The Other Side of Change
Who We Become When Life Makes Other Plans
Cognitive scientist Maya Shankar explores who we become when life doesn't go as planned, and how to find identity and meaning on the far side of upheaval.
Maya Shankar, a former child prodigy violinist whose performing career ended with an injury, has spent her life studying how people rebuild. Drawing on cognitive science and the conversations from her podcast, she examines what happens to our sense of self when a plan collapses, a role ends, or an identity we clung to disappears. Rather than rushing past the disruption, she argues that these ruptures are often where we discover who we actually are.
Recommended by 1 Person
Daniel Pink
Video · February 2026
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