The #1 Mindset Shift to Turn Unexpected Change Into the Biggest UPGRADE of Your Life

We often think change will make sense once we get to the other side, but what if the real work of change is learning how to stay present in the uncertainty itself? Today, Jay sits down with cognitive scientist and author Dr. Maya Shankar to explore why unexpected change feels so threatening, and why losing what we thought our life would look like can feel like losing ourselves. From a career-ending injury early in her life to deeply personal losses later on, Maya reflects on how life’s unexpected turns can quietly reshape how we see ourselves, our worth, and our place in the world. Maya explains that one of the biggest mistakes we make during change is tying our self-worth to roles, titles, or outcomes. When those fall away, it can feel deeply destabilizing. Instead, she invites us to root our identity in something more stable: our “why.” The deeper reasons behind what we love—connection, service, growth, creativity. When we stay connected to those, we can move through change without losing ourselves. Jay reflects on how often we seek external validation and why redefining success during loss is essential for resilience. In this interview, you'll learn: How to Handle Change You Didn’t Choose How to Anchor Your Self-Worth Beyond External Success How to Find Your “Why” When Life Falls Apart How to Rebuild Yourself After a Dream Ends How to Grow into the Person Change Is Shaping You To Be If you’re going through a season of change right now, remember this: you’re not broken for struggling with it. Change is meant to shake us, to slow us down, and to make us question who we are beyond our titles, plans, and expectations. A quietly powerful read about resilience and reinvention by Maya Shankar, The Other Side of Change invites you to meet yourself again when life takes an unexpected turn - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/729180/the-other-side-of-change-by-maya-shankar/ With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty JAY’S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe here. Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 01:52 How Change Has Shaped Your Life 04:33 Why Does Change Feel So Scary? 11:27 Why We Tie Our Identity to What We Do 16:07 What Awaits on the Other Side of Change 24:37 Using Self-Affirmation to Stay Grounded 30:32 Finding Gratitude in Who You Become 39:13 Maya on Final Five Episode Resources: Maya Shankar | https://mayashankar.com/ Maya Shankar | https://www.instagram.com/drmayashankar Maya Shankar | https://x.com/slightchangepod A Slight Change of Plans | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-slight-change-of-plans/id1561860622 https://www.instagram.com/jayshetty https://www.facebook.com/jayshetty/ https://x.com/jayshetty https://www.linkedin.com/in/shettyjay/ https://www.youtube.com/@JayShettyPodcast http://jayshetty.me

Jay ShettyhostDr. Maya Shankarguest

Feb 11, 202647mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: February 11, 2026
Duration: 47m
Channel: Jay Shetty Podcast
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

We often think change will make sense once we get to the other side, but what if the real work of change is learning how to stay present in the uncertainty itself? Today, Jay sits down with cognitive scientist and author Dr. Maya Shankar to explore why unexpected change feels so threatening, and why losing what we thought our life would look like can feel like losing ourselves. From a career-ending injury early in her life to deeply personal losses later on, Maya reflects on how life’s unexpected turns can quietly reshape how we see ourselves, our worth, and our place in the world. Maya explains that one of the biggest mistakes we make during change is tying our self-worth to roles, titles, or outcomes. When those fall away, it can feel deeply destabilizing. Instead, she invites us to root our identity in something more stable: our “why.” The deeper reasons behind what we love—connection, service, growth, creativity. When we stay connected to those, we can move through change without losing ourselves. Jay reflects on how often we seek external validation and why redefining success during loss is essential for resilience. In this interview, you'll learn: How to Handle Change You Didn’t Choose How to Anchor Your Self-Worth Beyond External Success How to Find Your “Why” When Life Falls Apart How to Rebuild Yourself After a Dream Ends How to Grow into the Person Change Is Shaping You To Be If you’re going through a season of change right now, remember this: you’re not broken for struggling with it. Change is meant to shake us, to slow us down, and to make us question who we are beyond our titles, plans, and expectations. A quietly powerful read about resilience and reinvention by Maya Shankar, The Other Side of Change invites you to meet yourself again when life takes an unexpected turn - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/729180/the-other-side-of-change-by-maya-shankar/ With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty JAY’S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe here. Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 01:52 How Change Has Shaped Your Life 04:33 Why Does Change Feel So Scary? 11:27 Why We Tie Our Identity to What We Do 16:07 What Awaits on the Other Side of Change 24:37 Using Self-Affirmation to Stay Grounded 30:32 Finding Gratitude in Who You Become 39:13 Maya on Final Five Episode Resources: Maya Shankar | https://mayashankar.com/ Maya Shankar | https://www.instagram.com/drmayashankar Maya Shankar | https://x.com/slightchangepod A Slight Change of Plans | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-slight-change-of-plans/id1561860622 https://www.instagram.com/jayshetty https://www.facebook.com/jayshetty/ https://x.com/jayshetty https://www.linkedin.com/in/shettyjay/ https://www.youtube.com/@JayShettyPodcast http://jayshetty.me

SPEAKERS

Jay Shetty
host
Host of the Jay Shetty Podcast and former monk who interviews guests on mindset, wellbeing, and personal growth.
Dr. Maya Shankar
guest
Cognitive scientist and author of “The Other Side of Change,” discussing research-backed approaches to navigating unexpected change.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Jay Shetty Podcast, featuring Jay Shetty and Dr. Maya Shankar, The #1 Mindset Shift to Turn Unexpected Change Into the Biggest UPGRADE of Your Life explores reframe change by anchoring identity to your deeper why values Unexpected change feels terrifying largely because uncertainty stresses the brain more than certainty and because disruption threatens our sense of control.

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