Masters of Scale How to make smarter changes, with cognitive scientist Maya Shankar
49 snips
Jan 22, 2026 
Maya Shankar, a cognitive scientist and former behavioral advisor in the Obama White House, shares her journey from aspiring violinist to expert in change. She emphasizes reframing identity around core values rather than loss, leveraging behavioral insights to drive results in both government and personal life. Maya discusses practical tools for resilience, including tiny, identity-building actions and self-affirmation strategies. Her insights on awe and moral beauty highlight how witnessing kindness can rejuvenate our paths after adversity.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
From Violinist To Cognitive Scientist
- Maya Shankar lost her career as a concert violinist at 15 after a pinky injury and surgeries ended her dream.
- She reframed her identity by asking why she loved the violin and found human connection remained central.
Define Identity By Purpose
- Define yourself by why you do things, not only by what you do, to future-proof identity.
- Preserve core motivations so losses feel less like losing yourself.
Cold Email Led To A White House Role
- Maya emailed Cass Sunstein asking for introductions despite lacking policy experience and got forwarded to the president's science advisor.
- Two days later she was interviewing and pitching a new White House behavioral scientist role.
