1 big realization I wish I made earlier:

Saying no to going out and having fun on weekends doesn't mean 'no'.

It just means saying 'yes' to your most important goals.

Using a timer to track the number of hours you study each day is a simple trick to help you realize how little time you *actually* study per day.

The cost of using passive study techniques that other students use is getting the grades other students get.

Helpful productivity hack I've started doing:

I don't wait until I'm tired to drink coffee

Because if I do, it's already too late

Instead, I think about when I usually feel low on energy (eg, after lunch)

Then I drink coffee 30 min before that

Keeps me awake all afternoon.

The price you pay for doing what everyone else does is getting what everyone else gets.

Quick hack to be miserable while studying:

Start each day by comparing your progress to that of other students.

Bonus points for choosing someone who started studying much earlier than you.

Get more bonus points if you decide to quit because of it.

Most med students focus on doing passive methods of studying.

This gets them nowhere.

Instead, the trick is to focus 100% of your attention on doing active recall:

• Premade flashcards
• Timed practice tests
• Exploring why the other options were not the answer

Study burnout starter pack:

•Attaching self-worth to grades
•Cramming everything the night before exam
•Doing only a few practice tests or none at all
•Complaining about how difficult the exam was
•Neglecting self-care and personal relationships

Avoid these at all costs.

'People who master their defaults get the best real-world results.'

You can quickly finish your study goals if:

• You estimate the time it would take you to finish those goals
• Cut that time down significantly
• Set that time as your new deadline
• And focus intensely to meet that deadline.

Congrats.

You achieved your study goals.

If you study for long hours every day over an extended period of time, it would be unreasonable for you to not pass your exams.

'Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.'
— Epicurus

My 5-step formula for guaranteeing failure in exams:

1. Avoid doing practice tests
2. Have an irregular sleep schedule
3. Compare your progress with your friends
4. Procrastinate, then cram close to the day of exam
5. Give up when you become overwhelmed by the study material

My goal has always been to work so hard that a competitor would look at what I do and say: “I completely understand how he’s winning - and - I’m not willing to sacrifice that much.”

Good. You don’t have to. Your lifestyle is my opportunity.

5 “hacks” for studying even when you're tired:

• Take a cold shower
• Don't eat a high-carb meal
• Take a 15-20 min nap (don't go beyond that)
• Study outside (eg, coworking spaces or coffee shops)
• Stand up while studying (gives you a second wave of energy)

How to fall behind on your study schedule (for the PLE):

Wait until end of internship to start studying, and find others doing the same.

Have you wanted to start studying for the PLE, but aren't sure of the first step to take (e.g., the right resources, setting up a study schedule, avoiding burnout)?

Here's a FREE recorded Zoom session I've had with a group of med students, clerks, and PGIs.

Check it out! 👇

Students with a lot of 'self-discipline' don’t necessarily have more willpower

They just figure out how to optimize their environment in advance to make it easier to focus later on

So it’s not about resisting distractions now

It’s about removing them before you start studying.

Mantra that serves me well when I'm stuck in a loop of bad habits (just like in the past few weeks):

'...every human being has the freedom to change at any instant.' –– Viktor Frankl

Morning routine that worked well for me (during my PLE review)

1. Night before, plan out the exact tasks to do the next day

2. Wake up at 5 & go out for a 30-minute run

3. Come back, take a cold shower & eat breakfast

4. Spend 5h focused on 1 study goal

Day won by 12 PM.