Maya’s Advice to New Grads

Maya’s Advice to New Grads

Author: Pushkin Industries May 19, 2026 Duration: 19:29

A few years ago, Maya gave a commencement address to graduates of the Juilliard School of Music’s pre-college program. In honor of commencement season, with students around the world embarking on the next chapter of their lives, we’re sharing it again. In it, Maya gives lessons she’s learned about embracing life’s unexpected changes.

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Life has a way of rewriting our scripts, often when we least expect it. A Slight Change of Plans, from Pushkin Industries, sits with that universal truth through conversations that feel both intimate and expansive. Hosted by cognitive scientist Dr. Maya Shankar, the podcast is shaped by her own pivotal shift-a violin career ended by injury, which led her to professionally examine how we process transformation. Each episode moves beyond theory, featuring deeply personal stories from a wide range of guests who share their own encounters with upheaval. What you’ll hear isn’t just about resilience, but the nuanced science and practical strategies that can help anyone navigate a redirected path. It’s this thoughtful blend of human experience and grounded research that earned the series Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year. Listening feels like gaining a wiser friend, one who helps you reframe life’s unexpected turns not as disasters, but as complex chapters in a continuing story. The podcast ultimately explores how our identities adapt, how we find meaning, and how even the most disruptive changes can lead to growth we never planned for.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

A Slight Change of Plans
Podcast Episodes
Finding Satisfaction in a World of Endless Choice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:07
Social Psychologist Barry Schwartz is an expert on decision making. His new book, (00:01:48) “Choose Wisely,” explores how the very tools we rely on to make “good” decisions can steer us wrong — and why endless options m…
The Invisible Weight of Olympic Gold [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:12
The Winter Olympics are in full swing, and for the athletes competing, the Games are as much a mental challenge as they are a physical one. Not long ago, Maya sat down with five-time Olympic gold medalist, swimmer Missy…
How to Accept the Messiness of Love [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:42
Valentine’s Day is about expressing love in all its forms—but it can also be a chance to sit with some of love’s stickier realities. Today, we’re sharing an episode from the TED podcast “How To Be a Better Human,” in whi…
The Life-Changing Impact Of Showing People They Matter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:33
Journalist Jennifer Wallace believes we can make the world a better place through small actions that help people feel like they matter. She’s written a book about this idea, called “Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Dee…
Michael Lewis and Maya Talk “The Other Side of Change” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:17
In today’s episode, “Moneyball” author Michael Lewis (and Maya’s friend) flips the script and interviews her—in front of a live audience in San Francisco. They discuss her new book in a candid conversation about identity…
How To Be Happier This Year [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:48
2026 is off to a hectic start for Maya as she tours the country promoting her book, “The Other Side of Change.” To recenter, she’s revisiting a conversation with her friend and mentor, Yale Professor Laurie Santos, who s…
A Sneak Preview Of Maya’s New Book [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:49
Maya’s book, “The Other Side of Change”, is officially out! To celebrate, we’re sharing an exclusive excerpt with our community – about what first sparked Maya’s interest in change, and the story of a woman named Olivia…
Kicking Off the New Year Right [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:56
Booklist awarded Maya’s upcoming book, The Other Side of Change, one of its coveted starred reviews, saying “It’s impossible not to be moved.” The Other Side of Change hits shelves on January 13th and is filled with a ra…
The People-Pleaser’s Recovery Guide [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:23
Therapist Meg Josephson learned early on to put others’ needs before her own. It was a way for her to stay safe in a home that didn’t feel emotionally stable. But over time, she saw that her people-pleasing habits were e…