So, You Want to Do a TEDx Talk?

Many people imagine themselves on a TEDx stage, delivering a well-received talk on the iconic red carpeted circle. However, in my experience helping select TEDx speakers, coaching them, and then watching on their big day, I’ve found that few people put in the required effort. 

Here are a few things to consider if you want to do a TEDx talk:

Propose an original topic

In reviewing hundreds of speaker submissions, well over half are immediately rejected because the topic proposed is identical or very close to a talk, book, or idea that somebody else has already done.

Prior to submitting the proposed title of your talk, search a bookseller website to make sure that there isn’t a book title identical or very close to your title. Do the same on YouTube by searching for TEDx and your proposed title. Your topic should be original to you.

Don’t submit topics prohibited by TEDx

TEDx requires speakers to avoid commercial agendas (promoting an organization, product, or service), political agendas, inflammatory rhetoric, or religious agendas. There is also a catch-all category to avoid: No bad science. Many submissions fall into the "no bad science" category and are rejected because the proposed talks include dodgy ideas about diet, health, and wellness.

Aim for a 12-minute talk

I suggest aiming for a 12-minute talk, a sweet spot for human attention. While TEDx talks can be longer or shorter than 12 minutes, the structure of a 12-minute talk is a straightforward format to work with.  When you rehearse, use a stopwatch to ensure you are keeping within time.

Create a talk using a proven structure

While you can use any structure you like in a TEDx talk, here is a proven formula (the times are approximate).

1. Opening hook: 1 minute

2. Problem framing: 1 minute

3. Core idea: 2 minutes

4. Stories and insights: 5 minutes

5. Takeaways: 2 minutes

6. Big-picture ending: 1 minute

Deliver a great opening line!

People who watch TEDx talks often decide about continuing to watch a talk based on the opening line. You need a great one that draws people in.  I worked with my friend Peggy Sullivan on her talk How to find meaning amidst mayhem. As I write this, in just a month on the TEDx YouTube channel, her talk has been viewed nearly a half million times. Peggy’s opening line is provocative and draws you in: “When visiting my terminal mother in the hospital, I can remember the loud noises and the pungent smell of disinfectant.”

Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse

Prior to the big day, you need to practice your talk relentlessly. Peggy practiced hers well over one hundred times. You need to know your material so well that you can focus on other elements of your talk like body language and voice modulation.

Enjoy the moment on stage

Plan to have fun with the talk. Most TEDx events have an in-person audience and everybody there wants you to deliver a great talk.

Promote the resulting video

Once the video of your talk has been posted on the TEDx YouTube channel, plan to share on your social networks, websites, and via email.

Note: I’m on the board of TEDx Walden Pond. I serve on the speaker selection committee and help coach speakers on their talks.  Our next event, to be held in Lincoln, MA is scheduled for October 21, 2026