I Tried Running for Two Years and It Changed my Brain

Summary

In this inspiring narrative, Zach shares his transformative journey from a sedentary lifestyle during the 2020 lockdown to becoming a dedicated runner. Initially struggling with a daunting hill during his first run, he persevered through a 30-day challenge, which led to significant improvements in his cardiovascular fitness and mental resilience. Zach's story highlights the power of discipline and the 'embrace the suck' mindset, which he applies to various aspects of life, leading to personal growth and a newfound love for running.

Takeaways

• 🏃 The speaker embarked on a 30-day running challenge during the 2020 lockdown to improve physical fitness and counteract the negative effects of inactivity.
• 🚫 Initially, the challenge was daunting, with the speaker feeling overwhelmed by the difficulty of running, especially when faced with a steep hill early in the challenge.
• 🎧 The Nike running app and its encouraging coach, Coach Bennett, played a significant role in motivating the speaker to continue running.
• 🌱 Despite the struggle, the speaker noticed improvements in cardiovascular fitness and overall health, which in turn increased their motivation to keep running.
• 🌟 Around day 20, the speaker experienced a 'runner's high' for the first time, which was a pivotal moment that made running feel enjoyable and rewarding.
• 💪 The discipline and mental toughness required for running began to translate into other areas of the speaker's life, such as studying and working.
• 🧠 The speaker developed a greater awareness of their thoughts and learned to embrace and even enjoy the 'suck' or struggle in running and other challenges.
• 🤸‍♂️ Running led to the discovery of new physical and mental capabilities, as well as new social connections through meeting other runners.
• 🏞 The act of running opened up opportunities to explore new places and appreciate the beauty of nature, adding a sense of adventure to the speaker's routine.
• 🔁 The 'embrace the suck' mindset became a core part of the speaker's approach to life, leading to personal growth and a more positive attitude towards challenges.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial reaction to running up a challenging hill during his third run?

The speaker felt overwhelmed and thought he needed a team to carry him up the hill, as he didn't believe he could do it alone.

Why did the speaker start his 30-day running challenge?

The speaker began his running challenge during the lockdown in 2020 when gyms and yoga studios were closed, and he noticed his physical and mental health were deteriorating without exercise.

What was the speaker's physical condition like before starting his running challenge?

Before starting the challenge, the speaker was out of shape, noticed he was studying less, and was out of breath during a simple walk with his parents.

How did the speaker feel during his first run, and what was his immediate reaction?

During his first run, the speaker felt awful, realizing he was in poor cardiovascular shape and couldn't complete even half a mile. He was disheartened but committed to continuing.

What was the speaker's experience with running before starting his 30-day challenge?

Prior to the challenge, the speaker had no formal running experience. He had run casually in school and on playgrounds but never engaged in structured or long-distance running.

What was the turning point for the speaker during his running challenge?

The turning point was around day 20 when he experienced a 'runner's high' for the first time, which made him realize the joy and power of running and motivated him to continue.

How did the speaker's perspective on struggle change after embracing running?

The speaker learned to embrace the 'suck' or the struggle of running, which transformed his mindset and made him enjoy the challenges he faced, not just in running but in other aspects of life as well.

What benefits did the speaker notice in his daily life after becoming a runner?

The speaker noticed improvements in cardiovascular fitness, mental toughness, discipline, and an enhanced ability to enjoy the struggle in various challenges he faced in his daily life.

What was the speaker's approach to running during adverse weather conditions like winter?

The speaker continued running through winter conditions by investing in appropriate gear such as Under Armour clothing and gloves, ensuring he could run regardless of the weather.

How did the speaker's morning routine evolve after adopting running as a habit?

The speaker integrated running into his morning routine and discovered the 'jumpstart trifecta' consisting of techniques to optimize his circadian rhythm and start his day at peak performance.

Outlines

00:00

🏃‍♂️ Embracing the Challenge of Running

The speaker, Zach, shares his initial struggles with running during the COVID-19 lockdown when gyms and yoga studios were closed. He decided to undertake a 30-day running challenge to improve his physical and mental fitness. Despite feeling out of shape and doubting his ability to run, he persisted. On his third day, he faced a daunting hill, which he likened to climbing Everest, symbolizing a significant personal challenge. He pushed through the physical and mental barriers, motivated by a desire to improve his health and well-being.

05:01

🌟 The Runner's High and Discovering Joy in Running

Zach discusses the improvements in his cardiovascular fitness and the newfound ability to perform physical activities without getting out of breath. Around the 20th day of his running challenge, he experienced the 'runner's high'—a euphoric sensation that made running enjoyable for the first time. This pivotal moment led to a deeper appreciation of running, and he began experimenting with different types of runs, such as speed runs, long runs, and interval training. He emphasizes the joy and personal成就感 that running brought to his life.

10:03

🏞️ Running as a Transformative Habit

Zach recounts how running became a habit and a part of his identity, as he continued to run regularly even after the initial 30-day challenge. He describes the physical and mental benefits he gained, including improved cardiovascular fitness and mental toughness. He also shares how running influenced his daily routine and helped him develop a positive mindset towards challenges. The narrative includes his experiences of running in various locations, discovering new places, and the sense of accomplishment that comes with each run.

15:04

💡 The Broad Impact of Running on Life and Future Content

In the final paragraph, Zach reflects on how running has positively impacted his life beyond physical health, enhancing his mental strength and discipline. He discusses the concept of 'embracing the suck'—learning to enjoy the challenges and struggles that come with running and other difficult tasks. He also teases upcoming content, including a video on the magic of exercise and its benefits, and invites viewers to join Nebula for early access to his videos and exclusive content.

Keywords

💡Lockdown

Lockdown refers to a strict restriction on movement or activity in response to a threat or emergency. In the context of the video, lockdown is a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to gyms and yoga studios being closed, impacting the speaker's physical activity routine and overall well-being.

💡Physical fitness

Physical fitness is the ability of the body to perform physical activity and resist disease. The video emphasizes the decline in the speaker's physical fitness during lockdown, leading to a decision to start running as a way to improve it. The script illustrates this with the speaker's struggle to catch up with their parents during a walk.

💡Mental fitness

Mental fitness, also known as cognitive fitness, refers to the ability to maintain and improve cognitive abilities. The video suggests a connection between physical and mental fitness, as the speaker noticed a decrease in their study habits during lockdown, prompting them to start exercising to enhance both.

💡Challenge

A challenge in this context is a difficult task or problem that needs to be overcome. The video's theme revolves around the speaker taking on the challenge of a 30-day running streak to improve their physical and mental health, despite the initial struggles and the daunting nature of the task.

💡Discipline

Discipline refers to the practice of training oneself to follow rules or a code of behavior. In the video, discipline is a key factor in the speaker's decision to continue running every day for 30 days, even when it was difficult, which ultimately led to the formation of a new habit.

💡Runner's high

Runner's high is a euphoric state that some runners report after running long distances. It is often associated with the release of endorphins. The video describes the speaker's first experience of runner's high, which was a turning point in their running journey, making the activity enjoyable and reinforcing their commitment to running.

💡Mental toughness

Mental toughness is the ability to withstand stress, pressure, or adversity. The video highlights the development of the speaker's mental toughness through running, which they attribute to learning to push through the difficult parts of their runs and applying this mindset to other areas of life.

💡Habit

A habit is a routine or behavior that has become automatic through repetition. The video narrates how running transformed from a challenge to a habit for the speaker, showcasing the power of consistency and commitment in forming lasting lifestyle changes.

💡Circadian rhythm

Circadian rhythm is the body's internal clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours. The video mentions optimizing the circadian rhythm as part of the speaker's morning routine, suggesting that aligning activities with the body's natural rhythm can enhance performance and well-being.

💡Nebuta

Nebuta is a traditional Japanese festival featuring large lantern floats. In the video, Nebula is mentioned as a platform where the speaker shares exclusive content, including early access to videos and additional educational material, indicating a way for viewers to engage more deeply with the speaker's content.

💡Exercise

Exercise is physical activity that's planned, structured, and repetitive for the purpose of conditioning any part of the body. The video underscores the transformative power of exercise, particularly running, on the speaker's life, encompassing physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Highlights

The narrator's daunting challenge of running up a hill, comparing it to climbing Everest or Kilimanjaro.

The realization that physical fitness is connected to mental fitness during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The decision to embark on a 30-day running challenge to break the pattern of physical and mental decline.

The struggle of the first-ever run and the immediate physical limitations encountered.

The psychological battle during the first days of the running challenge, with the body urging to stop.

The use of the Nike running app and its motivational messages during the initial runs.

The incremental progress made each day, despite the desire to quit.

The moment of realization that even a small increase in running time is a form of progress.

The physical and mental transformation observed after the first 20 days of running.

The experience of the 'runner's high' and its impact on the perception of running.

The adoption of running as a habit and the exploration of new paths and parks.

The discovery of the joy and power of running, beyond its physical benefits.

The narrator's continued commitment to running beyond the 30-day challenge.

The practical integration of running into daily life, including during vacations and bad weather.

The broader life changes catalyzed by running, including improved mental toughness and discipline.

The 'embrace the suck' mindset and its application to various aspects of life beyond running.

The announcement of an upcoming video on the magic of exercise and its benefits, available early on Nebula.

Transcripts

I want to die.

Or at least that's the thought I had

as I was looking up this crazy

behemoth of a hill

on my third ever run.

It was Everest, it was my Kilimanjaro.

There was no way I was gonna surmount

up this crazy, crazy hill.

I would need like an entire team to carry me up there,

and there was no team.

It was just me.

Every single part of my body was reminding me,

telling me, "Look, Zach, you gotta stop.

"You need to stop."

And this was all because three days earlier,

I had begun my 30-day running challenge.

(upbeat music)

So during lockdown in the beginning of 2020,

I wasn't going to the gym anymore.

All the gyms were closed,

and I couldn't go to yoga classes anymore.

All the yoga studios were closed.

I wasn't even walking to and from class anymore

because I was at home in the world of Zoom.

The suburbs and medical school via Zoom were my life.

All of my exercising outlets were just gone,

and of course the excuses were there.

You know, I'm in medical school,

one of the hardest studying things ever, right?

It's COVID.

It makes sense that you can't go out

and exercise and stuff like that.

You should stay together with family.

Slowly, as I spent more time just inside at home,

just staring at Zoom, I noticed that my body and mind

were just going downhill,

and I also noticed that I was studying less

and this made no sense to me.

Why was I studying less,

even though I had more time in the day?

What was going on here?

Was my physical fitness

and my mental fitness somehow connected?

A critical moment for me

is I was going on a walk with my parents,

'cause that's all we could do

when we were inside during COVID,

and I noticed that about 20 minutes into the walk,

I was kind of out of breath.

It was a long walk up and down hills

and my parents were ahead of me,

breathing fine, talking fine.

I was like, wait, wait, this can't fly.

I needed to break the pattern.

I couldn't be more out of shape than my parents,

who were in their 60s and I'm in my 20s,

so I decided to do something,

something kind of a little bit crazy.

I decided to try running for the first time ever.

And of course I've run in school

and run in the playground and all those kind of things,

but I never formally ran.

I never put my headphones in and said,

"Listen, Zach, you're gonna go run five miles here."

That just, I was like, who would do that?

That sounds so boring.

But I knew I needed to do something drastic.

I knew I needed a change.

So for 30 days I would run no matter what,

even if it sucked.

I'm back.

Woohoohoo.

Oh my God, halfway through there,

I thought I was gonna (buzzing) die.

So I didn't throw up and I came really close to it.

Day one sucked.

I found an old pair of running shoes, some shorts, a shirt,

and I downloaded the first application I saw

on the app store about running,

and it was the Nike running app.

And I opened it up and I saw this amazing thing that said,

"first run ever."

And I was like, okay, this is my first run.

Let's try it out.

And I remember as I was running along,

some really nice guy in my ears was saying, "You know what?

"You hit start.

"Fantastic job.

"You are a winner for just hitting start.

"You are a winner for just moving."

And I thought, you know what?

I like this guy.

This running isn't so bad,

but that was 30 seconds into the first run ever.

The next 30 seconds I realized

that I don't know what I'm doing.

I don't know how to run

and my body just doesn't know what to do.

What the guy in my ear didn't tell me

was how much it would suck after the first minute.

It sucked. I was in awful shape.

I mean, I was probably in the worst

cardiovascular fitness of my life.

In high school, I played tennis and I swam.

In college, I played soccer,

but now I wasn't doing it.

During this first ever run,

I realized I might not even make it five minutes.

There was something wrong with my lungs.

I couldn't get enough oxygen

and my legs just wouldn't keep stepping

one in front of the other.

And I was like, "Listen, guys, this is what, you know,

"hundreds of thousands of years of evolution told you to do.

"Figure it out."

But they wouldn't, they wouldn't figure it out.

And so five minutes into my first run ever, I stopped.

I didn't even complete half a mile.

Disheartened but committed,

I said, I'm gonna do this, so I'm gonna do it.

I put my shoes on again for day number two,

and, you know, I got about 10 minutes into that

before I quit again.

Day number three, you know, I put on my shoes,

I put on my shirt that was getting pretty smelly

at one point and I made it past minute 15.

But at minute 15 I saw the hill

and I thought, why was I doing this?

Why don't I just quit again?

You know, I made it five minutes farther

than I did the day before.

That's progress.

But I remember thinking, why did I do this?

You know, I want to be more healthy.

I want to do something.

I want to accomplish something.

I want to finish this for me.

I wanted to hear Coach Bennett, the guy in my ear,

congratulate me for finishing a run.

So I looked up at that hill

and I did it. (text reverberates)

And I wanna say some magical power forced me up the hill,

but no, it really just sucked.

Every second of it sucked

but I just kept pushing through.

Coach Bennett helped me a little bit in my ear,

but really it was me saying,

"You know, Zach, you just go up the hill.

"It's just a hill.

"What's so hard about it?"

And I did it.

I got to the top of the hill,

And I was hoping for some breakthrough moment,

but no breakthrough moment

came. (clicking)

The days kept on sucking and sucking

and sucking and sucking.

This running wasn't becoming fun

like everyone told it would be.

So that was, that was rough.

I was on the elevator, I was trying to take a iPhone video

and I just, I couldn't do it cause I just couldn't speak.

That was one of the hardest,

hardest runs I've ever done.

But I noticed small things,

like my cardiovascular fitness was improving.

I could walk up the stairs

without getting out of breath at the top of them,

which before happened.

I could go for walks with my parents

and I wouldn't get out of breath at all.

I would play the occasional soccer game

or kick around with my little cousins

or brothers or whatever, and I was fine.

And at around day 20, something happened.

I was running around the edge of Philadelphia

along this river near Philadelphia

called the Delaware River,

and I was about 20 minutes into a tough run

and Coach Bennett in my ear suddenly said,

"You know, Zach?"

He didn't say Zach, but he said, "You know what?

"You're gonna run your mile pace right now.

"You're gonna run your mile pace."

And I was like, no, no, no, I'm gassed,

but whatever Coach Bennett says, I do.

So he said, run your mile pace, and I did,

and it really, really sucked for 20 seconds.

But 20 seconds into going to this mile pace,

I felt this weird kind of warm feeling

at the center of my chest,

and I was like, oh God, am I gonna finally throw up?

Am I gonna decorate the streets of Philadelphia?

But then before I knew it, the feeling spread to my legs

and to my arms and I was smiling without realizing it

and it felt like a really just good, happy feeling.

Every part of my body was buzzing

and this was the runner's high.

For the first time ever since I started running,

I was having fun running.

I sprinted down the side of Philadelphia and I was like,

this is cool.

I'm having fun on a run.

And I was running at a pace that I didn't think was possible

with a feeling that I didn't think was possible

and a new appreciation of what this thing can do.

So I started to run a little bit faster,

and I don't know if this is the runner's high,

but I just started to feel like really happy

and like I was smiling when like no one was there.

I probably looked like a psycho, but I felt so good.

And I ended that run thinking, you know,

if this is what happens after 20 days of trying this out,

I can't stop now.

I can't stop at 30 days.

I have to see what happens here.

I bought new shoes, I bought new shirts,

I bought new shorts.

I tried Fartleks, I tried speed runs,

I tried long runs, I tried mystery runs,

I tried up and down runs.

I tried exercise runs where you did jumping jacks

and pushups in the middle of runs.

I tried everything. (frames click)

The runner's high kept coming, but more importantly,

I was seeing the joy, the power,

the amazingness of running,

and not because running intrinsically is amazingly cool.

It's because it showed me, you know,

"Listen, Zach, if you put your mind to something,

"if you actually try to do something and you stick to it,

"you're disciplined, you can do some pretty cool things."

Day 30 hit me and I was definitely not gonna stop.

There was no way.

I was a runner.

After day 30, I found myself

just on the occasional morning waking up,

lacing up my new fancy Brooks shoes

and just stepping out the door.

And really that was the hardest thing,

stepping out the door.

I would be running along my favorite path

along the Delaware River

where I got that first ever running high or running across

one of the amazing bridges in Philadelphia

and just having a good time.

And this was now a habit.

Winter arrived, snow, ice, couldn't stop me.

I bought Under Armour gear.

I put on some fancy warm gloves that would work

when I touched my phone 'cause they had fancy, you know,

connecting to magnetic whatever the heck on the gloves

and I just ran no matter what.

I was a runner.

Over the next year, I was running two to three times a week.

My pace was improving and my distance was improving

and I was improving.

I was discovering beautiful new parts

of the city of Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania

that I didn't know existed.

I was going on hikes, trail runs.

I was making friends with new people because of running,

because of this cool thing.

I would even run on vacation.

I would bring shorts and shoes

that were running shoes and shorts

and I would put them in my backpack,

and when I was in the hotel,

the first thing I would wake up in the morning

is put on my shoes and go for a run.

How amazing a feeling

that is to discover a new city like this, like running.

(rustling)

Another cool thing about running,

I don't even know if this is allowed,

but I'm just literally running on a railroad right now.

I think it's an old railroad.

It's in Savannah, but I don't know.

But you can you discover new places.

I'm just running on a railroad.

I think you, there's no train.

(train whistles) Oh my.

(serious music) (sobbing)

And it's also cool 'cause you just wake up,

you go for a run, you come back,

you shower and you just feel great.

Now, usually this is the part of the story

where something would go wrong,

and it is. (dramatic music)

When I was running no one ever told me I looked super cool.

No one even said I was the next Usain Bolt.

But no, there was no sucky part.

There was no down tip to this story.

It was just all great.

Sure, the suck was there.

There were sucky days.

There were good days, but there were definitely sucky days,

but it didn't matter.

It didn't matter because I was a runner

and this is what runners do.

They run through the suck.

And the suck isn't even suck anymore.

It's just part of the run.

It's just part of what you experience as a runner.

Because if you run, and I mean,

if you run at all, you are a runner.

And if you exercise, if you play a sport,

if you do anything outside to challenge yourself physically,

you're an athlete.

And two years after I laced those shoes up

for the first time, two years after I met Coach Bennett,

two years after I went up that hill,

I am still a runner and I still love it.

And as you can see,

I'm even wearing running clothes right now

because I was bringing this camera

and all this gear out here

'cause it's just a beautiful, beautiful park,

but what better way to experience the beautiful park

than going for a run.

And after I'm finished talking to you guys,

that's exactly what I'm gonna do.

But I usually run two to three times a week now,

usually once that's on Tuesday morning,

maybe that's a speed run, once on Thursday morning,

which is usually a shorter, easy run,

and usually once on a Sunday, which is a longer run.

Occasionally I'll venture to a new trail or see a new park

or just go for a run with friends.

And I just wanna briefly talk about the major benefits

that I've noticed from running.

The first thing is cardiovascular fitness,

and you would be surprised

where this improved cardiovascular fitness comes in.

Of course I can run longer,

of course I can go for walks and do better.

But lifting weights at the gym,

I actually don't get tired as quickly.

I used to think, it's because my muscles are just tired.

But no, there's some cardiovascular fitness

that plays a role when you're lifting weights.

So I was able to lift more weights in the gym from running.

But that improvement came in the first 30 days.

The more important improvement

and the more powerful improvement

and the whole reason I'm making this video

is because of the other changes that came two years

after I started running.

I have improved awareness of my thoughts.

My mental toughness has skyrocketed.

I have more discipline with waking up,

studying, and working, if you call it work,

which is this YouTube channel.

I get to hang out with other runners

and now I know what the word Fartlek means.

But I wanna focus on the mental toughness part

for just a little bit because it's such an important part

of why running is amazing.

I was on a particularly hard run one day

on the scorching streets of Philadelphia

and I was ready to quit.

But Coach Bennett, as if he magically read my mind,

which he often does, said, "You know what, listen.

"Suck happens, but when suck happens,

"when you push through the suck,

"that's where change happens.

"That's when you grow, that's where you become stronger."

And I thought, okay, if that's where the change happens,

I wanna make this run suck a lot.

I like the suck. I want the suck.

And then a couple days later, I was listening to a podcast

and I heard Jocko Willink on the podcast.

If you don't know him, he's this ex-Navy SEAL,

badass, super, super cool guy.

And he was saying when he experiences something tough,

when he sees something tough, he thinks in his head,

especially during a workout or something like that,

"Okay, so okay, it's tough."

So the toughness doesn't matter.

It's just, it's all in your head.

You can push through it.

He says, "You know what? It's just tough.

"Okay. It's hard"

Ever anything sucks,

I like it. (soldiers laugh)

I like it.

It's gonna make me tougher.

It's gonna give me a good story to tell.

I guess the one, two, three punch here

was when I was listening to a podcast

with Dr. Andrew Huberman,

and he talked about dopamine in this kind of cool way

and especially dopamine when you're doing something hard.

And he said you can train your brain

to actually release dopamine,

release this kind of good chemical, this motivating chemical

when you're experiencing hard things,

and you can even trick it.

And you can say, "Listen, okay, this is hard.

"This is really hard, but you know what?

"I'm enjoying the hard part.

"I like the hard part.

"I'm just one of those people that enjoys the suck."

And if you keep telling yourself in your head,

"This is hard, but I love it.

"I love the hardness.

"I love how painful it is.

"I love pushing through it within reason,"

of course you can start to train yourself

to enjoy the pain, to enjoy the struggle.

I like the inability to breathe.

I like it.

And it kind of worked.

It was like this feeling of happiness and excitement

and just a good feeling, almost like I was tricking myself

into getting the runner's high when this was all going on.

And now I love the pain. I love the struggle.

It's part of what makes me happy.

It's part of where I get enjoyment when I run.

And here's the cool part, now I can do this when I work out,

when I study long hours, when I'm doing anything hard.

I can train myself to enjoy the struggle.

I am actually enjoying the feeling

of my legs being lit on fire.

I'll tell you, this running thing,

it can still get ya.

It can definitely still get ya.

I was feeling super, super confident

and I was gonna go for a really long run today,

like a hour and a half run, 90-minute run.

It's like day, I don't know, like 130 run year,

like year and a half into this, and it's,

and sometimes it can be hard.

Like, I thought I felt really,

really good going into it,

and then I was running and my legs were kind of tired

and I just didn't have the normal motivation,

the normal, like, good feelings that I get from running.

So I had to cut it short.

It kind of sucked,

but I still feel better

than after I started.

I mean, I felt really good before I started,

but I feel even better after I finished.

Even though it wasn't necessarily the best,

most perfect run, it was still a toughie.

Running is still, it still gets me sometimes.

Okay, but I'm still gonna do it.

But this embrace the suck mindset

was leaking into everything I did.

It transformed me, it transformed my life.

Waking up earlier, no problem.

Pushing it just a little bit harder in the gym,

I like that.

I like pushing it harder in the gym,

staying a little bit longer at the hospital,

working a little bit extra on a YouTube project.

You know, that's who I am now.

Running has made everything better for me.

The health effects are great, sure,

but the truly amazing thing,

the truly fantastically powerful thing,

the reason I am making this video

is running has catalyzed changes in my life

that I never thought possible.

Struggles will appear everywhere in life, sure,

but that's okay because I am a runner.

What is the next hill I can climb?

So running has bled in a good way

into every single thing I do,

and it's even bled into my morning routine.

And there are things I wish I knew

before I finalized my morning routine.

For example, if you aren't doing certain things,

you aren't optimizing your circadian rhythm,

which means you aren't optimizing

the amazing molecular boost you could get in the morning

from cortisol, norepinephrine and epinephrine,

and this is something I call the jumpstart trifecta.

And these are just three evidence-based techniques

that I now do every single morning

to make sure I'm at peak performance when I wake up.

And I explain these three things and seven other things

in an exclusive companion video I have on Nebula.

Also in a week or two, I'll release my next video,

which is called the Magic of Exercise,

where I delve into the research and the actual evidence to,

is exercise actually worth it?

Will it actually make us live longer?

Does make us think better or is it just all nonsense?

But if you can't wait and you actually wanna watch

that next YouTube video right now, you actually can

because it's live right now on Nebula.

And that's because I put all my YouTube videos up

two weeks early on Nebula.

So if you sign up to Nebula using my special link,

first of all, you'll get 20% off using my link,

so make sure you do that so you can get the good deal.

You'll also get access to my exclusive companion videos,

which are only ever gonna be on Nebula.

You can see next week's YouTube video

'cause that's early and already posted on Nebula,

and you'll also get access to my Nebula class

on Studying Smarter, Not Harder

'cause that's included in this whole Nebula deal.

So head to nebula.tv/zachhighley

or click on any of the links

I'll put in a comment and the description down below

and you can see all that stuff right now.

But thank you so much for watching

and I'll see you on the next one.

(gentle music)

Look how pretty it is behind me, though.

That is damn pretty.