How do we find our most transformative moments? In this TEDxVUAmsterdam talk, Manoj Pandey argues they happen in "the space between certainty and the unknown".Drawing from his personal journey of moving from India to Germany with just two German words, Manoj illustrates how action precedes motivation. As the founder of Gezellig, a platform that has facilitated over 25,000 in-person connections, he shares how stepping into discomfort and embracing uncertainty leads to unexpected and richer outcomes than any perfect plan.This inspiring talk challenges you to take that small, scary step you've been avoiding and discover the growth and resilience that flourish when you venture off the beaten path. Manoj grew up in India and ventured to Germany to build a career in the software industry, collaborating with independent clients, startups, and major corporations. A passionate advocate for open source and community building, he founded PyData Delhi—the first Python and data-centric community in India—which grew to 10,000 members. With a product mindset and deep technical expertise, Manoj now leads Gezellig, a platform dedicated to forging genuine, in-person connections. His work spans both the practical and theoretical realms, having collaborated with research labs on human-computer interaction, privacy & security in online social networks. An accomplished competitive programmer and hackathon winner, Manoj’s innovative spirit once took him to Harvard at just 19. As a dynamic entrepreneur and thought leader, he continues to inspire by bridging technology with human connection. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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