Have you ever wondered which is the most popular TEDxAUBG talk? If yes, let us tell you — it is Filipe Castro Matos’ talk, titled “How waking up every day at 4:30 am can change your life”. In this article, we break down the highlights of his presentation and the reasons why it resonated with over 10 million people around the world.
It all started with a simple idea — “something that anyone could do”, according to Filipe. He decided to challenge himself to try waking up at 4:30 am every single day for 21 consecutive days. Why? He believes in pushing your limits in all areas of your life, instead of staying comfortable; or in other words, “going beyond natural”. Millions of people around the world were already waking up early every day. And apparently, even more felt inspired to do it after he began sharing his self-improvement journey through social media posts. In fact, he gained quite an audience — many people were willing to believe in his idea, as crazy as it might sound.
Throughout his 21-day challenge, Filipe figured out 12 pieces of advice, as well as benefits, that those on the same journey as him could find useful and motivational:
Find support along the way.
People like to see different things.
You don’t need to sleep less (just go to bed earlier).
Get rid of your obstacles.
Healthy life = good sleep.
Forget about the snooze button.
You only need 6/7 hours of sleep.
You gain at least 2 more working hours per day.
Get messages out of your way.
You’ll have more time for the gym.
You’ll gain a new view of the world.
You need the will to do it, but if you have it, no one will stop you.
The bottom line? Small things are what actually make the difference, and one little action, such as waking up a few hours earlier than usual, can go a long way and even change your life. Who knows? You might even inspire someone else to change theirs, just like Filipe did with his TEDxAUBG talk. It is now no secret why his video continues to gain popularity to this day. People are attracted to bold ideas — the ones that make you rethink the way you are living your life and what you thought to be “normal” up to this moment.
Is 4:30 am realistic for everyone? Probably not, but this doesn’t mean that you cannot take something away from Filipe’s talk. Waking up early is simply an example of what you can achieve once you put your mind to it and take a step every day towards your goal, whatever it may be.
Finally, this talk reminds us that TEDxAUBG is more than just a one-day event. It is a platform for ideas that continue to spark conversations and inspire people long after the final round of applause.