You will fail, not because of what you will choose to do, but because of what you will choose not to do.

The time we live in now calls heavily on the need to draw on inspiration to achieve our minds’ idea of greatness. Yet, as University of Waterloo’s Professor of Economics Larry Smith brilliantly argues in a talk he gave at TEDxUW, this is just simply not enough. “It doesn’t matter how many times you download Steve Jobs’ Stanford commencement address, you still decide not to do it!”

I appreciate Larry Smith’s brutally honest reflection on the follies of fearful stagnation and the nonsensical excuses that accompany them. He humorously digs to uncover each and every excuse, plucking each to the surface for full observational review, battling each one with charming wit and humor.

The world will indeed give you the opportunity to work hard, but in sight of what and for whom? I often re-watch this talk to remind me of the importance of having a true passion and vision and to focus on pursuing that vision as a real means to a greater overall happiness. This is a reason to work really hard.

This is a way not to fail, but to illuminate success.

Nicole Smith is a Marketing Analyst and Consultant for companies such as The Coca-Cola Company and Intercontinental Hotels Group. She lives in Midtown where she loves to hang out with both the tech and art communities.