The Second Pursuit

Zeja
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  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

I am a Physician (M.D.), writer and entrepreneur. I like to teach and reflect and this channel is my public platform for doing so. It's a collection of lessons learned in various areas of life, that I wish I could tell my younger self, my patients, and others that would benefit. As I continue to fall and get back up, I look forward to sharing what I learn. DISCLAIMER The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay in seeking it.

  1. 4d ago

    Over-Optimization Is Making You Weak

    We have more information than ever about how to optimize every part of our lives: morning routines, cold plunges, saunas, sleep tracking, perfectly timed sunlight. Most of it is good. But there's a point where your routine stops making you stronger and starts making you fragile, because you can't perform when it doesn't run perfectly. In this episode, I break down where that line is, using real examples from on-call shifts at the hospital and my own years of being too locked in to function. This one is for anyone who has written off a whole week after one bad day, or felt useless because the morning didn't go to plan. The goal of optimization isn't to win the ideal day. It's to raise your baseline so you can still show up and execute when life hands you something you didn't expect. 0:00 The Over-Optimization Trap 1:29 What Your Routines Are Really For 3:53 When Life Breaks the Routine 5:21 The Other 30 Percent 6:58 Feeding or Starving Your Life 8:56 How Fragile I Used to Be 10:03 Use It, Don't Let It Use You Follow Along: 💌 Website/Newsletter/Coaching: https://www.thezeja.com 🤝Community:-https://www.skool.com/the-second-pursuit-6189/about?ref=d7a235bd6c6546c3ab23ec99491b8788 🎙YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@thezeja 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thezeja 🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/thezeja 🎵 Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thezeja 👔 LinkedIn-https://www.linkedin.com/in/ze-ja-672028285/ About Me I am a Physician (M.D)., creator and entrepreneur. I produce content about my curiosities, and reflections on my frustrations and annoyances. It's made for younger versions of myself, as a platform I wish I had. I hope it helps you too. Get In Touch:Happy to chat, reach out via socials above. DISCLAIMER The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay in seeking it, because of something you have seen on this website. Never rely on information on this website in place of seeking professional medical advice. Content is my opinion and does not constitute medical advice. The content and associated links provide general information for general educational purposes only. It does not provide medical services or professional counseling, and it is not a substitute for professional medical care.

  2. Sep 22

    Discipline Is A Trap: Do This Instead

    Discipline gets sold as the answer to everything, but there's a point where relying on it for every single thing means something has gone wrong. In this episode I break down where discipline actually belongs, using the idea of activation energy from chemistry, my own start in the gym at 5AM out of pure embarrassment, and what I've seen in patients who finally beat addiction for good. This one is for anyone who is grinding hard and still feels empty, or anyone just starting a change and wondering whether it will always feel this hard. It won't. Discipline gets you started, identity keeps you going, and there has to be room left over to actually live. 0:00 When Discipline Goes Too Far 1:13 Activation Energy 3:36 Starting From Embarrassment 4:59 Discipline As A Tool 7:28 From Discipline To Identity 12:06 When Discipline Becomes Counterproductive 14:59 The Bottom Line Follow Along: 💌 Website/Newsletter/Coaching: https://www.thezeja.com 🤝Community:-https://www.skool.com/the-second-pursuit-6189/about?ref=d7a235bd6c6546c3ab23ec99491b8788 🎙YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@thezeja 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thezeja 🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/thezeja 🎵 Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thezeja 👔 LinkedIn-https://www.linkedin.com/in/ze-ja-672028285/ About Me I am a Physician (M.D)., creator and entrepreneur. I produce content about my curiosities, and reflections on my frustrations and annoyances. It's made for younger versions of myself, as a platform I wish I had. I hope it helps you too. Get In Touch:Happy to chat, reach out via socials above. DISCLAIMER The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay in seeking it, because of something you have seen on this website. Never rely on information on this website in place of seeking professional medical advice. Content is my opinion and does not constitute medical advice. The content and associated links provide general information for general educational purposes only. It does not provide medical services or professional counseling, and it is not a substitute for professional medical care.

  3. Sep 15

    How To Deal With Loneliness (Without Being Desperate)

    This one is about loneliness, and specifically about the difference between the lonely stretches life hands you and the ones you can actually do something about. I go through the two reactions I ran for years that made it worse, why these periods tend to show up at transition points, and what the quiet stretch is actually for if you stop trying to escape it. The second half is practical. Why being alone beats being around misaligned people, why the method is never really the problem, how to increase your surface area of luck without turning your hobbies into a hunting strategy, and why becoming impressive will never make you likeable to everybody. This is essentially the conversation I wish someone had with me at nineteen. 0:00 Why I Am Talking About Loneliness 1:11 Life Moves In Cycles And Stages 2:52 Deciding In Advance What The Pain Means 6:24 Feeling Alone With People Around You 10:23 Being Alone Beats Being Misaligned 14:50 Increasing Your Surface Area Of Luck 18:45 Faith Through The Lonely Stretch Follow Along: 💌 Website/Newsletter/Coaching: https://www.thezeja.com 🤝Community:-https://www.skool.com/the-second-pursuit-6189/about?ref=d7a235bd6c6546c3ab23ec99491b8788 🎙YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@thezeja 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thezeja 🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/thezeja 🎵 Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thezeja 👔 LinkedIn-https://www.linkedin.com/in/ze-ja-672028285/ About Me I am a Physician (M.D)., creator and entrepreneur. I produce content about my curiosities, and reflections on my frustrations and annoyances. It's made for younger versions of myself, as a platform I wish I had. I hope it helps you too. Get In Touch:Happy to chat, reach out via socials above. DISCLAIMER The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay in seeking it, because of something you have seen on this website. Never rely on information on this website in place of seeking professional medical advice. Content is my opinion and does not constitute medical advice. The content and associated links provide general information for general educational purposes only. It does not provide medical services or professional counseling, and it is not a substitute for professional medical care.

  4. Sep 8

    The Thing Nobody Teaches You About Chasing Big Goals

    Active patience sounds like a contradiction, and it is the reason most ambitious people either burn out or arrive at their goal feeling completely empty. In this episode I break down both halves of the equation: the aggressive side, where you control your inputs with total intensity, and the patient side, where you accept that time is simply part of the process and refuse to punish yourself while you wait. I also share the regret that taught me this the hard way, opening my medical school acceptance email and feeling absolutely nothing after four years of refusing to enjoy my own life. If you are chasing something big, whether that is a business, a body, a skill, or a relationship, this is about how to work relentlessly and still actually live while you build. 0:00 What Active Patience Is 0:44 The Regret That Taught Me This 3:05 The Active Half: Control Your Inputs 6:50 The Patient Half: Time Is Non Negotiable 10:02 Faith, Effort, And Letting Go Of Results 14:19 There Is No Extra Credit For Being Miserable 16:47 Enjoy It While You Build It Follow Along: 💌 Website/Newsletter/Coaching: https://www.thezeja.com 🤝Community:-https://www.skool.com/the-second-pursuit-6189/about?ref=d7a235bd6c6546c3ab23ec99491b8788 🎙YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@thezeja 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thezeja 🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/thezeja 🎵 Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thezeja 👔 LinkedIn-https://www.linkedin.com/in/ze-ja-672028285/ About Me I am a Physician (M.D)., creator and entrepreneur. I produce content about my curiosities, and reflections on my frustrations and annoyances. It's made for younger versions of myself, as a platform I wish I had. I hope it helps you too. Get In Touch:Happy to chat, reach out via socials above. DISCLAIMER The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay in seeking it, because of something you have seen on this website. Never rely on information on this website in place of seeking professional medical advice. Content is my opinion and does not constitute medical advice. The content and associated links provide general information for general educational purposes only. It does not provide medical services or professional counseling, and it is not a substitute for professional medical care.

  5. Sep 1

    How To Stop Being A Victim Of Your Own Life

    Pain, failure, betrayal and loss are going to happen to you regardless of how carefully you live. That part is not within your control. What you do with it after the first reaction is entirely yours, and almost nobody teaches you how to actually handle that part. This episode covers the four step framework I use on every bad thing that happens: frame it, extract the lesson, burn the fuel, spend it on action. This is for anyone who has done everything right and still got wrecked, anyone who keeps hitting the same wall with a different face attached to it, and anyone who is tired of being told to forgive, forget and stay positive while they are in the middle of it. I spent my teens and early twenties as a victim and my late twenties onward taking complete ownership. This is the conversation I wish someone had with me at fifteen. 0:00 Pain Is Mandatory 1:14 Victim Or Owner 3:06 Extreme Ownership 4:38 Step One: Frame It 8:30 Step Two: Extract The Lesson 13:05 Step Three: Burn The Fuel 17:23 The Full Framework Follow Along: 💌 Website/Newsletter/Coaching: https://www.thezeja.com 🤝Community:-https://www.skool.com/the-second-pursuit-6189/about?ref=d7a235bd6c6546c3ab23ec99491b8788 🎙YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@thezeja 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thezeja 🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/thezeja 🎵 Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thezeja 👔 LinkedIn-https://www.linkedin.com/in/ze-ja-672028285/ About Me I am a Physician (M.D)., creator and entrepreneur. I produce content about my curiosities, and reflections on my frustrations and annoyances. It's made for younger versions of myself, as a platform I wish I had. I hope it helps you too. Get In Touch:Happy to chat, reach out via socials above. DISCLAIMER The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay in seeking it, because of something you have seen on this website. Never rely on information on this website in place of seeking professional medical advice. Content is my opinion and does not constitute medical advice. The content and associated links provide general information for general educational purposes only. It does not provide medical services or professional counseling, and it is not a substitute for professional medical care.

  6. Aug 25

    Compound Habits: For Busy People Who Want To Live

    This one is about compound habits, the idea that some activities pay you back in more than one area of your life at the same time. As you get older you get more money and more autonomy, and almost none of it is actually free. Responsibilities scale faster than resources do. Most people respond by cutting everything that is not urgent, which works right up until it does not. This is for anyone whose calendar is already full and who has quietly given up on hobbies, friendships, or their health because there is no room left. We get into what a compound habit actually is, why social activities outperform solo ones, the four years I lost to tunnel vision, and the habits that return far more than you put into them. 0:00 The Lie You Tell Yourself About Later 1:38 What A Compound Habit Actually Is 2:25 The Tennis Example 3:51 Why Career Always Wins The Trade Off 5:30 Four Years Of Tunnel Vision 7:43 Habits That Return More Than You Put In 10:20 Your Actions Multiplied By Time Follow Along: 💌 Website/Newsletter/Coaching: https://www.thezeja.com 🤝Community:-https://www.skool.com/the-second-pursuit-6189/about?ref=d7a235bd6c6546c3ab23ec99491b8788 🎙YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@thezeja 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thezeja 🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/thezeja 🎵 Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thezeja 👔 LinkedIn-https://www.linkedin.com/in/ze-ja-672028285/ About Me I am a Physician (M.D)., creator and entrepreneur. I produce content about my curiosities, and reflections on my frustrations and annoyances. It's made for younger versions of myself, as a platform I wish I had. I hope it helps you too. Get In Touch:Happy to chat, reach out via socials above. DISCLAIMER The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay in seeking it, because of something you have seen on this website. Never rely on information on this website in place of seeking professional medical advice. Content is my opinion and does not constitute medical advice. The content and associated links provide general information for general educational purposes only. It does not provide medical services or professional counseling, and it is not a substitute for professional medical care.

  7. Aug 18

    The Real Reason Your Life Feels Hard (It’s The Wrong Problems)

    I spent my early twenties believing that once I hit the goals, bought the things and moved to the place, my problems would disappear. I was blessed enough to actually check those boxes. The problems did not disappear. They just changed shape. This episode is about the thing nobody tells you: problems are a fixed cost of being alive, and the only real choice you get is which ones you take on. We go through the flip side of every decision you think you’re avoiding. Skip sleep and you buy accelerated aging. Skip a real career and you buy financial struggle and a lack of purpose. Skip the gym and you buy the chronic disease I see in the clinic every single day. This is for anyone, especially young men, who is drifting and telling themselves they’ll deal with it later. 0:00 The Lie About Achievement 1:07 What You Cannot Control 2:15 Sleep, Career, Health: The Flip Side 4:13 The Cabinet Full Of Medications 5:39 Choosing Problems On Purpose 7:14 Same Hours, Different Problems 10:00 Listening To Your Own Intuition Follow Along: 💌 Website/Newsletter/Coaching: https://www.thezeja.com 🤝Community:-https://www.skool.com/the-second-pursuit-6189/about?ref=d7a235bd6c6546c3ab23ec99491b8788 🎙YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@thezeja 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thezeja 🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/thezeja 🎵 Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thezeja 👔 LinkedIn-https://www.linkedin.com/in/ze-ja-672028285/ About Me I am a Physician (M.D)., creator and entrepreneur. I produce content about my curiosities, and reflections on my frustrations and annoyances. It's made for younger versions of myself, as a platform I wish I had. I hope it helps you too. Get In Touch:Happy to chat, reach out via socials above. DISCLAIMER The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay in seeking it, because of something you have seen on this website. Never rely on information on this website in place of seeking professional medical advice. Content is my opinion and does not constitute medical advice. The content and associated links provide general information for general educational purposes only. It does not provide medical services or professional counseling, and it is not a substitute for professional medical care.

  8. Aug 11

    How To Find Your Purpose In Life (Without The Fluff)

    I got into medical school, bought the car, got the waterfront apartment, started travelling, and checked every box I had set for myself. Then the shine wore off and it became the new baseline. Years went by and when I finally asked whether I was fulfilled or living on purpose, the answer was obviously no. This episode is about what I got wrong, and what actually worked instead. Purpose is not found, it is built and earned daily. It is not one magical assignment, it is not the same thing as passion, and it does not make life feel easy. What it does come from is your pain, your unfair advantages, and the gap between what the world needs and what you are uniquely equipped to give it. This is for anyone who did everything right on paper and still feels like something is missing. 0:00 Checking Every Box And Still Feeling Empty 1:58 What Purpose Is Not 3:25 Why Purpose Isn't Just One Thing 6:23 Passion Is Not Purpose 7:39 Finding Purpose In Your Pain 12:33 Your Gifts And Unfair Advantages 14:52 What The World Needs And Moving Forward Follow Along: 💌 Website/Newsletter/Coaching: https://www.thezeja.com 🤝Community:-https://www.skool.com/the-second-pursuit-6189/about?ref=d7a235bd6c6546c3ab23ec99491b8788 🎙YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@thezeja 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thezeja 🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/thezeja 🎵 Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thezeja 👔 LinkedIn-https://www.linkedin.com/in/ze-ja-672028285/ About Me I am a Physician (M.D)., creator and entrepreneur. I produce content about my curiosities, and reflections on my frustrations and annoyances. It's made for younger versions of myself, as a platform I wish I had. I hope it helps you too. Get In Touch:Happy to chat, reach out via socials above. DISCLAIMER The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay in seeking it, because of something you have seen on this website. Never rely on information on this website in place of seeking professional medical advice. Content is my opinion and does not constitute medical advice. The content and associated links provide general information for general educational purposes only. It does not provide medical services or professional counseling, and it is not a substitute for professional medical care.

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About

I am a Physician (M.D.), writer and entrepreneur. I like to teach and reflect and this channel is my public platform for doing so. It's a collection of lessons learned in various areas of life, that I wish I could tell my younger self, my patients, and others that would benefit. As I continue to fall and get back up, I look forward to sharing what I learn. DISCLAIMER The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay in seeking it.

Information

  • Creator
    Zeja
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Zeja
  • Show Website
    The Second Pursuit