ReThinking: Malala Yousafzai on redefining resilience and prioritizing joy

Worklife with Adam Grant

TED

Management, Worklife Podcast, Worklife With Adam Grant, Work Life Balance, Ted Talks, Podcast About Work Life, Ted Adam Grant, Adam Grant Podcasts, Ted Podcasts, Adam Grant, Organizational Psychologist, Business

4.8 • 9.4K Ratings

🗓️ 4 November 2025

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Malala Yousafzai is an activist for girls’ education and women’s empowerment, and the youngest Nobel Peace Laureate in history. In her new book, Finding My Way, is her effort to take control of her story after becoming a public figure at a young age. In this episode, Malala and Adam talk about the pressures of childhood fame, Malala’s struggles with saying no, and her journey to rediscover spontaneity and learn to ski and ride a bike. They also discuss how Malala’s thoughts on marriage have changed, discuss the important role men play in changing structures that hold women back, and debate the merits of teasing the people you love.

Host & Guest

Host: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: https://adamgrant.net/)

Guest: Malala Yousafzai (Instagram: @malala | Website: https://malalabook.com/, https://malala.org/)

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, TED Podcast listeners. It's Elise Hugh here from TED Talks Daily. Thanks for making our
0:05.6	podcasts part of your routine. We really appreciate it and we want to make your favorite TED podcasts
0:10.8	even better. We put together a quick survey and we'd love to hear from you. It only takes a few
0:16.9	minutes but it helps us shape our shows and get to know you, our listeners, way better.
0:22.2	Head to the episode description to find the link. Thank you again for listening and for taking
0:27.1	the time to help our shows. It would be easy for people to assume that you're spending all
0:33.2	your time just trying to save the world. And I think one of the things you've done for a lot of people is you've role-modeled,
0:39.2	it's actually okay to take risks and try things that might be frivolous.
0:43.2	Yeah, I mean, I do want to clarify.
0:45.8	I'm not recommending everybody climbs a rooftop.
0:48.2	Like, that's not the point.
0:50.1	Imagine like, oh, Malala inspired me doing what?
0:53.3	Study?
0:53.9	No, climb rooftop. Yeah. Imagine like, oh, Malala inspired me doing what? Study? No.
0:55.2	Climb roofed off.
0:59.4	Hey, everyone.
1:00.1	It's Adam Graham.
1:04.1	Welcome back to Rethinking, my podcast with Ted on the Science of What Makes Us Tick.
1:05.0	I'm an organizational psychologist,
1:07.0	and I'm taking you inside the minds of fascinating people
1:09.4	to explore new thoughts and new ways of thinking.
1:16.3	My guest today is Malala,
	...

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