The Next Big Idea

The only constant is change. You’ve heard it a thousand times. But here’s what the cliche leaves out: Change may be inevitable, but how you respond to it — and who you become because of it — that part’s up to you.

Maya Shankar knows a thing or two about this. She’s studied change as a cognitive scientist, explored it on her podcast “A Slight Change of Plans,” and now written a book — The Other Side of Change — about how the hardest moments of our lives can transform us … for the better. In the book, she tells remarkable stories of people overcoming colossal change — debilitating diagnoses, amnesia, incarceration — and extracts universal lessons grounded in the latest science.

“When a big change happens to us,” she tells us in this episode, “it can feel like a personal apocalypse of sorts. And that the word apocalypse comes from the Greek word apokálypsis, which actually means revelation. That etymology is instructive. Change can upend us, yes. But it can also reveal things to us.”

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That Tim Kreider essay we quoted is called “Reprieve,” and you can find it in his wonderful book We Learn Nothing.

The George Saunders clip comes from his lovely conversation with David Marchese, co-host of “The Interview.” You can listen to it here.

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Do you ever feel like you're drowning in health advice? Eat this, not that. Take this supplement, but only after popping this other one first. Here’s the good news: Most of it doesn't matter. In Eat Your Ice Cream, renowned physician Ezekiel Emanuel shares six simple rules for living longer — and gives you permission to ignore pretty much everything else.

The Next Big Idea is now on YouTube! You can find our episodes ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out our interviews with Russell Foster, Tim Spector, Casey Means, Kelly McGonigal, Chris van Tulleken, and Eric Topol.

Follow Rufus on ⁠LinkedIn⁠, subscribe to our ⁠Substack⁠, or send us an email at [email protected].

The best way to support the show is by becoming a Next Big Idea Club member. Learn more at ⁠nextbigideaclub.com⁠, and use code PODCAST for a super secret discount (spoiler: it’s 20% off).

Today’s episode is sponsored by Factor. Head to factormeals.com/idea50off and use code idea50off to get 50% off your first Factor box plus free breakfast for one year. We’re also sponsored by Shopify. Start your $1/month trial at ⁠⁠shopify.com/nbi⁠⁠.

If you’ve spent any time on social media in the last few years, you’ve probably noticed the rise of what Brad Stulberg calls “hustle-culture greatness” — influencers who promote labyrinthine morning routines, ruthlessly optimized habits, and ascetic self-discipline. “That is not excellence,” says Brad. “That is a bunch of elaborate kabuki that masquerades as the real thing.” The real thing is about challenging yourself in worthwhile endeavors, focusing on what matters most, and expressing the unique qualities that make you who you are. In a word, excellence. Today, we’ll teach you how to pursue it.

Brad’s new book, The Way of Excellence, is out now. Pick up a copy on Amazon, Audible, or Bookshop.org.

The Next Big Idea is now on YouTube! You can find our episodes ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out Brad’s last appearance on the show.

Follow Rufus on ⁠LinkedIn⁠, subscribe to our ⁠Substack⁠, or send us an email at [email protected].

The best way to support the show is by becoming a Next Big Idea Club member. Learn more at ⁠nextbigideaclub.com⁠, and use code PODCAST for a super secret discount (spoiler: it’s 20% off).

We have two great sponsors for today’s episode. The first is Factor. Head to factormeals.com/idea50off and use code idea50off to get 50% off your first Factor box plus free breakfast for one year. The second is Shopify. Start your $1/month trial at ⁠⁠shopify.com/nbi⁠⁠.

In her new book, ⁠Mattering⁠, Jennifer Wallace argues that our deepest crises — loneliness, anxiety, political rage — stem from a single unmet need: the need to matter. How did this happen, and what can we do about it?

The Next Big Idea is now on YouTube! Check out our episodes ⁠here⁠.

If you enjoyed this conversation, we think you'll like Jennifer’s previous appearance on the show, her episode of The Next Big Idea Daily, and Rebecca Goldstein’s book bite for The Mattering Instinct.

Follow Rufus on LinkedIn, subscribe to our Substack, or send us an email.

The best way to support the show is by becoming a Next Big Idea Club member. Learn more at nextbigideaclub.com, and use code PODCAST for a super secret discount (spoiler: it’s 20% off).

Today’s episode is sponsored by Shopify. Start your $1/month trial at ⁠shopify.com/nbi⁠

You know that feeling when you meet someone and something just … clicks? Scientists have a name for it. They call it “interpersonal synchrony.” Turns out we subconsciously mimic other people’s movements, postures, facial expressions, and gestures. We even sync involuntary functions like heart rate, blood pressure, brain waves, pupil dilation, and hormonal activity. Kate Murphy, author of the forthcoming book Why We Click, says interpersonal synchrony — syncing for short — is our superpower. But there’s a catch. The same instinct that bonds us can also hijack us.

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If you enjoyed this episode, check out our conversations with Charles Duhigg, David Brooks, and John Colapinto.

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