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The Rich Roll Podcast

Cognitive Scientist Maya Shankar On Navigating Unexpected Life Changes, The Neuroscience Of Identity, & How To Unlock Your Next Self

The Rich Roll Podcast

Rich Roll

Education, Society & Culture, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness

4.713.3K Ratings

🗓️ 15 January 2026

⏱️ 129 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Dr. Maya Shankar is a cognitive scientist, host of the podcast “A Slight Change of Plans,” and author of “The Other Side of Change.” This conversation explores the challenge of navigating involuntary change, whether it's injury, loss, or a future that suddenly collapses. We discuss identity and attachment, the illusion of control, why our brains resist uncertainty, the end of history illusion, rumination, and practical tools to help us see change not as a burden—but as a revelation. Maya also opens up about her own identity crises, a career-ending injury at 15, and later pregnancy losses that forced her to confront who she was beyond her deepest aspirations. Change is coming for all of us, whether we like it or not. Maya's goal is to give you the companion you need along the way. Enjoy! Show notes + MORE Watch on YouTube Newsletter Sign-Up Today’s Sponsors: Go Brewing: Use the code Rich Roll for 15% OFF👉🏼https://www.gobrewing.com AG1: Get their best offer ever – Welcome Kit, Omega 3's, D3+K2, Flavor Sampler, plus AGZ sleep supplement FREE ($126 in gifts)👉🏼https://www.drinkAG1.com/richroll Rivian: Electric vehicles that keep the world adventurous forever👉🏼https://www.rivian.com WHOOP: The all-new WHOOP 5.0 is here! Get your first month FREE👉🏼https://www.join.whoop.com/Roll Check out all of the amazing discounts from our Sponsors👉🏼https://www.richroll.com/sponsors  Find out more about Voicing Change Media at https://www.voicingchange.media and follow us @voicingchange

Transcript

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0:00.0

We are brought to you today by the wonderful folks at Go Brewing.

0:08.2

A few years ago, there was this guy, his name's Joe Chura, and he called me up out of the blue

0:14.0

and asked if I would speak at this event that he was hosting in Illinois called Go, which turned out to be this incredibly memorable weekend

0:22.8

for me and for all of the attendees, because it was all about how to take inspired action.

0:29.8

Joe and I connected, but, you know, life moved on. That was many years ago. Then a couple years back

0:36.1

when I was at Jesse Isler's Running Man event in Georgia,

0:39.7

I'm walking the grounds when I see Joe. I was surprised to see him again, of course,

0:45.3

sort of different context, but also surprised because he had actually taken inspired action.

0:52.2

I shouldn't have been surprised knowing Joe, but I guess I was in

0:55.0

the moment. What he did was he took this idea of go and he turned it into the hottest new brand

1:00.9

and non-alcoholic beer called, of course, go brewing. What sets go brewing apart is their

1:07.3

refusal to cut corners. Everything is handcrafted from scratch and small batches.

1:12.9

This commitment to quality has propelled go brewing into one of America's fastest growing

1:18.0

breweries, now in over 5,000 locations across 20 states. Their salty AF Chalada claimed the

1:25.7

untapped, number one non-alcoholic logger spot in America.

1:30.7

They're constantly dropping all these bold new flavors, double IPAs, incredible sours, all without added sugars or any artificial nonsense.

1:40.1

A non-alcoholic revolution isn't coming. It's here, people.

1:44.5

And I'm really honored to be championing it with Joe.

1:48.2

So get on board by getting with Go, by going to gobrewing.com.

1:53.4

We're going to use the code Richroll for 15% off your first purchase.

1:58.1

That's gobrewing.com code ritual.

2:02.3

We are constantly changing, and change can accelerate these inner transformations.

...

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