The Secret Ingredient For Self Motivation | Vaishakh M V | TEDxAGBS Kochi

Vaishakh described himself as an average academic student but deeply passionate about environmental protection. From maintaining a terrace garden and building a semi-automatic irrigation system in school to conserving resources and promoting sustainable habits, his commitment to nature was evident early on. However, he faced rejection when teachers selected academically stronger students for leadership roles in a school environmental campaign, assigning him instead as a photographer. This left him feeling overlooked and undervalued. Despite setbacks, his dedication to sustainability continued. Years later, he gained global recognition when he was selected among the top nine teams worldwide in the Youth Climate Tech program by Meta and represented India on an international platform in Singapore. What once felt like rejection became a stepping stone toward global acknowledgment. During his postgraduate studies, he received mentorship that helped him channel his passion into entrepreneurship. He participated in multiple ideation competitions and won numerous awards within a year. He later founded a student community that evolved into the Young Entrepreneur Students Society, empowering aspiring innovators. Soon after completing his post-graduation, he established his company, Zygreen, focused on smart environmental protection solutions, and received the prestigious GENESIS grant from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. He concluded his talk with a powerful insight: dreams alone are not enough. Rejections and failures are inevitable, but true self-motivation emerges when a dream becomes a necessity — something as essential as air, water, or food. When a goal transforms into a personal need, it fuels the determination to overcome fear, judgment, and obstacles. His speech ultimately highlighted resilience, the influence of supportive parenting, the courage to confront fear, and the power of turning passion into purpose. The central message he left the audience with was clear: the secret ingredient for self-motivation is making your dream your need. Vaishakh M V is a 24-year-old first-generation entrepreneur and biotechnology innovator focused on sustainable solutions. He is the Founder and CEO of Zygreen Pvt. Ltd. and the creator of YESS (Young Entrepreneurs School & Society), a platform that helps students build practical skills, start small ventures, and explore green technologies. Once labeled a “math-just-pass” student, Vaishakh struggled in the traditional academic system before discovering his passion for biology while studying Botany and Biotechnology. Largely self-taught, he attended workshops, internships, and competitions, gaining recognition after winning the Best Innovator Award on National Science Day 2024. His work focuses on microalgae-based environmental solutions such as algae air purifiers, wastewater treatment bio-balls, and biofertilizers. Through YESS, he mentors students in “earn while you learn” entrepreneurship and works on climate-tech and youth innovation initiatives across India. 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