How to Be a Better Human A practical guide to taking control of your life | TED Talks Daily
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Oct 13, 2025 
Cate Hall, a former Supreme Court attorney and TED speaker, shares her inspiring journey from addiction to becoming the CEO of Astera Institute. She emphasizes the importance of personal agency over intelligence, explaining how it leads to meaningful life choices. Hall discusses how desperation can fuel transformative change without destruction and shares tactics for increasing agency, such as embracing opportunities and seeking honest feedback. Her insights reveal how anyone can discover hidden freedoms to enhance their lives.
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From Addiction To Despair
- Cate Hall recounts waking up daily to buy and use drugs until she passed out, losing months of memory and mobility.
- That period left her feeling awe and resentment watching others choose their afternoons freely.
Agency Over Intelligence
- Hall defines personal agency as the ability to see and act on hidden degrees of freedom in life.
- She argues agency matters more than intelligence or hustle for a meaningful life.
The Gift Of Desperation
- Hall calls desperation a fuel for agency, describing how hitting rock bottom made her fearless and willing to say yes to everything.
- She used volume of connections and humility to rebuild her life and career.
