Game Changers with Molly Fletcher The Science-Backed Way to Navigate Change with Dr. Maya Shankar
Jan 8, 2026
Dr. Maya Shankar, cognitive scientist and former White House behavioral advisor, explores how change rattles identity and why uncertainty triggers stress. She discusses brain responses to pivots, grieving lost roles, and practical tactics like temptation bundling, self-affirmation, and building a change survival kit. Short, research-backed strategies help widen your sense of self and spot hidden opportunities in disruption.
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Brains Prefer Certainty Over Ambiguity
- Change feels hard because our brains dislike uncertainty and crave clarity.
- When change creates a gray space, our minds struggle to process it and produce anxiety.
Career-Ending Injury Revealed Identity Loss
- Maya lost her career-as-violinist dream after a hand injury at 15 and grieved not just the instrument but her identity.
- That experience revealed how tightly identity can bind to roles and how destabilizing loss can be.
Define Yourself By Your Why
- Define yourself by your why, not just by roles or labels you perform.
- Use the underlying motivations (e.g., connection, improvement) to find new outlets after loss.
