Breaking Free from Habit Loops: How Curiosity Helps the Brain Learn

Breaking Free from Habit Loops: How Curiosity Helps the Brain Learn

What if changing a habit is less about willpower, and more about learning to pay attention? In this episode of TEDMED Now, we revisit psychiatrist and neuroscientist Judson Brewer’s TEDMED Talk to explore how habits take shape in the brain, why cravings can feel so automatic, and how curiosity can help interrupt the loop. Through the science of reward-based learning and mindfulness, Brewer offers a different way to understand habit change: not as a fight against the brain, but as a chance to give it better information. Visit TEDMED.com [https://www.tedmed.com/tedmed-now/breaking-free-from-habit-loops-how-curiosity-helps-the-brain-learn/] for the full show notes and more from this episode.

Under Pressure: Training the Brain for Resilience

Why do we struggle most when it matters most? In this episode of TEDMED Now, Kelly Thomas explores how pressure affects the brain, drawing on Sian Leah Beilock’s research on performance under stress. The episode reframes choking not as a lack of ability, but as a response to unfamiliar conditions. It also highlights how practicing under pressure can help us perform more effectively when the stakes are high. Key Moments When Pressure Takes Over (00:00) The Brain Under Pressure (01:20) From Flow to Overthinking (04:30) Training for Pressure (07:30) Rethinking Resilience (10:30) Quotes “Choking isn’t a failure of ability. It’s a mismatch.” “Resilient brains don’t avoid pressure. They learn how to operate inside it.” “Pressure is part of being human. But so is the capacity to adapt.” Resources Mentioned Below are links to the books, articles, and resources mentioned during the conversation. * Beilock, S. L., & Carr, T. H. (2001). On the fragility of skilled performance: What governs choking under pressure? Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 130(4), 701–725. PMID: 11757876.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11757876/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11757876/] * Beilock, S. L., Carr, T. H., MacMahon, C., & Starkes, J. L. (2002). When paying attention becomes counterproductive: Impact of divided versus skill-focused attention on novice and experienced performance of sensorimotor skills. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 8(1), 6–16. PMID: 12009178. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12009178/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12009178/] * Arnsten, A. F. T. (2009). Stress signalling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 410–422. PMID: 19455173. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19455173/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19455173/] * Shields, G. S., Sazma, M. A., & Yonelinas, A. P. (2016). The effects of acute stress on core executive functions: A meta-analysis and comparison with cortisol. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 68, 651–668. PMID: 27371161. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27371161/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27371161/] * Ramirez, G., & Beilock, S. L. (2011). Writing about testing worries boosts exam performance in the classroom. Science, 331(6014), 211–213. PMID: 21233387. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21233387/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21233387/] SIAN BEILOCK, PhD, is the president of Dartmouth College and a renowned cognitive scientist. Her research explores the science behind why people “choke” under pressure and how we can perform our best in stressful situations, whether it’s a big test, a public speech, or a championship game. By using a variety of research methods, from test performance to brain scans, she studies how our thoughts and reasoning skills change when we are under stress. KELLY THOMAS, PhD, is Director of Scientific Content at TEDMED, where she curates and translates breakthrough ideas at the intersection of science, medicine, and human potential. As  host of TEDMED Now, she explores resilience, behavior change, and the ways evidence-based science can shape longer, healthier, more meaningful lives. Connect with the Guests SIAN BEILOCK * Website: https://sianbeilock.com/ [https://sianbeilock.com/] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/presbeilock/ [https://www.instagram.com/presbeilock/] * X: https://www.instagram.com/presbeilock/ [https://www.instagram.com/presbeilock/] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sianleahbeilock/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sianleahbeilock/] KELLY THOMAS * TEDMED: https://www.tedmed.com/person/kelly-thomas/ [https://www.tedmed.com/person/kelly-thomas/]   * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-thomas-ph-d-416b356/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-thomas-ph-d-416b356/]   Join the Conversation We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Comment, or send us an email at conversations@tedmed.com [conversations@tedmed.com]. Follow our social media channels @tedmedcommunity on Instagram/Threads and @tedmed on X and LinkedIn for updates.

Never, Ever Give Up: The Power of the Human Spirit

What does it take to keep going when the odds say stop? In this episode, we explore the remarkable journey of endurance swimmer Diana Nyad, who spent decades pursuing one seemingly impossible dream: swimming 110 miles from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage.  At 64, after four failed attempts, brutal storms, jellyfish stings, hallucinations, and nearly 53 hours in the water, she finally made it to Key West. Along the way, we unpack the science of neuroplasticity, resilience, and how challenge, failure, and belief can rewire the brain to persist. Key Moments Diana Nyad’s mythic goal (00:16) Diana’s origin story (01:41) Why Diana returned to the dream at 60 (07:58) How failure becomes data (09:35) Where resilience lives (12:17) “Let’s find a way” (13:06) Lights of Key West reveal (13:50) Reflection on what Diana’s victory means (15:23) Never ever give up (16:39) Quotes “Failure isn’t a verdict, it’s feedback — raw data the brain uses to grow.” “That’s where resilience lives — between data and faith.” “Not let’s try again. Not let’s hope for the best. But let’s find a way.” Resources Mentioned Below are links to the books, articles, and resources: * TEDMED Talk: Diana Nyad. “No Shortcuts to Victory.”  [https://www.tedmed.com/talk/no-shortcuts-to-victory/] * de Sousa Fernandes MS et al. (2020). Effects of Physical Exercise on Neuroplasticity and Brain Function. Neural Plasticity. [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7752270/] * Innocenti GM. (2022). Defining Neuroplasticity. Handbook of Clinical Neurology. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35034744/] * Tobler PN et al. (2006). Human neural learning depends on reward prediction errors. Journal of Neurophysiology. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16192329/] * Arida RM, Teixeira-Machado L. (2021). The Contribution of Physical Exercise to Brain Resilience. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.  [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33584215/] * Book: Find a Way by Diana Nyad,  [https://www.amazon.com/Find-Way-Inspiring-Pursuit-Lifelong/dp/0804172919] More from Diana + Kelly Diana Nyad is an endurance athlete, journalist, and author whose story continues to reach new audiences through speaking, performance, and film. Following the release of the 2023 feature film Nyad, she remains active in public conversation about resilience, aging, and what it means to pursue unfinished dreams with preparation, humility, and team. Kelly Thomas is Director of Scientific Content at TEDMED, where she curates and translates breakthrough ideas at the intersection of science, medicine, and human potential. As  host of TEDMED Now, she explores resilience, behavior change, and the ways evidence-based science can shape longer, healthier, more meaningful lives.  Connect with the Guests Diana Nyad * Website: https://www.diananyad.com/  * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diananyad/ * X: https://twitter.com/DianaNyad  * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DianaNyad Kelly Thomas * TEDMED: https://www.tedmed.com/person/kelly-thomas/  * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-thomas-ph-d-416b356/ Join the Conversation We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Comment, or send us an email at conversations@tedmed.com [conversations@tedmed.com]. Follow our social media channels @tedmedcommunity on Instagram/Threads and @tedmed on X and LinkedIn for updates. Quotes of the Episode Resources Mentioned More from Diana Nyad and Kelly Thomas Connect with the GuestsDiana NyadKelly ThomasJoin the Conversation