Wired for Change

Wired for Change

Author: Pushkin Industries November 8, 2021 Duration: 33:53

John Elder Robison is a gifted sound engineer whose rare ability to understand machines propelled him to work with the likes of Kiss and Diana Ross. But the one thing he always felt was lacking was his ability to understand people emotionally. In an effort to see if he could change that, he volunteered to participate in an experimental brain study.

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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: 182

A Slight Change of Plans
Podcast Episodes
Some Life Advice from “The Moth” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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“I Felt Like an Alien Impersonating Myself” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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The Cost of Being the Strong One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Duration: 29:07
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The Invisible Weight of Olympic Gold [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Duration: 40:42
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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…