The Invisible Weight of Olympic Gold

The Invisible Weight of Olympic Gold

Author: Pushkin Industries February 17, 2026 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 Franklin, who competed in both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. When Missy returned for her second Olympics, things felt markedly different. In today’s episode, Missy speaks candidly and bravely about how her mental health impacted her performance–with the world watching.

For more Olympics content from A Slight Change of Plans, check out the episodes below:

In case you missed it—Maya’s new book, “The Other Side of Change,” is officially a bestseller! Order your copy at changewithmaya.com/book, or wherever you like to buy books.

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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
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