As a blogger and executive coach, James Clear spent years studying how to form and change habits. His research culminated in the book "Atomic Habits”, which has sold more than 15 million copies and been translated into over 50 languages. James speaks with Adam about changing our systems for achieving goals, building habits around identities as well as actions, and accumulating small wins that add up to big change. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

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Attention isn't just about what we focus on -- it's also about what our brains filter out. By investigating patterns in the brain as people try to focus, computational neuroscientist Mehdi Ordikhani-Seyedlar hopes to build computer models that can be used to treat ADHD and help those who have lost the ability to communicate. Hear more about this exciting science in this brief, fascinating talk. After the talk, Shoshana speaks with psychiatrist and ADHD specialist Dr. Sasha Hamdani on transforming healthcare for patients and families with ADHD.

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What makes for a meaningful life? Social psychologist Brian S. Lowery explores three ideas tied to the experience of meaning and shows why simply pursuing personal achievements isn't the best way to find it.

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Sheryl Lee Ralph is a force, delivering iconic performances both on stage and screen. But she didn't always know if she'd make it big. In a lively talk sparkling with actionable advice, she shares how her struggles taught her what it takes to believe in herself -- and how we can all find the self-confidence to keep moving forward.

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If you had to explain to a newborn -- or an alien -- what it means to be a human being living on Earth in the 21st century, what would you say? Visual artist Oliver Jeffers put his answer in a letter to his son, sharing pearls of wisdom on existence and the diversity of life. He shares observations of the "beautiful, fragile drama of human civilization" in this poetic talk paired with his original illustrations and animations.

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The end of the year is a time to reflect and think ahead. What hopes did you have for 2025, and what might be different for 2026? In this special episode, learn from three TED-Ed lessons on how to overcome your mistakes, make smarter decisions and get motivated even when you don’t feel like it.

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Lily Yeh calls herself a barefoot artist: she travels the world with a suitcase full of art supplies, working with whoever wants to join her. In an inspiring talk, she shares the fruits of her collaborative art projects that bring color, community and beauty to public spaces often seen as “broken."

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Remember those fun high school superlatives like the “Class Clown” or the “Biggest Flirt”? In this special How to Be a Better Human season finale, you will be hearing from our previous guest Dallas Youth Poet Laureate Naisha Randhar and our team of editors, marketers, producers, fact-checkers and more on their favorite episodes this year. 

How to Be a Better Human 2025 Superlatives

• Most Likely to Make You Rethink Your Place in the World
• Most Inspiring Story
• Most Likely to Make You Feel Your Feels
• Best Motivator 
• Most Likely to Improve Your Life Tomorrow
• Biggest Perspective Shifter
• Most Shared Tidbit

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Regret is one of our most powerful emotions -- and also one of the most misunderstood. Over the past two years, author Daniel H. Pink has collected a trove of more than 16,000 regrets from people in 105 countries in an effort to better understand this mysterious emotion. He shares the key patterns that emerged (it all boils down to the same four core regrets, he says) and explains how to transform your own regrets in order to create the life you've always wanted to live. (This talk and conversation, hosted by TED current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was part of an exclusive TED Membership event. Visit ted.com/membership to become a TED Member.)

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To truly savor life, pursue "powerful first experiences," says storyteller and nonprofit founder Kenneth Chabert. Learn more about how to create these meaningful moments, where mundane routine is broken by novel experiences in small but significant ways -- no matter how old you are.

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As cascading climate challenges reshape our world, the most resilient systems are ones we often overlook. Ecological futurist Tariq Al-Olaimy has seen this firsthand in disaster-stricken communities, where church basements, mosque yards and temple networks form a "spiritual infrastructure" that sustains people long before formal aid arrives. Drawing on a decade of work with global faith coalitions, Al-Olaimy explores why spiritual traditions are uniquely equipped to navigate moments of collapse — and how aligning our inner values, economies and ecosystems may be essential to restoring life on a changing planet.

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