In my 20s, I would brush my teeth twice a day and still get cavities. This went on for years and was incredibly frustrating. By my 30s, I learned that brushing alone isn’t enough, food can still get stuck between your teeth. When I started flossing every night, the cavities stopped. It made a huge difference.

Cavities were gone but I would wake up with morning breath and a bad taste in my mouth. Professional cleanings every six months helped for a while, but the problem always came back. Towards my 40s I learned that I need to brush and scrape my tongue as well, because the tongue acts like a bacteria sponge, collecting residue from everything I eat. When I started using a metal tongue scraper every night, it significantly reduced my morning breath.

As simple as it sounds, I didn’t have a good mental model about cavities: I didn’t fully understand how it’s related to bacteria in my mouth. I thought brushing was enough. I was unaware of tools available to me: flossing, tongue scraping. I lacked good role models, my parents and friends were as uninformed as I was. Back then, these tools weren’t widely available in Turkey, nor were they part of the culture.

Running was another area where ignorance cost me. When I started running in my 20s, my knees would hurt after running just a few miles. I was wearing Nike sneakers, thinking they were “gym shoes” — the kind you’re supposed to wear while exercising. I didn’t understand the physics of running or how shock absorption affects your joints.

Luckily, a runner friend mentioned how comfortable his Asics Gel Kayano shoes were, so I bought a pair. They were incredibly comfortable, and I stuck with them for many years. It was dumb luck.

Years later, I visited a specialized running shoe store in New York. They recorded my run on the treadmill and analyzed how I step: inward, flat, or outward. Based on my gait, they recommended specific shoe models. I learned that I was an overpronator, meaning my feet rolled inward when I ran. Asics Gel Kayano shoes are designed specifically for overpronators, which explained why they felt so comfortable.

But buying the right shoe wasn’t the end of the story. Running shoes lose their ability to absorb shock after 250-300 miles, even if they still look fine and not worn out at all. I could tell this intuitively as well, my knees and joints would start to hurt more after runs once I pass this threshold. Replacing my shoes at the right time made a big difference in preventing injuries.

It’s humbling to look back at how ignorant I was about basic aspects of life. It’s also part of what makes the life journey enjoyable - seeing yourself grow, improve and gain mastery over time.