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I’ve been interested in how to get a TED Talk for the past few years. Like many people, I’d viewed some of the more popular ones, admiring them for their brevity and impact. Some of the speakers were also pretty good. I thought, “I could do that.“

Ha!

This year, I finally decided to figure out how to get a TED talk, to decode the TED formula and learn how I could become one of those speakers.

The first thing I did was to set up a Google Alert for two things: TEDx and TED Talk. These were broad enough so any time there was a call for speakers, I’d be notified. It also meant most of the alerts I received were useless.

I finally received an alert for a TEDx call for speakers I’d applied to last year, but didn’t get. I went back and looked at my application. Although other audiences loved it, based on what I now know, it was not the kind of thing TED looks for.

TED purports to be all about bold, new ideas. So while I didn’t think my topic was new, I did think it was bold and I would present it in a bold way. I decided to address ageism, specifically in the workplace, and the ridiculousness of it. In our tight labor market, it’s inexcusable that an entire cohort of capable workers are excluded or let go because of their age. And that companies get away with it.

I started thinking about how I’d feel if someone tried to push me out of a job because I was moving through life instead of quietly disappearing… pissed. That’s when I came up with my title:

I’m not done yet, so stop trying to get rid of me.

I took it from there. I carefully completed the application. I used 4-letter words. I was funny and ironic. I worried about the cursing. But I hit send.

A week or so later, I received a very nice note that they liked my proposal very much, but had decided on others and that I should continue reaching out to other TED venues because someone would bite. I asked them if this was a form letter that went to everyone. They told me no, that it was a legit, personal letter.

A couple of new opportunities turned up, I applied, and voilà, I got a bite! They wanted me to do a two-minute video on the topic and it was due in 5 days, which would normally have been enough time, except for my travel schedule. Since I didn’t know whether I’d get another chance, I did the video. It took me at least 5 hours and though I didn’t love it, I thought screw it and let the chips fall where they may.

THEN, I got an email the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend telling me how much the loved my video (??) and asking me about how I planned to get there (they don’t pay for flights). I thought, wow, I got it! Before I made my own decision, I asked a lot of questions, which they very politely answered. It turned out to be premature, because they really did just want to know I could get there! They had not made final selections. My excitement turned to disappointment. I continued to wait.

Last Thursday came final notification I’d been selected!

Now, I have to write, memorize, and practice it. I will have to read up and do my research. I’ll have to adhere to a very specific format. In the following months, I’ll update you on how I’m doing, what works and what doesn’t, what I learn. You’ll get to see it, too, because they’ll post it. So it’s gotta be good. Failure is not an option. 😐

And that’s my experience with how to get a TED talk. I hope that by taking you with me on my journey, if it’s on your list, you’ll feel encouraged to give it a shot.