The failurist: Markus Zusak at TEDxSydney 2014

If you're looking for inspiration, don't turn to a writer -- they thrive on misery. Writing a book is all about struggling with inadequate prose, false starts and discarded drafts.

Yet, in this surprising talk, author Markus Zusak explains how failure can often motivate us towards our greatest successes. Learning from our failed efforts and overcoming our insecurities is what makes us stronger and better, and gives success much greater meaning.

Despite his affinity with failure, Markus Zusak is the author of five books, including the international bestseller, The Book Thief, which has now been translated into more than 40 languages.

First released in 2005, The Book Thief has spent more than 400 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and remains there nine years after the book first came out. It has since been adapted into a major motion picture starring Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush, and Academy Award nominee, Emily Watson. Markus's first four books, The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, When Dogs Cry and The Messenger were all published internationally and garnered a number of awards throughout the world.

Markus lives with his family in Sydney, Australia, and is currently working on his next novel.

Twitter:   / markus_zusak  
Facebook:   / markuszusak  
Website: http://zusakbooks.com/
Instagram: #MarkusZusak

TEDxSydney is an independently organised event licensed from TED by longtime TEDster, Remo Giuffré (REMO General Store) and organised by his General Thinking network of fellow thinkers and other long time collaborators.

TEDxSydney has become the leading platform and pipeline for the propagation of Australian ideas, creativity, innovation and culture to the rest of the world.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)