Chasing My Hero

Debbah Dounia

"And to my hero, that's who I chase. When I was 15, a very important person asked me, 'Who's your hero?' I said, 'I don't know. I gotta think about that. Give me a couple of weeks.' Two weeks later, this person asked again, 'Who's your hero?' I said, 'I thought about it. You know who it is? It's me in 10 years.'" - Matthew McConaughey, Oscar acceptance speech for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Welcome to the biggest journey of our lives. It's time to move beyond thinking and hoping. Today, we start acting, experimenting, learning, and doing it all over again. This is about chasing our heroes. This podcast isn't just about success; it's about growing enough to understand what success means to us and knowing when to settle. It's about building a future we’re happy with and understanding what’s best for us. It's about thinking differently and being bold enough to fully embrace our lives, talents, and opportunities. It’s about refusing to half-ass our lives, choosing instead to live with passion and purpose. Join us as we embark on this incredible journey, chasing our heroes and creating the life we've always dreamed of.

  1. 6d ago

    #19 Become an Athlete of Life | Lessons from Peter Attia

    What if the purpose of exercise was never to help us look better… but to help us keep living the life we love decades from now? Most of us train for the next vacation, the next beach season, or the number on the scale. But what if we started training for something much bigger? In this episode, we dive into the life-changing ideas from Dr. Peter Attia’s bestselling book Outlive and explore why exercise may be the single most powerful tool we have for extending not only our lifespan—but our healthspan. Together we’ll explore: Why exercise is far more than weight lossWhy cardiorespiratory fitness predicts longevity so stronglyThe surprising ways exercise benefits nearly every organ systemPeter Attia’s powerful concept of the Centenarian DecathlonWhy we should become “Athletes of Life”The three pillars of lifelong fitness:Zone 2 aerobic trainingVO₂ Max trainingStrengthStability • Practical principles you can begin applying todayThis episode isn’t about looking younger. It’s about becoming the kind of person who can still travel, play with grandchildren, climb stairs, carry groceries, and enjoy life decades from now. Because maybe… we’re not training for next summer. We’re training for the life we still hope to live. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Intro 01:00 — The Real Purpose of Exercise 02:10 —Fitness: One of the Strongest Predictors of Longevity 04:00 — The Centenarian Decathlon 05:58 —The Three Pillars of Lifelong Fitness 07:51 — Zone 2 Cardio Explained 09:03 — VO₂ Max Training 11:52 — Strength: Training for Independence 13:28. —Stability: The Forgotten Pillar 📚 RESOURCES & MENTIONS Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity — Peter AttiaPeter Attia — The Drive PodcastNaci H., Ioannidis J.P.A. (BMJ, 2013)American College of Sports MedicineWorld Health Organization Physical Activity Guidelines Follow me on Social Media: On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dounia-debbah-5ba3b720b?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_appOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dounia_dbh_bip?igsh=cXJidTd3cGxjcDdy&utm_source=qrOn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@douniadbhbip?_t=8oldi9r0xcr&_r=1On Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chasingmyheropodcast-l5x?si=H1ZZGH5rb87qDMdx

  2. Jul 2

    #18 I Think I Forgot Who I Was

    Some chapters aren’t written during victories. They’re written when you realize you’ve quietly stopped becoming the person you promised yourself you would be. In this deeply personal episode of Chasing My Hero, I open up about something I’ve been hiding for months: feeling lost while everything around me keeps moving forward. I talk about burnout in medicine, the pressure of preparing for my Goethe C1 German exam, creating content out of guilt instead of passion, watching friendships slowly change, fearing that I’m wasting my twenties, struggling with perfectionism, questioning my dreams, searching for love, and wondering whether I’ve already missed my chance to build the life I once imagined. This isn’t an episode about having the answers. It’s about finally admitting the questions. If you’ve ever felt stuck… If you’ve ever watched everyone else’s life seem to move while yours stood still… If you’ve ever wondered whether you should chase your ambitions or simply enjoy the present… I hope this conversation reminds you that losing your direction doesn’t mean you’ve lost yourself. Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is stop waiting for a green light that was never coming… and choose a new direction. Thank you for walking through this chapter with me. If this episode speaks to you, consider following the podcast and sharing it with someone who might need to hear it. Because maybe… we’re all just trying to keep chasing our hero. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Standing In Front of a Red Light Letter 01:19 — Why I disappeared 6:05 — The Things I'm Consistent At 8:40 — Family And Friends 11:08 — I Need To Remember 14:56— The Dreams I Had At Sixteen 17:19—Am I Already To Late ? 17:45- Searching For Love And Getting Hurt 26:28 A Promise To Myself Follow me on Social Media: On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dounia-debbah-5ba3b720b?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_appOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dounia_dbh_bip?igsh=cXJidTd3cGxjcDdy&utm_source=qrOn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@douniadbhbip?_t=8oldi9r0xcr&_r=1On Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chasingmyheropodcast-l5x?si=H1ZZGH5rb87qDMdx

  3. Apr 16

    #17 Choosing Between Dreams And The People You Love

    There comes a moment in life… where you’re no longer asking what you want— but what you’re willing to lose to get it. In this deeply personal episode, I open my heart about one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever faced: 👉 staying close to the people I love… 👉 or stepping into the unknown to become who I’m meant to be. Through raw letters, real fears, and honest reflections… I take you inside that silent battle between comfort and growth, love and ambition, certainty and the unknown. But this episode is also about something bigger. It’s about the lessons I learned from three inspiring Algerians who chose courage over comfort… and what their journeys reveal about building a meaningful life abroad. From that, I distilled 5 powerful principles to guide anyone standing at a crossroads. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — The fear of the future & stepping into the unknown 12:35 — Stories of Algerians who chose to go abroad 17:26 — Lesson 1: Faith, values & parents come first 28:53 — Lesson 2: Vision, belief & no plan B 42:28 — Lesson 3: Hard work & starting from nothing 52:19 — Lesson 4: Courage creates opportunities 59:27— Lesson 5: Growth outside the comfort zone 📚 SOURCES & INSPIRATION This episode was inspired by the journeys and insights shared in the following videos: https://youtu.be/u-UCjZXSCjUhttps://youtu.be/HAVzQLzOLN8https://youtu.be/BxY_eJLBflkhttps://youtu.be/JEFbfwg9dekhttps://youtu.be/r0WC5xYAmCMhttps://youtu.be/Q8GSxlis2Y4 If you’ve ever felt torn between your dreams and your people… this episode is for you. Because maybe… you were never meant to choose. 🎧 Follow me on Social Media: On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dounia-debbah-5ba3b720b?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_appOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dounia_dbh_bip?igsh=cXJidTd3cGxjcDdy&utm_source=qrOn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@douniadbhbip?_t=8oldi9r0xcr&_r=1On Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chasingmyheropodcast-l5x?si=H1ZZGH5rb87qDMdx

  4. Jan 8

    #16 When Breath Becomes Air

    In this episode, we explore 12 unforgettable lessons from Paul Kalanithi’s masterpiece When Breath Becomes Air. A story written at the edge of life — where a brilliant neurosurgeon becomes a patient, where fear turns into clarity, where love deepens, where meaning becomes urgent. Through my own letters, reflections, and the emotional struggles I lived this year, we dive into: What it means to be mortalHow illness transforms identityWhy meaning matters more than careerHow medicine breaks you and heals youWhat love looks like when life is fragileAnd ultimately… what death teaches us about livingThis episode is raw, personal, and filled with the most powerful insights I’ve ever shared. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Intro 02:14 — Lesson 1: When your worst fear becomes reality 07:18 — Lesson 2: Choosing meaning over a career 11:20 — Lesson 3: Identity And Feeling Lost 14:43 — Lesson 4: The chaos and beauty of medicine 29:34 — Lesson 5: Families, suffering, and truth 36:10 — Lesson 6: What makes a good doctor 41:17— Lesson 7: Hardship as a teacher 46:34— Lesson 8: The parent I want to become 47:47 — Lesson 9: Love in the face of death 54:39 — Lesson 10: Fear, confusion, and Sickness 1:05:05 — Lesson 11: Learning to notice the present moment 1:10:35 — Lesson 12: Death — the lesson we avoid, the lesson we need 1:14:26 — Final reflections 📚 RESOURCES & MENTIONS When Breath Becomes Air — Paul KalanithiStanford Medicine articles on Paul KalanithiHis wife Lucy Kalanithi’s TED TalkMy personal letters & reflections (as shared in the episode) Follow me on Social Media: On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dounia-debbah-5ba3b720b?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_appOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dounia_dbh_bip?igsh=cXJidTd3cGxjcDdy&utm_source=qrOn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@douniadbhbip?_t=8oldi9r0xcr&_r=1On Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chasingmyheropodcast-l5x?si=H1ZZGH5rb87qDMdx

  5. 10/16/2025

    #15 Silence, Memory, and the Promise to Become Someone

    Some people come into our lives without warning — and disappear just as quietly. Friends, crushes, mentors, strangers we swore we’d never forget. We don’t always get closure. We don’t always get to say goodbye. But in the empty space they leave behind… something else begins to take form. In this episode, I share letters I wrote to my future self — about the people I cared for, the ones I lost, the ones I never reached out to… and the quiet fear of being the only one who still remembers. And from that heartbreak, I trace the path toward something deeper: great work. The kind of work that outlives us. The kind of work we build after we’ve let go — or been forced to. This is an episode about: Missing people you’ll never see againLearning when to hold on and when to releaseChoosing purpose over nostalgiaAnd what it really means to create something that mattersIf you've ever missed someone in silence — or felt the ache of wanting to become someone greater than your circumstances — this one’s for you. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Letters About the people who vanish without goodbye 5:30 – Turning to work when connection fades 11:40 – Lessons From H0w To Do Great Work By Paul Graham 35:25 – What it means to “Be Ready” 📚 RESOURCES & MENTIONS Founders Podcast – Episode on Phil KnightElon Musk’s Algorithm (from Walter Isaacson’s biography)Paul Graham – “How to Do Great Work”Quote by Norman Vincent PealeCRISPR-Cas9 (Jennifer Doudna & Emmanuelle Charpentier)Apple design inspirations Follow me on Social Media: On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dounia-debbah-5ba3b720b?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_appOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dounia_dbh_bip?igsh=cXJidTd3cGxjcDdy&utm_source=qrOn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@douniadbhbip?_t=8oldi9r0xcr&_r=1On Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chasingmyheropodcast-l5x?si=H1ZZGH5rb87qDMdx

  6. 09/04/2025

    #14 Dreams, Doubts, and the Debt We Owe to Others

    Episode Description: In this episode, I share the story of the exam that freed me, my first time in London, and the deep questions I still face about the future — should I stay close to family in Algeria, or chase knowledge and growth abroad? Along the way, I explore Robert Cialdini’s principle of reciprocation from his book Influence, and how it shapes the way we give, belong, and build our lives. Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction: Passing the exam & the feeling of freedom 07:00 – Lessons from London: Belonging, growth, and inspiration 15:23 – Influence 27:00 Reciprocation: What giving and receiving really mean 39:50 – One last Letter 38:00 – Closing thoughts and gratitude Sources Mentioned: Robert B. Cialdini, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Chapter on Reciprocation)Personal notes & lettersFollow me on Social Media: On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dounia-debbah-5ba3b720b?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_appOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dounia_dbh_bip?igsh=cXJidTd3cGxjcDdy&utm_source=qrOn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@douniadbhbip?_t=8oldi9r0xcr&_r=1On Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chasingmyheropodcast-l5x?si=H1ZZGH5rb87qDMdx

  7. 08/07/2025

    #13 Love, Loss & Everything I’ve Never Said

    In this episode of “Chasing My Hero,” I open my heart like never before. I share my story with love—what I believed, what hurt me, what healed me, and what I still dream of. From childhood ideals shaped by romantic comedies, to the heartbreak of expectations unmet, to powerful letters like Richard Feynman’s that made me question it all. This is about longing and patience, about the paradox of wanting love without losing yourself. About what truly matters in a partner. About the journal entry I never thought I’d share. But mostly… this is about hope. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro: Richard Feynman’s Letter 03:19 – Hopeless Romantic or Just Honest? 07:07 – The Witness: “Shall We Dance” & Being Seen 13:47 – What Richard Feynman’s Letter Taught Me 20:00 –The Love That's Worth It 22:10 – Logan Ury: The Prom Date vs The Life Partner 26:23 – Attachment Styles & Emotional Dependency 30:07 – The Qualities That Actually Matter 38:42 – Matthew Hussey's Framework 44:23 – A Journal Entry: My Letter to My Future Husband Referenced Books & Ideas Attached – Amir Levine & Rachel HellerLove Life – Matthew HusseyHow to Not Die Alone – Logan UryShall We Dance (2004) – “A witness to your life” sceneRichard Feynman’s letter to his late wife Arline Follow me on Social Media: On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dounia-debbah-5ba3b720b?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_appOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dounia_dbh_bip?igsh=cXJidTd3cGxjcDdy&utm_source=qrOn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@douniadbhbip?_t=8oldi9r0xcr&_r=1On Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chasingmyheropodcast-l5x?si=H1ZZGH5rb87qDMdx

  8. 07/24/2025

    #12 Transurfing: Want Less. Attract More.

    Episode Summary Sometimes the thing standing between you and what you want… is how badly you want it. This episode is about loosening the grip, softening the energy, and trusting life again. Based on Reality Transurfing by Vadim Zeland, we explore the energy of desire, obsession, and how to stop pushing away what we crave the most. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro: A Letter From My Future Self 1:14 - Chasing My Hero Updated 5:00 -My Confusion About Energy Vibrations, Manifestations... 8:14 - Why Reality Transurfing 9:19 - A Story From The Book 13:01- Fate 15:45- Lesson 1: What You Choose Is What You Get 16:32 -Lesson 2: This Is Science 18:02- Lesson 3: Lifelines 19:58- Lesson 4: Materialization Of Thoughts 21:43- Lesson 5: Energy And Pendulums 24:26- Lesson 6: Thoughts And Lifelines 25:00 Lesson 7: You Get What You Avoid 27:35 Lesson 8: Letting Go 28:45 Lesson 9: Solving Complex Problems 29:28 Lesson 10: What Happens When You Let Go 30:30 Lesson 11: Optimism... Always 34:48 Lesson 12: Balance 35:20 Lesson 13: Work, Resentment 38:00 Lesson 14: Importance 42:35 Final Thoughts Follow me on Social Media: On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dounia-debbah-5ba3b720b?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_appOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dounia_dbh_bip?igsh=cXJidTd3cGxjcDdy&utm_source=qrOn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@douniadbhbip?_t=8oldi9r0xcr&_r=1On Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chasingmyheropodcast-l5x?si=H1ZZGH5rb87qDMdx

See All (20)

Trailer

About

"And to my hero, that's who I chase. When I was 15, a very important person asked me, 'Who's your hero?' I said, 'I don't know. I gotta think about that. Give me a couple of weeks.' Two weeks later, this person asked again, 'Who's your hero?' I said, 'I thought about it. You know who it is? It's me in 10 years.'" - Matthew McConaughey, Oscar acceptance speech for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Welcome to the biggest journey of our lives. It's time to move beyond thinking and hoping. Today, we start acting, experimenting, learning, and doing it all over again. This is about chasing our heroes. This podcast isn't just about success; it's about growing enough to understand what success means to us and knowing when to settle. It's about building a future we’re happy with and understanding what’s best for us. It's about thinking differently and being bold enough to fully embrace our lives, talents, and opportunities. It’s about refusing to half-ass our lives, choosing instead to live with passion and purpose. Join us as we embark on this incredible journey, chasing our heroes and creating the life we've always dreamed of.

Information

  • Creator
    Debbah Dounia
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Chasing My Hero
  • Show Website
    Chasing My Hero