Goal Setting, Life Transitions, and Decision Making with Neuroscientist Dr. Maya Shankar
Sep 11, 2024
39:36
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Dr. Maya Shankar, a cognitive neuroscientist and former White House Senior Advisor, joins Kristen Holmes, WHOOP's Global Head of Human Performance. They dive into the fresh start effect, exploring how milestones can spark behavioral change. Maya shares her journey from aspiring violinist, hindered by injury, to neuroscientist, and discusses the endowment effect's impact on decision-making. Strategies for habit formation and navigating life's uncertainties highlight the importance of data in enhancing personal growth and achieving meaningful goals.
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Quick takeaways
The fresh start effect demonstrates how life transitions can serve as pivotal opportunities for individuals to effectively implement lasting behavior changes and adopt healthier habits.
Maya Shankar's journey highlights the crucial importance of redefining personal identity after significant life changes, emphasizing flexibility in self-identity during career transitions.
Deep dives
The Fresh Start Effect and Behavior Change
The fresh start effect highlights the psychological benefit of using milestone moments as opportunities for behavior change. Events such as birthdays, seasonal shifts, or significant life transitions provide a mental reset that can motivate individuals to discard old habits and adopt new ones. This effect allows for new routines to form more easily since individuals are less bound by existing habits during periods of change. For instance, moving to a new city often leads to changes in daily routines such as commuting and socializing, making it easier to integrate new positive behaviors like regular exercise.
Career Transitions and Identity
Maya Schenkar's journey illustrates the complexities of career transitions and the importance of redefining identity after loss. After a hand injury ended her path as a concert violinist, she explored cognitive science, which opened her eyes to the intricacies of human behavior. Through this experience, she learned the concept of identity foreclosure and recognized the need to be flexible regarding self-identity. By pivoting her focus from the violin to human connection, she was able to find a deeper purpose that could bridge her past and future aspirations.
The Implementation of Behavioral Science in Policy
Schankar's experience in the Obama administration demonstrates how behavioral science can effectively drive policy changes that improve lives. By examining barriers to programs like school lunch access, she introduced models that simplified processes, making it easier for families to engage in beneficial initiatives. For example, changing the school lunch program from an opt-in to an opt-out model led to significant increases in participation among eligible children. This approach exemplifies how small, informed changes can lead to substantial positive outcomes in public health and policy.
Resilience and Emotional Management
The podcast discusses strategies for maintaining motivation and resilience during the pursuit of long-term goals, emphasizing the importance of setting realistic milestones. Embracing the concept of an 'emergency reserve' can allow individuals to continue their goals even when life events disrupt routines. Furthermore, developing stable rituals, like enjoying a cup of tea, can provide a sense of normalcy during challenging times. Engaging in awe-inspiring experiences, such as appreciating nature, can also enhance resilience by shifting focus away from personal challenges and fostering a sense of connection with the broader world.
With summer ending, back to school routines happening at home, and the need to get back to healthy habits, we wanted to bring back a fantastic conversation between WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist Kristen Holmes and cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Maya Shankar. Maya is also a former White House Senior Advisor, and creator of the top podcast, A Slight Change of Plans. Kristen and Maya discuss studying violin under Itzhak Perlman (2:22), how a hand injury spurred what Maya calls identity foreclosure (5:21), transitioning to a career in neuroscience (8:48), the endowment effect (16:43), the benefits of the fresh start effect (19:15), how to think about restarting after your goals have been derailed (21:29), the best ways to cement new habits (26:08), the power of data and behavior science (30:18), how to make good decisions (31:57), and the illusion of control (34:49).