The TED Talks attract presenters come from various walks of life and fields of expertise to inspire, motivate and inform.

If you’re a freelancer, we’ve selected a range of topics from the TED talks archive to help you set up and succeed in the world of self-employment.

Adam Grant: The surprising habits of original thinkers

This TED talk from organisational psychologist Adam Grant studies how “original” thinkers dream up their ideas and turn them into a reality. The talk covers the three habits of such thinkers, including embracing failure. It’s a great all-rounder for freelancers looking for a little inspiration and wanting to ensure their creative endeavours succeed in the business world.

Scott Dinsmore: How to find work you love

If you’re stuck in a job you hate, this TED talk from Scott Dinsmore may inspire you to take that first step into freelancing. Scott talks about quitting his job and how he spent the next four years finding work that was meaningful and joyful. This deceptively simple TED talk will help you identify what matters to you - and how to achieve you dreams.

Amy Cuddy: How your body language shapes who you are

Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows us how “power posing” can give the impression of confidence to a person, even if they’re quaking inside. She talks through how standing in a posture of confidence can affect cortisol levels in your brain and how this has an impact on your chances of success. A must for any freelancer who needs to sell themselves to potential clients by displaying reliability, confidence and likeability.

Bill Gross: The single biggest reason why startups succeed

Startup expert Bill Gross gathered data on hundreds of companies on why some succeeded and others failed. One of the best TED talks for those wanting to boost their business acumen, Bill shares his research and how he ranked each company on five key factors. On of these five factors stood out from all the others - and the result was a surprise even to him.

Seth Godin: How to get your ideas to spread

This TED talk from marketing guru Seth Godin spells out why boring ideas fail in favour of bad or bizarre concepts when you need to grab consumer attention. It’s a great TED talk to help any freelancer struggling with their marketing strategy. Aside from covering the merits of standing out from the crowd, Seth recommends finding people who really care about what you have to say – and selling to those people who are listening.