What's your Rubik's cube? Tim Grunert at TEDxUniversityofNevada

In this talk Tim uses a Rubik's Cube to encourage you to explore what makes you unique.

One of my hobbies,
is Rubik's cubing.

(Laughter)

As childish as that may seem,

I feel like this colorful little box

is the best representation

of the point that I'm going
to be trying to make to you today.

But, we'll comeback to that later

so try to stick with me.

First, I want to share with you guys

some observations on the world around me

from a 19 years old student's perspective.

The way I see it,

there's a big problem
in the world nowadays,

and that's that people overall

are starting to become the same.

I mean, it's if everyone
is constantly thinking

about what everyone else

is doing or saying or thinking,

that no one because of that
can live for themselves anymore.

I mean, just look around you

with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Vine

our lives have almost become devoted

to this idea of fishing
for likes and reposts.

It's as if the masses have grown
to cling to this idea

that most of what we are

comes from what other people think of us

and expect us to be,

and then if you take them away

then nothing means anything.

But when we lay down at night
and look at ourselves,

how can we be satisfied living our lives
for those other people.

We're missing the fact
that confirmation and conformation

are the exact same thing.

That when we constantly
seek the approval of others

we're not acting as ourselves anymore,

we're simply acting
how that person would act

in our situation.

Now, we have to rethink this lifestyle,

we have to find a way
to become individuals again.

We have to begin to embrace

the little things that make
each and everyone of us

absolutely unique.

I want everyone to do something
with me for a second.

I want you take a moment
and look at yourself,

find something about you,

maybe something not a lot of people know,

some small simple unique thing

that no one does quite like you do.

Maybe it's a hobby,

maybe math come really easy to you,

maybe it's your smile,

just something that you believe
defines you.

And I really hope that by the end of today

everyone has at least one thing in mind.

Because that's where it all starts,

that's how you start to find that identity,
that individualism,

and that unique thing
will allow you to be happy as you,

no matter what anyone else has to say.

Now I begin with the same idea,

and that's because I believe
it is exactly these small things

that truly speak the largest volume
about who each person truly is.

If you don't believe me of,
use mine as an example.

So, I want everyone to look at this box

and, what do you see?

For most people it's a toy,

some will agree,
"Yeah pretty tough puzzle,"

others will say,
"I mean, what's the big deal?

I can probably look up a tutorial
how to solve it online.

I'm sure it's not that difficult."

You see when you look at it,
it's insignificant,

but when I see it
I see very important lesson.

So I will try to show you that today.

So we've all learned
from the very beginning

that everything is a whole lot easier

when we work together as a team.

But those of us who set
about finding that perfect team,

that perfect friend group,
our very first time,

are going to fail,

and I mean we should,

you know for most of us life
is not a fairy tale,

no matter how dashing the prince may be.

(Laughter)

As for the rest of us,

we just have to keep turning the wheels
until as if by magic

everything falls into place.

Now most people,

when they see this beautiful picture
that they've painted for themselves,

this perfect friend group,

they're too blinded
to do anything to try to ruin it.

These are those who conform,

the people who are so focused
on keeping their picture pretty

that they can't even step back
and look at the entire 3D problem.

So this is the challenge
I have for you guys after today.

Be yourself,

don't be afraid to rock the boat,

because things will come back
together for you at the end,

and when you take a step back

you'll see the progress
that you've truly made.

Now, a lot of people do get this far

and they see that perfect picture,
that beautiful friend group,

that team that they've always wanted,

and the other aspects of their lives
are starting to come along too.

But they're not finished yet,

there are still pieces missing.

They've not truly found that identity

because they've not found
their unique qualities,

their Rubik's Cube.

In fact, it's the Rubik's Cube that show us

that progress cannot be made

without twisting the gears.

Without taking the chance
of ruining some of what we already have

in order to progress further.

But if you've the ability to persevere

and find what's truly unique to you

and start living for yourself
not for those other people,

then you'll actually realize
that you were a part of a bigger picture

all along.

And things get easier as you go,

you know once you stop
to try to fit that mold

and start living for yourself
and find that confidence then,

the changes that you make
will have less and less of an impact on your team

and on the other important aspects
of your life as well.

Until you find yourself
so close to that self-actualization

that you're not afraid anymore.

You now have the ability to finish strong
and then say to the world,

"Here I am, this is me."

So yeah, it's just a toy,

it's my Rubik's Cube.

What's yours?

(Applause)
Thank you.

(Applause)