Making Big Bets: How To Change Your Life & The World with Rajiv Shah

Nov 8, 2023

Rajiv Shah, President of the Rockefeller Foundation, shares his journey tackling global challenges like climate change and food insecurity. He emphasizes the importance of making bold bets to drive large-scale change. Conversations highlight the interconnectedness of health and food, advocating for food as medicine. Shah reflects on transformative moments, including encounters with leaders like Nelson Mandela and innovative community actions. The discussion inspires listeners to take positive steps in their own communities, showcasing the power of strategic collaborations for social justice.

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ANECDOTE

Mandela's Influence

Rajiv Shah's life path changed after watching Nelson Mandela's speech in Detroit.
Mandela's message of love and optimism inspired Shah to pursue a life of service.

ANECDOTE

Haiti Earthquake Response

Dr. Hyman recounts working in Haiti after the earthquake and coordinating with Rajiv Shah, then head of USAID.
Shah describes Obama's directive to 'fix' the crisis and Biden's initial skepticism about his age and experience.

ADVICE

Ask Simple Questions

Ask simple questions to solve complex problems, like "What would it take to vaccinate every child?"
Break down big goals into smaller, manageable steps and use data to drive decision-making.

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This episode is brought to you by Rupa Health, Pendulum, Mitopure, and Thrive Market.

The world is facing several big challenges today—the climate crisis, food insecurity, racial injustice, the rise of AI, and insufficient access to healthcare, to name just a few.

Today on The Doctor’s Farmacy, I am excited to talk to Dr. Rajiv Shah about how large-scale change really happens, the success and lessons he has learned throughout his career, and why we need big bets—large, bold actions—in order to solve the world’s greatest challenges.

Dr. Rajiv Shah serves as president of the Rockefeller Foundation, a global institution with a mission to promote the well-being of humanity around the world. With a century-long track record of leveraging science, technology, and innovation, The Foundation is pioneering new ways to enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. Dr. Shah is a graduate of the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and the Wharton School. He has received several honorary degrees, the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award, and the US Global Leadership Award. He is married to Shivam Mallick Shah, and they have three children.

This episode is brought to you by Rupa Health, Pendulum, Mitopure, and Thrive Market.

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Here are more details from our interview (audio version / Apple Subscriber version):

How Rajiv was inspired by Nelson Mandela in his youth (5:25 / 3:41)
The first crisis Rajiv dealt with as the head of USAID (9:05 / 7:21)
Tackling the chronic disease epidemic with food as medicine (14:54 / 13:09)
Addressing rising obesity rates in America (32:31 / 27:52)
The importance of believing change is possible (42:33 / 37:54)
What makes the standard American diet so unhealthy? (48:42 /
Investing in weight-loss drugs vs quality food (49:26 / 44:03)
The importance of finding the right partners to make meaningful change (52:13 / 47:35)
Finding happiness through service to others (56:02 / 51:25)
Rajiv’s next big bets (1:04:14 / 59:40)

Get a copy of Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens.