection and resilience in modern life. It was personal but could be applied universally. It was also grounded in psychology and lived experience. It challenged assumptions without preaching. And most importantly, it was simple enough to explain in one sentence.

It was 110% an idea that was worth sharing.

The TEDx Global Idea Search

When Chris Anderson, Head of TED, appeared on my Instagram feed announcing the TEDx Global Idea Search, I figured I would throw my hat in the ring again and see whether this new idea would land.

To my surprise, it did.

When the email arrived saying I had been selected, I felt genuine excitement. After years of imagining what this moment might feel like, it was finally real. I was actually going to deliver a TED talk.

The weeks that followed felt far more manageable than I expected. Speaking is what I do every week, so shaping and memorising a message didn’t feel as overwhelming as it might for someone doing it for the first time. But I still took the process seriously. I rehearsed for hours across multiple days, in different places and at different energy levels, because I wanted to know the words well enough to stop thinking about the script entirely when I stepped onto the red dot.

One of the best parts of the Global Idea Search was the level of guidance we received. We were supported by both TEDxSydney and the TED team from the United States. It was not just one talk day. We had rehearsals, coaching, idea refinement sessions and ongoing feedback from people who deeply understand what makes an idea resonate.

There was also an entire camera crew following us throughout the process, capturing rehearsals, interviews and behind-the-scenes moments for a mini docuseries that will be released on YouTube. That added an extra layer of excitement because it felt like we were part of something larger than just one event. It felt like TED was investing in our ideas, our stories and the broader message they wanted to send into the world.

Being part of the Global Idea Search wasn’t just about the talk. It was about the experience of being guided, challenged and supported by teams who genuinely care about ideas and the people who share them.

Delivery Day

On the day, something shifted. I stepped onto the red dot and felt calm. Present. Ready. A few unplanned jokes came out naturally because I wasn’t fighting nerves. I wasn’t trying to remember the next line. I was simply sharing an idea I believed in.

When I walked off stage, my hands were shaking from the adrenaline and the magnitude of the moment.

I prepared so hard for something that lasted only six minutes. Anything could have gone wrong. A blank mind. A technical glitch. A moment of panic.

But that day, everything aligned. And I am grateful it did.

What TED Taught Me

Looking back, there are a few lessons that shaped the experience more than anything else.

Have a strong opening.

A strong opening matters. You need a line that immediately pulls people toward you and makes them feel like what you are about to say is worth listening to.

Pause.

Pauses are not empty. It gives your audience the space to feel the moment and it helps your message land. Just make sure you don't pause for too long - it can get a bit akward.

Use humour.

A touch of humour relaxes the entire room. It reminds people that you are human and invites them to lean in with you.

Have slides only if necessary.

Slides add support, not substance. TED talks are about ideas, not decoration. If your talk only works with slides, the idea isn’t clear enough. Personally, I didn't use a single slide and most of the other speakers in the Global Idea Search didn't either.

Authenticity > Perfection

Connection is more important than perfection. Audiences do not want flawless speakers. They want real people.

Over Prepare

When you can, it's always better to be over-prepared than underprepared. And above all, the real preparation happens long before the script is written. The way you speak comes from plenty of practice. The clarity of your idea comes from deep thinking. The courage to share it comes from learning to trust your story.

Wanting to do a TED Talk?

If you ever plan to apply for a TED or TEDx event, here is what I hope you remember.

Start with an insight, not a topic. Browse through the library of TED talks on TED's website and make sure you're adding a unique perspective.

Make your idea simple enough to remember but strong enough to matter.

Show why you are the right person to deliver this message.

If you are rejected, be sure to ask for feedback.

Practise more than feels necessary.

Let your humanity show.

And always return to your why. If your idea matters to you, the audience will feel it.

Final Thoughts

Doing a TED talk changes you. It stretches your thinking, sharpens your communication and deepens your understanding of your own story. It forces you to simplify what you believe into something the world can hold onto.

If you ever get the chance to step onto a TED or TEDx stage, I hope you take it. It is one of the greatest privileges you can experience as a communicator. And whether you are on that stage, in a classroom, in a boardroom or speaking to five people at work, the goal is always the same.

Speak with clarity, simplicity, honesty and heart.

And share something that genuinely matters.