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The Mel Robbins Podcast

This One Episode Will Change How You Think About the World & Your Life (From #1 Cancer Surgeon)

The Mel Robbins Podcast

SiriusXM Podcasts

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

4.715.3K Ratings

🗓️ 19 March 2026

⏱️ 80 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today, you’re going to learn the life lessons most people learn too late. This episode will teach you exactly what matters most in life. Because in this powerful conversation, Dr. Rahul Jandial, MD, Ph.D. – a world-renowned cancer neurosurgeon and neuroscientist – shares the #1 regret he’s heard from more than 15,000 patients at the end of their lives. Dr. Rahul Jandial is the Medical Director of Neurosurgical Oncology and Skull Base Surgery at City of Hope in Los Angeles, one of the leading cancer centers in the world. He operates on brain cancers and spinal tumors in both adults and children, and he directs a research lab focused on developing cutting-edge neuroscience and cancer treatments. Today, he is going to share what matters most when time is limited: what people wish they’d done sooner, what they wish they’d stopped caring about, and what becomes crystal clear at the end of life - including why so many of us wait too long to start living the life we truly want, and how to shift that starting now. In this episode, he also shares his own story - from college dropout to security guard to neurosurgeon - and how reinventing his life taught him to go after more and trust himself. This episode is both a wake-up call and a lifeline to hold if you are navigating chaos, facing brutal news, or experiencing a hard time. In this episode you will learn: -How to stop postponing the life you want and start making better decisions -What to do when life hits you hard, including a diagnosis, a layoff, a breakup, or the loss of someone you love -How to get through the first hours after brutal news without spiraling or panicking -What to do if you are overwhelmed and not sure what to focus on -A simple daily practice so you can handle chaos with more control -How to bet on yourself even when other people don’t understand it  After this episode, you're going to know exactly what matters most in life and how to find the mindset you need when life hits you with something you didn’t see coming. For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page. If you liked the episode, check out this one next with Dave Evans and Bill Burnett: How to Design Your Life in 1 Hour Connect with Mel: Order Mel’s new product, Pure Genius Protein Get Mel’s newsletter, packed with tools, coaching, and inspiration. Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them Theory Watch the episodes on YouTube Follow Mel on Instagram The Mel Robbins Podcast Instagram Mel's TikTok Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free Disclaimer

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hey, it's your friend Mel, and welcome to the Mel Robbins podcast.

0:08.7

I just finished recording the episode you're about to listen to, and I just, I have to tell you,

0:14.1

this is one of the most impactful conversations that I've ever had.

0:20.0

What you're about to hear will stay with you long after

0:25.2

you're done listening. I mean, I'm personally sharing this with everybody I know because today,

0:31.3

Dr. Raoul John Deall, a world-renowned cancer surgeon and neuroscientist who treats stage four cancer patients every day.

0:40.5

I'm talking adults, children.

0:43.0

He is here to give you the life lessons most people learn too late.

0:48.1

After treating more than 15,000 cancer patients for over 25 years, he's going to share the

0:53.9

number one regret he hears from his

0:55.9

patients when time is running out, what people wish they had done sooner, especially when it comes

1:01.5

to love, taking risks, reconciliation. He's going to tell you what really matters at the end of life

1:08.6

and why most of us wait too long to start living the life

1:12.3

we truly want. Now, I guarantee you what you're going to learn from people looking back on

1:18.9

their lives will change how you live your life starting today. And Dr. John D'all is also

1:24.9

going to walk you through a very specific playbook for dealing

1:28.2

with difficult moments. Like a diagnosis, getting laid off, crisis, a breakup that just devastates

1:35.7

you or losing someone you love, how to navigate chaos, and the exact mindset you need when

1:42.4

receiving heartbreaking news or when life throws you something brutal.

1:46.4

After this episode, you're going to know how to find your power when the path forward feels

1:51.2

unclear. And even if you're not in chaos or crisis right now, everything you're about to hear

1:57.0

will prepare you for it. And it's also going to be an episode that you're going to want to

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