Link to original video by TED-Ed
Try something new for 30 days - Matt Cutts

Summary of "Try something new for 30 days - Matt Cutts"
Short Summary:
Matt Cutts advocates for trying something new for 30 days as a way to break out of routines, build new habits, and boost self-confidence. He shares his personal experiences with 30-day challenges, including taking a picture every day, biking to work, and writing a novel. He emphasizes the importance of small, sustainable changes and encourages viewers to embrace the challenge of trying something new for the next 30 days.
Detailed Summary:
Section 1: Introduction & Concept
- Cutts introduces the concept of trying something new for 30 days, inspired by Morgan Spurlock's "30 Days" series.
- He explains that 30 days is an ideal timeframe for forming or breaking habits.
- He suggests choosing something you've always wanted to add to your life.
Section 2: Personal Experiences & Benefits
- Cutts shares his experience with a 30-day challenge of taking a picture every day, which made the month more memorable.
- He describes how his self-confidence grew as he took on increasingly challenging 30-day challenges, culminating in hiking Mount Kilimanjaro.
- He emphasizes that 30-day challenges can help you achieve seemingly impossible goals, using the example of writing a 50,000-word novel in a month.
Section 3: Key Insights & Strategies
- Cutts highlights the importance of small, sustainable changes that are more likely to stick in the long run.
- He acknowledges that big, crazy challenges are fun but less likely to become permanent habits.
- He advises focusing on making changes that you can maintain over time.
Section 4: Call to Action
- Cutts encourages viewers to embrace the challenge of trying something new for the next 30 days.
- He reminds them that time will pass regardless, so they might as well make the most of it by trying something new.
- He concludes with a call to action: "What are you waiting for?"
Notable Quotes:
- "30 days is just about the right amount of time to add a new habit or subtract a habit."
- "I went from Death dwelling computer nerd to the kind of guy who bikes to work for fun."
- "If you really want something badly enough, you can do anything for 30 days."
- "The secret is not to go to sleep until you've written your words for the day."
- "There's nothing wrong with big crazy challenges... but they're less likely to stick."
- "What are you waiting for? I guarantee you the next 30 days are going to pass whether you like it or not."