DeepSummary
In her TED Talk, Cheryl Lee Ralph shares her journey of struggling to believe in herself as an actress and overcoming numerous rejections. She recounts her experience winning an Emmy Award and how that made her reflect on what could have happened if she had given up after all the "nos" she received in her career. Ralph emphasizes the importance of seeing ourselves deeply, thinking positively about ourselves, and acting like we believe in ourselves to create possibilities.
Ralph shares anecdotes from her childhood, where her Jamaican mother taught her to see her true self in the mirror and not listen to ignorant comments from others. She also discusses a meeting with a Hollywood casting director who made a discriminatory comment, but Ralph chose to focus on the positive part of his statement and believed in her talent. Her perseverance and self-belief eventually led her to land roles, including on the hit show 'Designing Women.'
Throughout her talk, Ralph encourages the audience to practice self-love, respect, and kindness towards themselves. She stresses the importance of having faith in oneself and not giving up, even in challenging times. Ralph's powerful message is to believe in oneself and to keep moving forward, as that belief can make 'broken wings fly.'
Key Episodes Takeaways
- See yourself deeply and truly for who you are, beyond societal labels or negative comments.
- Think positively about yourself and reframe negative situations into empowering ones.
- Act with confidence and self-belief to create possibilities and take up space in your chosen field.
- Practice self-love, respect, and kindness towards yourself.
- Have faith in yourself and your abilities, even during challenging times.
- Persevere through rejections and moments of self-doubt, as giving up can prevent you from achieving success.
- Believe in yourself and your dreams, as that belief can help you 'soar' and achieve greatness.
- Cultivate a healthy and meaningful relationship with yourself, as it is the greatest relationship you will ever have.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “I am an endangered species, but I sing no victim song. I am a woman, I am an artist and I know where my voice belongs.“ by Cheryl Lee Ralph
- “We've got to think, think about ourselves in order to believe in ourselves.“ by Cheryl Lee Ralph
- “I walked out of there giving myself permission to take up space in Hollywood, knowing that I belonged there, no matter what anybody thought about me.“ by Cheryl Lee Ralph
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Episode Information
TED Talks Daily
TED
7/2/24
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.