Here is the transcript and summary of Jude Aburdan’s talk titled “The Power of Habit” at TEDxSafirSchool conference.
Listen to the audio version here:
TRANSCRIPT:
Hi everyone, my name is Jude Aburdan. I’m a fresh graduate from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at Istanbul Medical University. That makes me a general practitioner or a physician, and today I want to share with you a personal story on how I got to where I am today.
Back in high school, I was always seeking to be the best at everything, like literally. Starting from a young age, I taught myself how to paint, play guitar, and I even successfully stole my sister’s professional camera to learn photography. Additionally, I excelled at being a nerd in all subjects except for Arabic language. My average dropped from 100% to 99%, and God, that drove me crazy. Told you, excelled at being a nerd.
I participated in almost every school competition and was so popular and known for all of my achievements. All of that combined with the support and ovation I got from those around me made me feel confident and powerful beyond belief, like, “Wow, I’m actually good.”
So what happened next? I got into university, accepted into the major of my dream, medicine. Do any of you want to become a doctor in the future? Do I see hands? Yes.
Well, I got into the major of my dream and I failed my first exam. It was the very first exam in the first year of medical school. It included basic knowledge regarding what we learned throughout the first semester. It wasn’t a matter of failing the entire year but it was the first hit of reality to experience failure the first time in my life.
Well, for those who are a type A personality, you’ll know exactly how I felt by that time.
For your information, type A personality individuals are ambitious, highly self-conscious, proactive, and always concerned with time management. In contrast to type B personality who are more patient, less anxious, and relaxed.
I am a type A personality, never satisfied and always seeking to be more than good enough. So experiencing failure for the first time in my life was tough, especially that I experienced it away from my family and friends who could have played an important role in supporting me.
Failing that exam absolutely shattered me into pieces. I lost my confidence, I started doubting myself and I even started to question whether or not I was good enough for medicine. From an urgent high school to a failing grade in the major of my dreams.
That got me into severe depression. At that time I did not realize the importance of failure. I wasn’t aware of the potential that it would add to my life and to my growth. Everything I had ever wanted I felt it was crumbled. I hated feeling that way. I had to change something.
Deep down I knew that I could get back up, try again since there would be other chances of scoring high on other exams. All I needed was a method, a certain recipe to have the power to try again.
Well fast forward to after that exam and until I graduated from medicine, I managed to become one of the top students in my faculty. How I did it? I obtained new habits. So here’s what I did.
I developed new study techniques. I used colorful sticky notes to write high-yield information and would stick them everywhere around my room. I started drawing anatomical structures over my body to improve my photographic memory. Helped my colleagues by teaching them the subjects they didn’t understand.
I depended mainly on active recall technique which I highly recommend, guys. You do it by reading your lesson or watching a video about it and then you put it away and start taking notes on what you can recall or what you understood from it. Second, I fixed my diet. I started eating healthy, made time to cook at home and prepare meal boxes on a weekly basis. Third, I learned yoga which is the exercise that heals the body, mind, and soul. It’s the type of exercise I needed to be able to manage the stress and pressure I was going through.
Fourth, I focused on my circle of friends by keeping those who motivated me to be and do better and by staying away from those who discouraged me and distracted me and made me feel bad. Fifth, focus on this, guys. I paid more attention to the words I tell myself every day.
The thoughts I get before I go to sleep and the thoughts I get in the morning, they all depended on what I tell myself every day. Your words matter.
So the next question is how did I maintain all of this? I used the habit loop method which I learned from a book called The Power of Habitsby Charles Duhigg. The habit loop is a neurological loop that governs any habit. It has the ability to override old habits by creating new impulses that are stimulated by new urges or behaviors. It consists of three elements: a cue, a routine, and a reward.
The cue for a habit is anything that triggers a habit. Cues most generally fall under the following categories: a location, a time of day, or other people. My cue was my desk. After I finish my classes in the university, I go back home, see my desk, and start my routine.
The routine is the most obvious element of the habit loop since it’s the behavior you wish to change or reinforce. In my case, the cue is my desk. I start studying, which is my routine, and then I get to the reward, which is my favorite part.
The reward is the reason our brains decide that the previous steps are worth remembering for the future. It provides positive reinforcement for the desired behavior, making it more likely that you will produce this behavior again in the future. It can be, for example, for me, it was doing yoga with my coach, eating something that I like, or watching an episode of my favorite series, Friends. You guys like it, right?
So by the steps we just covered, we create a behavioral pattern to activate certain centers in the brain whenever we perceive something. And by that, we develop the discipline to achieve anything.
Well, you can also overcome your bad habits, such as smoking, procrastination, and even psychological disorders, anger issues, for example.
Well, give me a show of hands, how many of you experience procrastination whenever attempting to study or work? All of you, almost. Well, you can set an end to that by creating a habit loop. Make an alarm for yourself, a signal. Whenever you find yourself procrastinating, you automatically move to your routine and maybe have a guilt-free procrastination afterward as a reward.
So let’s practice this together. What is the thing that you want to do every single day and excel at? Identify it, think with me. Choose your cue, whether it’s a location, a specific time of day, an object, or a person. Pick your favorite reward, whether it’s a hangout with a friend or having chocolate on your break. You want to make running easy, create triggers to make it a habit. Ride onto that loop of habits and see how everything becomes possible in an easier, effortless way.
Now, I’m a physician, a certified advanced life support provider, I work in a clinic, and I teach medical students while helping others with the English language. Soon, I’ll be launching my own medical uniform brand. And of course, my journey in medicine does not end here. Actually, it has only just begun.
My next goal is to specialize in the United States and become a board-certified surgeon. As Charles Duhigg says, change might not be fast and it isn’t always easy, but with time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped.
What I want you to leave home with is motivation gets you started, but habits are what keep you going. This experience taught me that if we believe in our potential for change, we have the power to overcome any obstacle that this life may throw our way. Thank you for listening.
Want a summary of this talk? Here it is.
SUMMARY:
In her compelling TEDx talk titled “The Power of Habit,” Jude Aburdan, a recent graduate from Istanbul Medical University’s Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, shares a transformative personal journey that underscores the remarkable influence of habits on personal growth and success.
From an early age, Aburdan exhibited a relentless drive to excel in diverse domains, ranging from painting and playing the guitar to mastering photography. Her intense ambition and constant pursuit of perfection made her a standout student, renowned for her achievements and contributions. However, as she transitioned into medical school, she encountered her first taste of failure when she failed her inaugural exam. This setback led her into a severe depression, prompting her to question her abilities and her suitability for a medical career.
An inherently type A personality—a trait marked by ambition and self-discipline—Aburdan struggled with the unfamiliarity of failure and self-doubt. She recognized the need for change and embarked on a transformative journey to rebuild her confidence and excel in her studies. Drawing from her personal experiences, she developed a series of new habits that revolutionized her approach to studying and her overall well-being.
Aburdan highlights the habit loop method, an effective neurological loop comprising three elements: cue, routine, and reward. She effectively outlines how she applied this approach to her study techniques, diet, exercise regimen, social interactions, and self-talk. By effectively harnessing this loop, she established a pattern that enabled her to stimulate her brain’s centers for productivity and success.
With unwavering determination, Aburdan embraced yoga as a stress-relieving exercise, initiated dietary changes, surrounded herself with motivating individuals, and prioritized positive self-talk. Gradually, these practices became ingrained habits, culminating in a newfound sense of discipline and success. She emphasizes the power of habits to overcome challenges and reshape lives, asserting that while motivation initiates change, habits sustain it.
As a living testament to the efficacy of her approach, Aburdan has triumphed over initial failures, emerging as an accomplished physician, advanced life support provider, educator, and entrepreneur. She is poised to launch her own medical uniform brand and is determined to specialize as a board-certified surgeon in the United States.
In conclusion, Jude Aburdan’s TEDx talk exemplifies the profound potential of habits to shape destinies. Her personal narrative illuminates the journey from adversity to success, underlining the importance of embracing failure as a catalyst for growth. Through the habit loop method, she provides a tangible framework for anyone seeking personal transformation, ultimately inspiring her audience to believe in the limitless power within them.
