Rethinking Ambition

Rethinking Ambition

Author: Pushkin Industries November 18, 2024 Duration: 34:34

For many years, writer Jennifer Romolini prided herself on her work ethic. She climbed to the top of every corporate ladder and worked 60 hours or more every week. But after an unexpected health crisis, Jennifer realized her ambition had turned toxic. Maya and Jennifer discuss the perils of aiming for a one-size-fits-all version of success and the benefits of redefining ambition for yourself. 

For more about Jennifer, check out her memoir, "Ambition Monster."

You can follow Maya @DrMayaShankar on Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


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: 182

A Slight Change of Plans
Podcast Episodes
Sneak Peek: Season 5 of A Slight Change of Plans! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:26
Hey Slight Changers! (drumroll please…) We’re back with Season 5 of A Slight Change of Plans next Monday! Each week, we’ll hear stories of change from remarkable people and learn more about the science of change so we ca…
Maya's Slight Change in Perspective [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:28
Hi Slight Changers — I recently recorded a deeply personal essay with my friends at Meditative Story. It's about my philosophy on life and existence. This essay took months to pull together because it required revisiting…
A Theranos Whistleblower [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:02
You can follow the show on Instagram @DrMayaShankar. Erika Cheung’s first job out of college was as a scientist at the now infamous biotech company, Theranos. Erika realized early on that the company’s proprietary techno…
The Science of Motivation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:43
You can follow the show at @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. Dr. Ayelet Fishbach is a professor of psychology, and an expert on the science of motivation. She'll teach us how to set smarter goals, and give us science-based st…
A Holocaust Survivor's Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:46
You can follow the show at @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. Edith Eger was just 16 years old when the Nazis forced her and her Jewish family onto a cattle car to the Auschwitz concentation camp. Today, Edith is 94 years old,…
Jeopardy! Changed My Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:27
You can follow the show at @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. Scott Menke never thought he had a particularly compelling personality, but he did feel he stood out in at least one way: he had a natural ability to learn and reme…
The Science of Our Inner Voice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:00
Psychology professor Ethan Kross is an expert on the science of introspection, and the role our inner voice plays in shaping our sense of well-being. While our inner voice has a lot of benefits, it can sometimes turn neg…
Does Everything Happen for a Reason? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:33
Kate Bowler certainly thought so, until her entire belief system was thrown into question when she was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer at age 35. You can follow the show at @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. If you’d like to ke…
"I Don't Feel Like a Boy, I Am a Boy" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:38
Jodie Patterson’s son came out as transgender when he was just shy of three years old. Jodie knew her son would face many changes ahead, but what she didn’t anticipate was how much she would change too. You can follow th…
Headspace x Dr. Maya Shankar: Understanding Change [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:23
Hey Slight Changers — I’m guest-hosting the Radio Headspace Podcast all week! It was a really special collaboration and I wanted to share the first episode of the series with you. To check out the rest of the episodes th…