Proposed TED TALK “Cherish Your Dreams and Visions” Craig J. Phillips MRC, BA

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Proposed TED TALK “Cherish Your Dreams and Visions” Craig J. Phillips MRC, BA

Updated: Tuesday, November 4, 2025

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Since I Proposed this TED talk

Since proposing this TED talk in March 2024, I have not yet been invited. Nevertheless, I wanted to give an update. A lot has transpired since March 2024 and I would like to invite you to read the below articles. Second Chance to Live has created a new class of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Evidence-Based Proof of  Concept for the Model

Examining How to Provide Better Care in Medical and AI Systems for Individuals Living with Brain Injuries 

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I look forward to Being of Service

I look forward to giving a TED talk in the future. I look forward to being of service. Have a super day. Craig

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Cherish Your Visions and Dreams

“Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.” Napoleon Hill

In the event that you know anyone on the TED talk selection committee, please let them know of my availability to present. Thank you.

Please review, share my talk and please nominate my proposed TED Talk.

https://speaker-nominations.ted.com/

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Process, Journey and Evolution

Traumatic brain injury, car accident, in 1967 when I was 10 years old. Open skull fracture, right frontal lobe damage, a severe brain bruise with brain stem involvement. Coma for 3 weeks. Fractured left femur (thigh bone), traction 7 weeks, Spica (full-body) cast for 5 months. 2 EEG’s, battery of psycho social testing. Was not supposed to succeed beyond high school academically. Learned how to walk, talk, read, write and speak in complete sentences. Tutored at home in 5th grade. Mainstreamed back into elementary school in the 6th grade. Graduated on time with my high school class in 1975. Went on to obtain my undergraduate degree in 10 years (2 universities, 1 community college).  I then went on to obtain my master’s degree (2 graduate schools) Rehabilitation Counseling. Credentials CRC (Certified Rehabilitation Counselor), 20-year history of getting and losing jobs, client with 2 different State Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (Florida and North Carolina). 2nd Vocational Rehabilitation evaluation determined that I was not employable. Applied 3 times for SSDI, the 3rd application approved. For many years I felt like someone all dressed up with nowhere to go. A lot of disappointments and discouragement despite all my best efforts to succeed academically and vocationally.

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Glad that I did not Give Up

But I am glad that I did not give up on finding a way. A way to use my gifts, talents and abilities despite not being able to use them in a traditional work setting. Seven year later, after writing poems, an autobiography and a book a friend encouraged me to start a blog. And so, I created Second Chance to Live.

“You may be the only person left who believes in you, but it’s enough. It takes just one star to pierce a universe of darkness. Never give up.” Richelle E. Goodrich

“Don’t quit. Never give up trying to build the world you can see, even if others can’ see it. Listen to your own drum and your own drum only. It is the one that makes the sweetest sound.” Simon Sineck

“Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.” Albert Einstein

“Research your own experience. Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless and add specifically your own creation.” Bruce Lee

“I was told over and over again that I would never be successful. That I was not going to be competitive. And the technique was simply not going to work. All I could do is shrug and say, “We’ll just have to see.” Dick Fosbury (Inventor of the Fosbury Flop and winner of the gold medal in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City).  

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To Move forward I Needed to Stop Fighting with Myself

In my experience, I discovered that for people to come out of their denial to accept us would mean they would have to do 2 things. Feel feelings that they may not want to or know how to feel. Make changes that they do not know how to make or want to make. Both of these decisions are out of my control. Consequently, by accepting this reality, I am able to get on with my life. Get on with accepting my lot in life, instead of waiting for them to feel and change. Both of which may never happen. This awareness helped me to stop fighting against myself. This awareness helped me to stop joining in with the chorus of voices that criticized and berated me for what I was powerless to change. This awareness helped me to stop focusing on what I could not accomplish because of my brain injury and invisible disability. This awareness gave me the ability to discover how to use my gifts, talents and abilities in ways that would work for me. This awareness helped me to learn how to respect who I am, given my limitations; although I may not understand my limitations. This awareness helped and help me to realize that I am powerless over what people choose to think or believe about me. This awareness helped me to realize that I need to keep the focus on myself, stay committed to my own course and run my own race. This awareness helped me to stop being driven to live someone else’s dream for me and start living my own “magical” dream.

“Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.” Auguste Rodin

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” Theodore Roosevelt

“I have not failed. I have found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas Edison

“Regardless of your lot in life, you can build something beautiful on it.” Zig Ziglar

“Your time is limited so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” Steve Jobs

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I am Equipped and I Am Able

I am enough because I say so (smart enough, intuitive and courageous). I am able to make my life magical, one inch at a time. Experience the progression of living my best life. Use adversity to empower my vision and mission. Advocate for myself in my mind, body, spirit, soul and emotions. Empower my life through creating new neural pathways and brain reorganization through repetitive mirrored movements. Use 12 ways to enhance my life, well-being and relationships. Embrace my reality and in the process embrace the power of acceptance. Stay committed to my mission, vision and purpose. Celebrate my goals and dreams, in the now, one repetition at a time. Develop and continue to express my own creative genius. Find freedom from isolation and feelings of alienation through identifying with others. Answer the call that never came to offer hope and encouragement. Offer information to current and future professionals and providers to encourage holistic self-advocacy (mind, body, spirit, soul and emotions) in an ongoing recovery process.

“If you advance confidently in the direction of your dreams and endeavor to live the life that you have imagined…you will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” Henry David Thoreau

“History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.” B.C. Forbes

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Feeling Dismissed and Discounted, but not Deterred

Although I realized that I did not have to own or take on any of those feelings personally, “that I was not enough”, I realized something else. I realized that needed to remind myself that, “Yes I am disabled, but Don’t Count me Out because…”. I realized that I did not have to own or take on the feelings “that I am not enough because I am disabled and not able to work in traditional employment”. I needed to remind myself that I am the only one who can run my race. I needed to stay committed to using and developing my gifts, talents and abilities in ways that work for me. I needed to stay focused on running my race and not lose “sight of” my mission and vision. I needed to press on, regardless of whether anyone else sees, values, understands or respects why I am committed. Committed to running my race and staying in my own lane.

“Though no one can go back and make a brand-new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new-ending.” Carl Bard

“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”  Joseph Campbell

“Ideas do not always come in a flash but by diligent trial-and-error experiments that take time and thought.” Charles K. Kao

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My Encouragement — Stay Committed to Your Course, Mission and Vision

In the event that you are living with a disability, that interferes with your ability to work; let me encourage you with this my friend. What makes you and I valuable is that we have a unique mission and purpose to fulfill with our lives. A mission given to us by a loving God that no one else can fill. A mission that we can alone discover. A mission that we can alone live. Although we may have people in our lives who leave us feeling minimized and marginalized, we can rise. Although we may have people in our lives who dismiss and discount who we are, we can stand strong. Stand strong and fulfill our God-given purpose. Stay committed to our course. Run our own race. Keep our focus on the goals that are in front of us. Keep using our gifts, talents and abilities in ways that work for us and don’t lose sight of our mission, vision and purpose.

“Believe in yourself, go after your dreams, and don’t let anyone put you in a box.” Daya

“Not everyone will understand your journey. That’s okay. You’re here to live your life, not to make everyone understand.” Banksy

“Those who danced were considered to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.” Angela Monet

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

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For more Information click on this Link

Creating Hope to Inspire Ongoing Brain Injury Recovery Craig J. Phillips MRC, BA

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Speaking Experience, eBooks and Posters

Since the end of June 2020 I have been spoken 145 times from 30 presentations, with upcoming speaking opportunities.

My 19 Books available on Amazon: amazon.com/author/craig-j.-phillips 

My 45 Posters to Encourage and Inspire: Scroll down the page to view each poster: Posters

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Among the places spoken and will be speaking at publicly

Cleveland Clinic, Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital, Penn Presbyterian Hospital, Overland Park Rehabilitation Hospital, Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital, Inova Loudon Outpatient Specialty Rehabilitation Hospital, Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, Encompass Rehabilitation Hospital, Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital, Carolinas Rehab, Colorado Department of Education, University of North Dakota, University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill, Harvard University Synapse, University of California at Berkley Synapse, Columbia University Synapse, Synapse National Conference, NeuroRestorative-Charlotte, Brown University Synapse, Temple University Synapse, University of Michigan Synapse, University of California – Irvine Synapse, University of Pittsburgh Synapse, University of California – Davis Synapse and Johns Hopkins University Synapse and various State Brain Injury Associations

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During nearly 19 years Second Chance to Live has benefited lives in the following Countries

United States, European Union, Brazil, Canada, United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, Russia, China, Hong Kong, India, France, Finland, Denmark, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Czechia, Croatia, Indonesia, Belgium, Sweden, Germany, Greece, Philippines, Japan, Serbia, Slovenia, Portugal, Morocco, St. Lucia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar (Burma), Pakistan, Switzerland, Thailand, Israel, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Netherlands, Ghana, and South Africa