Being Me | Aşkın Keser | TEDxNecmettin Erbakan University

Prof. Dr. Aşkın Keser shares his path from selling simit and working in tourism in Muğla as a young man to becoming a professor. He connects his experiences with psychological ideas such as Frankl's search for meaning and Dweck's growth mindset. The talk argues that events that seem like coincidence can result from steady preparation and discipline. It was given at an independently organized TEDx event and is shared via TEDx Talks.

• Life path from simit selling to academia
• Frankl's search for meaning and Dweck's growth mindset
• Focusing on the journey rather than outcomes

True success is not merely defined by titles or external validation, but by finding your own rhythm and staying true to your authentic self. In this inspiring talk, Prof. Dr. Aşkın Keser reflects on his personal journey from selling simit and working in tourism as a young boy in Muğla to becoming a professor. Interweaving his life experiences with psychological theories—such as Frankl's search for meaning and Dweck's growth mindset—he demonstrates how what we often perceive as coincidences are actually the result of continuous preparation and discipline. He encourages us to focus on the journey rather than just outcomes and to discover the 'chemistry of intentions' Prof. Dr. Aşkın Keser completed his undergraduate and postgraduate education at Uludağ University, Department of Labour Economics and Industrial Relations, and the Graduate School of Social Sciences. He worked as a research assistant at Uludağ University between 1996 and 2005; he was appointed as Assistant Professor at Kocaeli University in 2005, Associate Professor at Uludağ University in 2011, and Full Professor in 2014. Currently continuing his duties at Bursa Uludağ University, Keser has also served as a visiting academic at Jalal-Abad University of Economy and Enterprise in Kyrgyzstan, the University of Otago in New Zealand, and Justus Liebig University in Germany. Specializing in fields such as work psychology, job satisfaction, burnout, and remote work, Aşkın Keser has authored six books (two as editor) and a total of six articles indexed in Web of Science, including 1 Q1, 2 Q2, and 3 Q3 publications. Keser serves on the scientific and advisory boards of the Labour Economics and Industrial Relations Congress, the Organizational Behavior Congress, and the Industrial and Organizational Psychology Congress, and is also a member of the Association of Work, Employment, and Organizational Psychology. 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