Cognitive Neuroscientist MAYA SHANKAR On The Power of Change | Rich Roll Podcast

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FILMED AND EDITED BY BLAKE CURTIS & DAN DRAKE

00:00:00 - Intro
00:05:16 - How Maya Began Playing Violin
00:08:39 - The Connection Between Music and Math in the Brain
00:09:41 - Juilliard was Her Big Goal
00:13:14 - The Benefits of Limits on Technical Ability
00:14:28 - The Power of Work When Lacking Talent
00:16:55 - Juilliard’s Pre-College Program + Maya’s Experience
00:18:49 - Who is Itzhak Pearlman?
00:24:15 - Pearlman’s Teaching Approach: Teaching Her to Teach Herself
00:26:15 - The Lightness of Spirit Approach, Not Taking Self or Music Too Seriously
00:28:06 - Maya Has Injury and Told She Could Never Play Again at 15
00:31:37 - The Change of Plans - Altered Her Sense of Identity
00:32:25 - Identity Foreclosure - “It Held Me Back That My Identity Was So Fixed”
00:37:19 - Rich’s Story of Losing Swimming Identity
00:41:06 - Finding Book Language Instinct by Steven Pinker
00:45:30 - Maya’s “Do Whatever it Takes” Mindset Story
00:49:16 - Maya Was the Only Freshman Accepted
00:51:36 - Rich Encouraged With People’s Interest in Neuroscience
00:53:00 - Maya’s Passion for Translating Science into General Terms + Examples
00:53:39 - How Maya’s Dad Taught Theoretical Physics Lectures Through iTunes U
00:55:45 - Maya’s Next Inflection Point - She Wasn’t Enjoying the Neuroscience Work
00:57:11 - Maya's Mentor Laurie Tells Her About a New Way to Work Through the Government
00:58:45 - “The Power of the Default” Being Auto Signed Up Instead of Having to Sign Up
01:00:04 - Laurie Helps Maya Get a Job Doing Behavior-Focused Work With Obama
01:05:54 - “Keep in touch” - What That Means
01:07:40 - Sold Her Lease in California and Moved to D.C. Before Even Getting the Job
01:08:21 - Continuing to Knock on Doors and Making Thing Happen
01:09:04 - The Real Challenge Begins After You Pivot and Get "The Thing" You Want...
01:10:24 - Always Organic + Friendship-Based
01:15:09 - Maya’s Personal Trainer’s Approach
01:17:29 - Gets The Job at the White House... Now What?
01:24:29 - One Word Change That Caused a 9% Increase in Response
01:26:05 - Zero Cost Simple Changes
01:26:45 - A Lot of Hard Work, Got Attention of President Obama and Had Meeting with Him
01:27:56 - Obama Signs an Executive Order to Make Her Team Permanent
01:28:40 - What is Obama Like?
01:33:15 - How the Executive Order Came Into Being
01:34:10 - “Behavioral Economics” vs. Behavior Science
01:36:48 - Battling Systemic Racism/Disenfranchisement. Mistrust/Disinformation.
01:42:45 - Operational Transparency
01:46:47 - Study About Embarrassing Stories vs. Proud Stories Effect on Productivity
01:48:36 - Surrogate Miscarriage Story
01:50:57 - Sharing with Her Podcast Audience.
01:51:44 - The Therapeutic Benefits and Empowerment from Sharing Hardships, Grief and Shame.
01:59:52 - Maya’s Friend Scott Episode: Stage 4 Cancer
02:04:54 - Apple Named Maya's Podcast “A Slight Change of Plans” The Best Podcast of 2021
02:07:30 - Chasing flow states: ASCoP Episode: “Tommy Caldwell Finds Clarity”
02:10:45 - Actionable Tools for Change.
02:11:24 - How Change Actually Works
02:16:14 - The Illusion of Control vs. Surrender
02:18:06 - Is ‘Being Present-Minded’ a Movement Right Now?
02:23:20 - Closing

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NEW TO RICH?
Hi I'm Rich Roll. I'm a vegan ultra-endurance athlete, author, podcaster, public speaker & wellness evangelist. But mainly I'm a dad of four. If you want to know more, visit my website or check out these two the NY Times articles:

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[chaelnel]

I am absolutely enamored and a bit smitten with Maya. What a warm, articulate, and accomplished intellectual. Solid podcast Rich.

[Victoria-Monique]

I am fascinated by her beauty, her intelligence, her open-ness and the closed off stance at points in the conversation ...

[andriadefilippi]

I think she's wonderful, and I loved hearing parts of her life story. I'm hoping for a second episode with her based on her research and work.

[lauraholloway]

Look at your dapper, button-up white shirt, Rich! You look fabulous for your truly fabulous guest! What a delightful conversation, and a joy you both are to behold.
🌷✨🌱

[dianeleirer]

Dr. Maya Shankar has a natural charisma. Not sure if one commentator was serious (or joking) that this “episode was boring, man”? I found it incredibly interesting and loved the back and forth between her and Rich Roll. Thank you for a great podcast.💚❤️💙

[johannesrehbein]

I used to be an athlete. From the age of 5 till the age of 22 I pursued the dream of going to the Olympics one day. Since I stopped pursuing that dream (for diverse reasons), I've been struggling with finding a new identity. I've been making a lot of progress, but from experience I can say that its difficult and extremely painful at some moments in time. This podcast was awesome. Thanks Rich

[noahhh]

Love her. So smart, kind, and beautiful. People like her really make this world better

[gailspringhorn]

A wonderful guest, truly inspiring interview

[jeanne]

I can't imagine what it would be like to have such supportive and encouraging parents.

[seriously]

She had an incredible mother and her optimistic personality is indeed infectious.

[kcyoganut]

So glad I accidently came on this today. My granddaughter whose college soccer career may be ending as a junior because of concussions. Soccer has been her life since she was 4 and has broken many school records. She needs to know there is “life” after what you self identify with. Thank you!

[GizaByrd]

Her sentiment about the best musicians being the most emotive - that just hit me right in the feels as I was watching Hozier sing The Parting Glass - it's so true that with music it's not about how technically good you are - it's about how well you can convey emotion to your audience 😍

[casslarkin]

This podcast and the prophets just keep getting better and better. Thank you, Rich and Maya!

[harirajkaur]

Dr Maya Shankar could be an amazing independent educator on very profound changes that can be made in professional or personal life, for sure backing her research as well as knowledge. It would be incredible to see more of her wisdom being implemented in lives that need it.
Also can we start a petition for her father to share his wisdom? I would love to listen to his lectures.

[tashimango]

every part of this conversation resonated with me. I'm also glad that some insights were shared especially re: policymaking. I relate so much to her journey of fighting your way towards an opportunity, knocking on endless doors going nowhere, but gathering enough resilience to do it again and again. Even her stories towards the end about her sharing a very personal fertility journey were so impactful. I've found some personal courage to carry on from this discussion. Thanks for hosting and facilitating this great episode, Rich.

[isabellegagnon]

Great podcat! Aside from being super interesting, what a beautiful human being she is.

[GuiltyRocker]

Maya is wonderful, such a humble human being who has accomplished a great deal. Amazing episode.

[BeachyTess]

I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation, You both have such a brilliant way of expressing yourselves. Simple grateful.

[BATgirl]

I enjoyed this conversation very much! Grateful to be introduced to her -will check out her podcast. And as always, Rich Roll simultaneously calms and inspires me. I always learn something useful. Thanks✌️🌱

[patward]

Good to hear about aligning around feelings rather than facts.