Maya Shankar ON: How to Embrace Change Gracefully & Find Purpose in Difficult Times
About this episode
Maya Shankar sits down with Jay Shetty to talk about taking lessons from other people’s stories. While it is easy to inspire people to change when you have the tools and right environment to inspire them, it’s difficult to change a person’s mind. This is because our mind sticks to our own reality, it believes the circumstances that we are in, and it associates with the community that we belong to. Maya is currently the Senior Director of Behavioral Economics at Google and is the Creator, Host, and Executive Producer of “A Slight Change of Plans”, a podcast with Pushkin Industries. Maya previously served as a Senior Advisor in the Obama White House, where she founded and served as Chair of the White House's Behavioral Science Team. In 2016, she served as the first Behavioral Science Advisor to the United Nations under Ban Ki-moon. Achieve success in every area of your life with Jay Shetty’s Genius Community. Join over 10,000 members taking their holistic well-being to the next level today, at https://shetty.cc/OnPurposeGenius What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 03:22 The passion to learn and play the violin 07:57 Attach yourself to the traits of something 11:24 “The biggest challenge one faces is growing into themselves.” 17:22 A trait you didn’t always have but learned over time 20:49 Disparities between gender 23:36 Growing up in an Indian household 28:14 If they don’t agree with you, you become a threat to their values 39:18 Set up the right environment so people can experience it themselves 43:20 Using behavioral change insights to motivate yourself 46:19 Sustained behavioral change can be difficult 50:07 A reminder for a new beginning and a fresh start  53:11 When you create a role you love to play 56:42 Why start A Slight Change of Plans podcast? 01:00:11 An interview with a cancer patient 01:07:36 An interview with Morgan who joined the police force 01:12:04 Maya on Final Five 01:12:42 How do people find a good mentor  Like this show? Please leave us a review here - even one sentence helps! Post a screenshot of you listening on Instagram & tag us so we can thank you personally! Episode Resources: Maya Shankar | Website Maya Shankar | Podcast Maya Shankar | Twitter Maya Shankar | LinkedIn Maya Shankar | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Listen to this episode in English to learn English
Podcast episodes are one of the highest-density ways to absorb English at native pace. Maya Shankar ON: How to Embrace Change Gracefully & Find Purpose in Difficult Times from On Purpose with Jay Shetty gives you natural dialogue, unscripted speech, and vocabulary that actually appears in real conversations.
In the Hinto app, every word in the transcript is tappable. Tap an unknown word, see the translation in your language instantly, and keep listening without breaking flow.
Episodes to Learn English
- How to Change Your Life in 90 Days (And Make It Last) Nov 6, 2026
- Ask Jay: How Can I Stop Trying to Prove Myself to Others? Nov 4, 2026
- Robert Greene: The Surprising Reason You Feel Unhappy Even When Life Is “Good” Nov 2, 2026
- 5 Ways to Get Your Energy Back When Rest Isn’t Working Oct 30, 2026
- TRISHA PAYTAS: The Truth Behind the Person Millions Watch Online Oct 28, 2026
- Vinh Giang: How to Communicate So People Actually Listen to You Oct 26, 2026
- 5 Simple Habits to Stop Living on Autopilot & Unlock Your Highest Potential Oct 23, 2026
- Ask Jay: How Do You Move Forward When You're Grieving? Oct 21, 2026
- EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" Oct 19, 2026
- How to Stop Feeling Guilty And Let Go Of Past Mistakes Oct 16, 2026
- 4 Ways to Make Dating Feel Exciting Again Oct 14, 2026
- COLLIN GOSSELIN: The Real Story Behind One of America’s Most-Watched Families Oct 12, 2026
- 5 Signs Someone Is Draining Your Energy (And What to Do About It) Oct 9, 2026
- Sabrina Zohar: How to Stop Chasing People Who Don’t Want You Oct 7, 2026
- MIKAYLA NOGUEIRA EXCLUSIVE: The Story She’s Finally Ready to Tell Oct 5, 2026
- 4 Things Confident People Tell Themselves Every Day Oct 2, 2026
- Ask Jay: How Do You Take Care of Yourself Through Life’s Hardest Seasons? Sep 30, 2026
- SYLVESTER STALLONE: “I Wasn’t Stupid. I Was Just Misunderstood.” Sep 28, 2026
- 3 Science-Backed Habits That Will Make You Feel Better Every Day Sep 25, 2026
- Ask Jay: How Do I Find My Purpose? Sep 23, 2026
- LUCY HALE: “I Was Sabotaging My Life.” Sep 21, 2026
- Your Brain Is Addicted To Worst-Case Scenarios (3 Ways To Break The Habit) Sep 18, 2026
- OPRAH WINFREY: The Life Lessons That Changed Everything Sep 16, 2026
- BENNY BLANCO: The Secret to Failing Your Way to Success Sep 14, 2026
- Stop Waiting For External Validation Sep 11, 2026
- How To Let Go of the Timeline for Your Life Sep 9, 2026
- Andrew Huberman: The Simple Habits That Will Transform Your Health Sep 7, 2026
- What the Biggest Year of My Life Taught Me Sep 4, 2026
- Ask Jay: The Right Opportunity Might Not Be What You Expect Sep 2, 2026
- EILEEN GU: “The Ground Was Cracking Beneath Me.” Aug 31, 2026