How to become an opportunity maker

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This week on TED.com November 8, 2014

Talk of the week Kare Anderson: Be an opportunity maker 09:46 minutes · Filmed Sep 2014 · Posted Nov 2014 · TED@IBM We all want to use our talents to create something meaningful with our lives. But how to get started? (And ... what if you're shy?) Writer Kare Anderson shares her own story of chronic shyness, and how she opened up her world by helping other people use their own talents and passions. Watch now »

Playlist of the week Take charge of your healthcare You may be the patient -- but that doesn’t mean you need to be passive. Hear from doctors, researchers and statistics geeks about how to get the best possible care. Watch » 10 TED Talks • Total run time 2:18:19

More from TED.com Humble plants can hide surprising secrets, as biologist Ameenah Gurib-Fakim shows us when she introduces us to rare plant species from isolated islands and regions of Africa. Meet the shape-shifting benjoin; the baume de l'ile plate, which might offer a new treatment for asthma; and the iconic baobab tree, which could hold the key to the future of food. Plus: monkey apples. Watch » Too often, people feel checked out of politics — even at the level of their own city. But urban activist Alessandra Orofino thinks that can change, using a mix of tech and old-fashioned human connection. Sharing examples from her hometown of Rio, she says: "It is up to us to decide whether we want schools or parking lots, recycling projects or construction sites, cars or buses, loneliness or solidarity." Watch » "You need to find the right question. There is nothing worse than answering the wrong question well." Architect Alejandro Aravena shares three surprising building projects where careful listening -- and some clever rethinking -- led to beautiful designs that people love. Watch » Haas&Hahn paint whole neighborhoods in bright colors to fill them with energy and life. Hear the funny, inspiring story of how Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn create community art by involving those who live there -- from the favelas of Rio to the streets of North Philadelphia. Learn about their art-first approach -- and the importance of barbecue. Watch »

read more about ideas On ideas.ted.com: 4 creative "mistakes" that led to major inventions ... visit a glorious Japanese art island ... and read an excerpt from Pico Iyer's new book, The Art of Stillness.

Quote of the Week “ Most people don't realize that it's not just minorities who don't do well in science and engineering — quite frankly, you're talking about Americans." Freeman Hrabowski Freeman Hrabowski: 4 pillars of college success in science

Join the Conversation Want to learn a new language? Get 7 tips from TED's own volunteer translators. Visit three visionary TEDx events happening above the Arctic Circle. “ Betsey Merkel on Kare Anderson: Be an opportunity maker   Thank you Kare for the beautiful story about generating hope, opportunity and so often, dignity. #OpportunityMakers have a feel for spotting value in today's disrupted social, economic and environmental systems. We look for the gray areas where possibility might exist, lovingly connect people whose mutual interest might spark touch points to cut through complex times to what's interesting, different, and a dream for something better."

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