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A Slight Change of Plans

A Slight Change of Plans

By: Pushkin Industries
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What happens when life doesn’t go according to plan? In this award-winning podcast, cognitive scientist Dr. Maya Shankar explores how we experience change and strategies we can use to better navigate moments of upheaval.

Maya’s life took a dramatic turn when an injury ended her career as a violinist and inspired her to study the science of change.

Named Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year, A Slight Change of Plans features deeply personal stories and scientific insights about who we are and who we become in the face of a big change.

Past guests include Kacey Musgraves, Brené Brown, Ruby Bridges, Amanda Knox, Adam Grant, Angela Duckworth and more.

Whether it’s a sudden pivot or a slow transformation, each episode reveals how change can give us an opportunity to reimagine who we are and unlock greater possibility.

Follow @DrMayaShankar on Instagram.

2025 Pushkin Industries and Maya Shankar Social Sciences
Episodes
  • One Trauma, Two Different Paths

    One Trauma, Two Different Paths
    Jun 16 2025

    Tommy Caldwell’s experience being held captive in Kyrgyzstan unlocks a new state of mind that propels him to become the greatest big wall climber of all time.

    This conversation first aired in 2021. It is a companion episode to the one we ran last week about Beth Rodden’s experience of the same trip: “A Climber Loses Her Grip.” Same “Slight Change of Plans”, but wildly different reactions.

    You can check out Tommy’s memoir here, and Beth’s memoir here.

    Get early, ad-free access to episodes of A Slight Change of Plans by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.

    Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
    Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.fm/plus

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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    38 mins
  • A Climber Loses Her Grip

    A Climber Loses Her Grip
    Jun 9 2025

    As a professional rock climber, Beth Rodden was taught to see pain as weakness. Fear and discomfort—mental and physical—were just things to be tolerated along the path to one record-breaking climbing feat after another. But when Beth was kidnapped on a climbing expedition in Kyrgyzstan, she had to confront the limits of that approach. On today's show: when the mindset that built you, starts to break you.

    Sign up for my free newsletter here: changewithmaya.com

    Get early, ad-free access to episodes of A Slight Change of Plans by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.

    Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
    Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.fm/plus

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
  • BONUS: Boost Your Resilience At Work

    BONUS: Boost Your Resilience At Work
    May 26 2025

    What can we do to cultivate more resilience at work? Ben Walter, CEO of Chase for Business and host of The Unshakeables podcast, thinks about this question a lot. In today’s mini episode, Ben joins Maya to talk about the unique challenges faced by America’s small business owners—and the insights he shares can help anyone who wants to improve their well-being at work.

    This episode was made in partnership with Chase for Business. Listen to Ben’s podcast, The Unshakeables, here.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    Show More Show Less
    12 mins
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I stumbled across this podcast via another.
I love it. So interesting. Thought inspiring. It's like having therapy everyday lol. Thank you 💯 🙌

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