TED Community » Stephen Carey

More About Me

I'm passionate about

Roasting my own coffee, which I buy from around the world, and I am a passionate storyteller and listener.

Talk to me about

you and your story. The story of how you came to believe in what you really do believe in, what made you passionate about certain things, what you have learned from a child, do you smile a lot?

People don't know that I'm good at

Roasting my own coffee. I have roasted hundreds of pounds of coffees from almost every coffee producing country. I work with the best to find the best coffee, it is amazing, ask for some. Please!

Comments

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• +2

  A comment on Conversation: How do you move inspiration into action? *A TEDActive Social Networks Project*

  Apr 4 2011: This may sound extremely simplistic, but, I can assure you that it can and has worked. Let's use me as an example. I have an un-dying inspiration to see a major change in X. However, my inspiration will not accomplish anything other than being in a stack of things which I really never went after. You see, I had inspiration, I assumed someone, someone else would turn that to action. How wrong I was.
  
  Now, when I am involved in a topic/problem where I have great inspiration, I first find out what I can do JUST by myself. I have to start the process. I then go to my friends, not my friends with whom I hang out and just have a nice time, but the friends who challenge me in my thinking and I do the same to them. I let them see my inspiration, then I show them the action I have taken to date. Assuming, and this is usually the case for me, these special friends also have the inspiration, but, they are busy, have families, work a lot and so on, leading them to leave it all off at inspiration. However, this time I don't let them off of the hook. I ask them to choose a simple action which will help keep the action in play, moving forward. I also ask them to bring in their friends and family, lets see if the talk can really become the walk.
  
  If I don't overload them and have them thinking that only the eight of us will change the issue for the better, then I am on my way. I ask them who can help them with the tasks we have undertaken. We set up a an ad-hoc committee to make sure that our goals are correct for not only the issue, but the region of the country or planet. Regional answers are often a way to make forward progress. I then try to set up a Social Nation, using the many tools which let us set up our own social network where we can share in our progress and our lack of progress. It is where we can bring in new members to get them excited about being on the front line of change. It works, but, I go back to the beginning. I must start the action.
• +1

  A reply on Talk: Nic Marks: The Happy Planet Index

  Aug 31 2010: Steve, I don't think your very solid ideas negate what was said in the speech. Over the last 6 yrs, I have been fighting the roughest battle of my life, a cancer that has its own story. Yet, my doctors, w/Western & Eastern medicine saw hope, said I was not a statistic but a person. It mostly was really horrible, but also great. I started a wonderful company to great success, I have met the most amazing people & seen how kind they can be. Being sick doesn't let me out of wanting to invest in the world by helping people, so I helped many w/their businesses. 2 months ago I went into remission, but at the same time, my body and a good part of my mind gave out. The pain I live in I can't explain, I have more surgeries, but how blessed am I to afford them. I would NOT trade anything of the past, I met too many good people, worked w/good people. I think like you, there are many ways to find happiness. www.stephencarey.com if you want, is about living, real life, while very ill.

• A reply on Talk: Nic Marks: The Happy Planet Index

  Aug 31 2010: Luis,
  I love what you have to say. I am lucky and own a home in Costa Rica. I will be a legal resident very soon. Yes, Costa Rica has its issues, I feel all countries, tribes, counties, cities, any grouping of people will have problems.
  
  Nic discusses how so many of the major movies are about the ending of the world or the world as we know it to be. I agree, but more, for me, I actually fear - literally fear for my life - due to some of the very far right, beyond religious, yet, little spirituality - frighten me. They have said, in some speeches that people like me should be dead. Even more, though, is that somehow taking care of our planet is not a political issue - how can that be? And, while I do not believe the Bible to be THE TRUTH word for word, many of these people do. They tell me Noah & the Ark is total truth. Well, if their God wanted Noah to save these animals, shouldn't they respect those wishes also? They call me a faggot and move on.