The Science of Handling Uncertainty | Maya Shankar

The Science of Handling Uncertainty | Maya Shankar

New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.

---

Cognitive scientist Maya Shankar talks about how to get comfortable with uncertainty in an ever-changing world.

It seems like a design flaw in our species that we live in a world of constant change yet most of us are not comfortable with uncertainty.

In this episode, we talk to Maya Shankar about how to get better at dealing with change and to stop seeking what scientists call “cognitive closure.”

Shankar is a former Senior Advisor in the Obama White House, where she founded and served as Chair of the White House Behavioral Science Team. She also served as the first Behavioral Science Advisor to the United Nations, and is currently a Senior Director of Behavioral Economics at Google. She is the host of the Pushkin Industries podcast A Slight Change of Plans, which was named Best Show of the Year in 2021 by Apple.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Why humans are so uncomfortable with uncertainty and change
  • What a behavioral scientist actually does in the world
  • Why even the host of a podcast about change isn’t immune to the uncertainties of life
  • The benefits of cultivating a more malleable sense of self
  • Why humans are such bad forecasters
  • The importance of auditing yourself when you’re undergoing a big change
  • How to take advantage of big reset moments
  • The concept of cognitive closure and why encouraging an open mind can make us more resilient


Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/maya-shankar-466


Where to find Maya Shankar online:

Website: mayashankar.com

Social Media:


Books Mentioned:


Additional Resources:

Download the Ten Percent Happier app today: https://10percenthappier.app.link/install

Jaksot(898)

Rich Roll, Vegan Ultra-Endurance Athlete

Rich Roll, Vegan Ultra-Endurance Athlete

Shortly before his 40th birthday, Rich Roll was walking up a flight of stairs when he suddenly felt like he was about to have a heart attack. That terrifying moment led the former entertainment attorney, who had already been through rehab for alcohol abuse, to overhaul his lifestyle and now he is a dedicated vegan who has completed some of the world's most grueling and extreme endurance races.

26 Heinä 201738min

Lt. Richard Goerling, Mindfulness in Police Work

Lt. Richard Goerling, Mindfulness in Police Work

At a time when there have been controversial police shootings of unarmed civilians and many officers risking their lives to protect their communities feel under siege, one potentially constructive element being introduced into this highly-charged atmosphere is mindfulness. Richard Goerling, a police lieutenant in Hillsboro, Oregon, who has served in law enforcement for 20 years, works with police departments around the country to teach officers how reduce stress, combat unnecessary use of force and make smarter decisions in the field through mindfulness training.

19 Heinä 201754min

Virginia Heffernan: Writer, 'Trumpcast' Podcast Co-Host

Virginia Heffernan: Writer, 'Trumpcast' Podcast Co-Host

Virginia Heffernan, who has written for several major publications including as a television and Internet culture columnist for the New York Times, opens up for the first time about her addiction to prescription drugs and her decision to get sober. The author of "Magic and Loss: The Internet as Art" and a co-host for Slate's "Trumpcast" podcast, Heffernan talks about the turmoil she was facing in her work and personal life, her relationship with religion and her Twitter persona @Page88.

12 Heinä 20171h 3min

Rep. Tim Ryan, Teaching Congress to Meditate

Rep. Tim Ryan, Teaching Congress to Meditate

In another installment from the "10% Happier" road trip, Dan Harris and meditation teacher Jeff Warren sat down with Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, at the congressman's office on Capitol Hill in January shortly after President Trump's inauguration. Ryan, who has been meditating for years, talks about bringing in teachers to host meditation sessions for members of Congress and their staffs, and why he believes meditation should be taught in public schools.

5 Heinä 201735min

Gary Vaynerchuk, Media Industry Leader

Gary Vaynerchuk, Media Industry Leader

VanyerMedia CEO Gary Vaynerchuk got his start as "the wine guy" when he launched one of the first wine e-commerce websites in the U.S. He began making a wine video blog as YouTube was coming up and went on to build an entire social media-focused empire. Vaynerchuk was skeptical of trying meditation, so Dan brought in mindfulness teacher Cory Muscara (Ep. #82) to help.

28 Kesä 201743min

Mark Coleman, Meditating in the Great Outdoors

Mark Coleman, Meditating in the Great Outdoors

Renowned mindfulness teacher Mark Coleman, founder of Awake in the Wild and The Mindfulness Institute, has led wilderness meditation retreats from Alaska to Peru. Coleman talks about making peace with our "judging thoughts" and how nature can "open the heart" and relieve stress, even if you're stuck on a cross-country flight and taking notice of the landscape below or just taking a moment to feel the wind on your face.

21 Kesä 201751min

James Gimian, Mindful Magazine Publisher

James Gimian, Mindful Magazine Publisher

James Gimian, who has been in publishing since the '70s, started covering the emerging mindfulness movement for a small magazine years ago when he said it became clear that secular mindfulness was taking root in "a big and significant way." In 2011, he spearheaded the launch of Mindful, a mission-oriented non-profit organization and magazine dedicated to bringing secular mindfulness to the masses, offering community building, profile pieces, advice and guidance.

14 Kesä 201756min

Josh Groban, Multi-Platinum Recording Artist, Actor (Bonus!)

Josh Groban, Multi-Platinum Recording Artist, Actor (Bonus!)

This a special pre-Tony Awards episode of the podcast with multi-platinum recording artist and actor Josh Groban, who is nominated for best lead actor in a musical for his role in Broadway's "Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812." Dan Harris and meditation teacher Jeff Warren sat down with Groban at the start of their cross-country meditation bus tour back in January to teach this Broadway first-timer how to meditate.

9 Kesä 201742min

Suosittua kategoriassa Terveys ja hyvinvointi

unicast
tiedenaiset-podcast
psykopodiaa-podcast
vakeva-elama-viisaampi-mieli-vahvempi-keho
voi-hyvin-meditaatiot-2
selvin-pain
meditaatiot-suomeksi
katilon-kahvitunti
fitnessvastaanotto
selviytyjat-tarinoita-elamasta
paritellen
aamukahvilla
rss-narsisti
kierron-verran-toivoa
rss-uplevel-by-sonja-hannus
terapiassa
rss-rentoudu-podcast-rentoutumiseen-hanna-viljanmaa
rss-onnistunut-laihdutus
ruokaklinikka
rss-fitissa-podcast