Ali Abdaal, a Cambridge University medicine graduate and part-time YouTuber, shares his journey of balancing medicine and content creation. He discusses maximizing content efficiency, emphasizing the importance of planning and repurposing. Ali reveals how consistent content can spark personal growth and career success, detailing his transition from medical school to YouTube. He highlights the benefits of high production quality and outsourcing editing to enhance content. His insights offer aspiring creators practical advice on monetization and maintaining engagement.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Medical School Choice
Ali Abdaal chose medicine due to family influence and a limited understanding of other careers.
He considered computer science but ultimately chose medicine because it offered a longer university experience.
insights INSIGHT
Doctor Stress Myth
The perceived stress of being a doctor, especially in the UK, is often exaggerated.
Effective study techniques and reasonable working hours contribute to a less stressful experience.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Content Journey Start
Ali Abdaal's content journey started with a blog in 2016, inspired by Austin Kleon's "Show Your Work".
He overcame his fear of self-promotion and started sharing his medical school experiences.
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In 'Show Your Work!', Austin Kleon provides a manifesto for succeeding as any kind of artist or entrepreneur in the digital age. The book emphasizes the importance of generosity over genius, getting 'findable' by using the network, and self-discovery through sharing your creative process. It offers ten transformative rules for being open, generous, brave, and productive, including chapters on sharing something small every day, engaging with your audience, and the etiquette of sharing online. The book is filled with illustrations, quotes, stories, and examples to inspire and guide readers in their creative journeys[2][3][4].
The motivation myth
Jeff Haden
In "The Motivation Myth," Jeff Haden challenges conventional wisdom about motivation, arguing that it's not something we inherently possess but rather something we cultivate. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on small wins and consistent effort to build momentum and achieve larger goals. Haden's approach emphasizes the intrinsic rewards of work and the power of positive emotions in driving success. The book offers practical strategies for improving productivity and well-being. Ultimately, Haden's message is about finding joy in the process of achieving goals, rather than solely focusing on the outcome.
The Psychology of Money
Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness
Morgan Housel
In 'The Psychology of Money,' Morgan Housel delves into the psychological and emotional aspects of financial decisions. The book consists of 19 short stories that illustrate how personal history, worldview, emotions, and biases influence financial outcomes. Housel emphasizes the importance of behavior over knowledge in managing money, highlighting the power of compounding, the dangers of greed, and the pursuit of happiness beyond mere wealth accumulation. He advocates for a frugal lifestyle, long-term perspective, and a balanced approach to investing, stressing that financial success is more about mindset and discipline than about technical financial knowledge[2][3][4].
Ali Abdaal is a Cambridge University medicine graduate, now working as a junior doctor in the UK's National Health Service (NHS). He started making YouTube videos in his final year of medical school at Cambridge University in the summer of 2017.
As of October 2020, his channel has 1.1 million subscribers and earns over £100,000 ($130k) each month, with 5-10 hours of effort each week.
In this episode we talk about going to medical school in the UK, why he started his YouTube channel, how you can get started on YouTube, and why Efficiency has allowed him to do this on the side while becoming a doctor.
Creator Science 
