The practice of trying | Garth Bender | TEDxAkron

Quick Overview

Garth Bender argues that the practice of trying new things, rather than focusing solely on achieving specific outcomes, is the true measure of value and personal growth, citing his own experience of running a marathon after years of smoking and his subsequent appreciation for simple acts like meeting strangers or shoveling dirt as evidence.

Key Points: The true value lies not in achieving specific goals but in the act of trying, which fosters new perspectives and insights. Bender shared a personal story about quitting smoking (two packs a day for 20 years) and running his first marathon, only to fail at mile 77 of the 100-mile race, realizing the failure was not the point. He emphasizes that valuable practices, like archaeology or fatherhood, are often independent of immediate outcomes and are instead rooted in consistent, mindful effort. Bender recounts an anecdote from high school where someone 'knocked the soda off his soapbox' while he was discussing environmental protection, highlighting how easily important ideas can be dismissed. He encourages the audience to try something new, like making a paper airplane fly across a room or trying a new food, to experience the value of the attempt itself. His favorite practice is being a loving father, which involves being present and actively listening to his children, rather than just observing.

Context: Garth Bender delivers a TEDxAkron talk centered on the theme of 'Shaking the Rules,' focusing on the intrinsic value of the process of trying, rather than obsessing over the results. He draws heavily on personal anecdotes, including his struggle with smoking and his experience with endurance running, to illustrate how embracing effort and present-moment awareness leads to deeper understanding and connection, both with the world and with others.

Detailed Analysis

Garth Bender advocates for prioritizing the act of trying over achieving specific outcomes, asserting that the value of an endeavor is found in the process itself. He illustrates this with his past struggle with heavy smoking (two packs a day for 20 years) and his subsequent attempt to run a 100-mile marathon, which he did not complete, stopping at mile 77. This experience taught him that the failure to reach the goal was irrelevant; the value was in the trying. He contrasts this with activities like archaeology or fatherhood, where value is not derived from measurable success but from consistent, mindful engagement. He recounts an early experience where a friend dismissed his serious talk about environmental protection by knocking over his soda, illustrating how easily important ideas are ignored. Bender urges the audience to actively engage by trying new things—like flying a paper airplane or trying new food—and to treat others not as strangers but as they wish to be treated themselves. He concludes by stating his favorite practice is being a loving father, which involves being present and listening, rather than just observing, emphasizing that continuous effort, even when things seem difficult or when we fail, is what ultimately shapes who we become and deepens our understanding of ourselves and the world.