Inspiring speeches can shed light on our lives. They can motivate us, inspire us, and educate us. Ted Talks about travel covers a wide range of topics. From learning another language, to how to save money, to lowering your carbon footprint. It’s easy to spend days watching or listening to these videos! I did just that, and I found 12 inspiring TED talks about travel to motivate you to get out of your house.
These videos are more towards the cheaper side of travel, and getting to know the country and culture. Immerse yourself in your travels, and use these talks to get you started.
By Tomislav Perko.
Tomislav Perko learned how to travel the world with almost no money. It’s a gutsy move, but also an adventure in every sense of the word. You don’t have to be brave to travel, you just have to have a bit of courage to leave. Then you’re already out in the world and just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Most travel expenses are from transportation, accommodation, food and drink, etc. He proposes some ideas to lower those costs.
To reduce transport costs, walk a lot. When in cities, this is helpful. It allows you to explore more in-depth, and it’s super healthy. Also, there’s cycling. This requires some money to buy all of your gear first. But when you have it, take care of it and it will take you far. You can also (safely) hitchhike, or work in exchange for transportation, like working on a sailboat.
With regards to accommodation, there’s couchsurfing, camping, and volunteering. Workaway is a great way to offer part-time work for free food and accommodation anywhere in the world. I’ve done several, like this one in Greece, which was thoroughly enjoyable.
His message is to not trust the media and their horror stories. The vast majority of people are friendly and helpful. Travelling like this allows you to tear down your prejudices, and open your heart. It also allows you to preserve the earth and travel more economically.
Even if you stay in one place, or stay at home, don’t lose the intensity of travelling. Explore your home town, do new hobbies, get outside, etc. Don’t lose that spark of life that you had when you were travelling.
By Luis Vargas.
Luis Vargas is a Mexican-American who inspires others to have transformative travel experiences. Travelling can be a force for good! He shares the beliefs of many other travellers and the others whose videos I’ve shared in this article. Exploration, discovery, and adventure are essential human experiences. But a lot of people don’t chase these. Why?
In a lot of cultures, people work too much. They don’t take the holidays they are entitled to, and these go wasted. Money is also considered more valuable than enriching experiences. Many would rather buy material things to fill up their homes than use them to explore somewhere new. And fear grips a lot of people. Whether that’s fear of taking that first step, or fear of other cultures through misinformation.
Instead of buying so much stuff that you don’t need, use that money to buy experiences. That is if you have the money to buy things that you don’t need. When you’re older and looking back on life, experiences will mean more to you than that random piece of furniture. There are also a lot of cheap and free things to do when you travel. I write about some of those experiences, like my article on Paris.
By Rick Steves.
Rick Steves has spent decades living out of a suitcase, and talks about the value of thoughtful travel. In this Ted Talk video about travel, he says “Fear is for people who don’t get out very much”.
He’s another big supporter of using travels to demolish misconceptions about other people. Our dreams are beautiful, but so are other culture’s dreams. And you’re missing out on learning what those dreams are. You don’t have to agree with everything in different cultures, but it is important to appreciate it.
Travel breaks down the fear of other cultures and countries. It’s important to travel to places and get to know the people there. People are fundamentally different, but also the same. Mark Twain said, “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness”. So when you travel, think about what other people believe in. Do you agree with any of those beliefs? Is there something you can learn and take away from their culture?
Travelling is about enriching your mind and heart to become a better person.
By Wendy De La Rosa.
Wendy De La Rose speaks about a simple way to save money. For a lot of people, saving money is far from simple. It doesn’t have to be about saving thousands in a year. It could just be about saving a few hundred. Whatever works in your parameters. But figure out what you can do without – those monthly subscriptions can all add up. Those $7 coffees every day add up!
Rose advises to focus on one goal at a time. People save more when focusing on only one goal. Don’t put small amounts into different pots, put it all into one pot. This pot could be for a plane ticket or a new backpack. You will reach your savings goals faster this way.
What’s the one thing you want to focus on over the next 6-12 months?
Her main strategy is the “set it and forget it” approach. Here you can download savings apps that automatically store a small percentage of your money each month. You set the percentage. Even if it’s the equivalent of a few coffees, that will quickly add up before you realise it.
Get saving toward your travel goals.
By John Francis.
John Francis walked the globe by foot (and occasionally sailed) for almost 30 years. For 17 of those years, he never spoke a word. He decided that instead of talking about environmental issues, he would listen and learn about what others had to say. When you stop talking, you stop ignoring other people and just focus on your next argument. He found that he had a lot to learn from just listening.
His message is to treat your world with respect. In regards to travel, this means travelling economically. How we treat each other is how we treat the environment. Also, when we travel we get to know new people, but do we truly listen?
Find the beauty in meeting people who are vastly different from yourself. Ask them genuine questions and get to know them. What are their views on life? How do they travel? What’s their life story?
My partner loves to ask this question when he meets new people – what’s on your bucket list? It’s a thoughtful question, it breaks down barriers and opens up an interesting conversation. He used it on me when we first met, and it made a good impression! If you don’t know how to create a bucket list, read my article on how to do so here.
By Lydia Machova.
Learning a language in school never made it stick in my mind. It was not until I started travelling that I found the beauty in other languages. It’s always useful to at least learn some basic phrases when travelling, there’s no argument there. But what if you want to learn more?
Lydia Machova is a polyglot and she asked others how they learn many languages. She found that each polyglot had its different method. One person started speaking with native speakers from day one. He would make mistakes and they would correct him. Others would learn the language grammar, or in an art form. But there were common principles that applied to everyone.
First, you need to enjoy the learning process. Learn the language in the way that you enjoy. Second, use effective methods, like the Gold list method or spaced repetition. Thirdly, create a system of learning that you can adhere to. Plan a bit so you have something to work towards. And lastly, have patience! Learn small chunks every day in a way that you enjoy.
So learning small chunks every day in an effective way that you enjoy – that’s the secret! It may be easier said than done, so that’s why the learning process needs to be fun.
By Ben Saunders.
Explorer Ben Saunders implores you to leave your house once in a while! There’s a quote by George Mallory, a famous mountaineer, who said “We don’t live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means, and that is what life is for.”
So there’s more to life than just going between your home and work. Even if you just explore your hometown, it’s still exploring. Also, hearing about a trip to Mongolia won’t do the trip justice. You have to experience it yourself. To feel that life of travel for yourself. Real inspiration and growth come from adversity and challenge. It comes from stepping away from what’s comfortable and into the unknown.
Whatever your comfortable zone is, just step one foot out of it every once in a while. Then step out with two feet, and keep going. You will enjoy life more. And even if you don’t enjoy one experience, it’s still a story to tell and learn from!
By Mark Van Der Heijden.
This Ted Talk about travel is about widening your perspective. Mark Van Der Heijden speaks about going beyond your limits and doing things you wouldn’t normally do. Sure, it can be scary, but that’s a good thing. He believes that we can change the world if people start to change themselves. Do something every day that scares you, no matter how small an action that is. You will feel elated and on top of the world!
Love the little things, and find pleasure in them. Learn about the types of trees around you, and how to say words for things you love in different languages. When you test your limits, you learn how to rise above hard times. Travelling can also be unexpectedly problematic. What if something goes wrong on your trip? It’s up to you to figure it out and fix it.
You don’t even have to travel the world. It’s about your mindset. So start small, and go from there. Find out where the limit of your comfort zone then, try to expand it little by little. There’s still a lot of adventuring to do just outside your door.
If you are new to travel, read the article on tips to help with your first backpacking trip. There’s a common theme running through all of these videos. Use travel as a way to give you a spark of life, to meet new people and cultures. Use it as a way to conquer your fears and tear down those walls of misinformation. Learn, and experience, and have a grand old time doing so.
Use these TED talks about travel to motivate you, inspire you, and spark your imagination. These talks show that you can travel big or small, with or without money. It’s all up to you and how you choose to do it. Just do it.
Figure it out, and make your dreams happen.
