Prompt Cast
The Formation of Identity and Cultivating a Growth Mindset
TLDR Dr. Maya Shankar discusses the formation of identity and how it is influenced by external factors such as societal expectations and the beliefs of those around us. She emphasizes the importance of cultivating a growth mindset, avoiding harmful self-narratives, and recognizing that our identities are not fixed or immutable.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Dr. Maya Shankar discusses the formation of identity and how it is influenced by external factors such as societal expectations and the beliefs of those around us.
07:50
Dr. Maya Shankar discusses how her identity was deeply tied to being a violinist, and the profound loss she experienced when she could no longer play, leading to a period of identity paralysis, but ultimately learning to anchor her identity to her underlying desire for human connection rather than a specific activity or role.
16:05
Dr. Maya Shankar discusses the importance of cultivating a growth mindset, avoiding harmful self-narratives, and recognizing that our identities are not fixed or immutable.
24:13
Dr. Maya Shankar discusses the importance of finding a place for oneself in a particular field or pursuit, and how that can lead to personal growth and a sense of identity.
32:07
Dr. Maya Shankar's parents provided her with the opportunity to explore her passion for the violin without pushing her to practice, allowing her to develop intrinsic motivation and a natural love for the instrument.
39:25
Dr. Maya Shankar's mother's fearless and imaginative approach allowed her to gain access to opportunities, such as auditioning for a top teacher at Juilliard, and this lesson of taking initiative and creating opportunities has stayed with her throughout her life.
47:03
Dr. Maya Shankar's identity as a violinist was challenged during her high school years, leading to a loss of joy and connection to music, but she found that anchoring herself to her intrinsic qualities of curiosity and the desire for progress protected her from external pressures and allowed her to find joy in new endeavors.
54:48
Dr. Maya Shankar's identity was deeply intertwined with playing the violin, and losing the ability to play caused a sense of loss and disorientation, but she found a new passion and purpose in studying language and cognition, which sparked her curiosity and imagination.
01:02:57
Dr. Maya Shankar's passion for cognitive science and her curiosity about the subject led her to pursue it as a new trajectory in her life, even though it felt different from her passion for playing the violin.
01:10:37
Dr. Maya Shankar discovered the importance of enjoying the process of getting better at something and the self-amplifying nature of curiosity, which led her to pursue cognitive science and explore strategies for managing change and reducing the need for cognitive closure.
01:18:34
The end of history illusion suggests that while we acknowledge that we have changed in the past, we tend to believe that our current selves will remain the same in the future, leading us to underestimate the potential for change and the impact of change on different areas of our lives.
01:26:05
Receiving feedback from others and being open to updating our beliefs and opinions based on new information is valuable for personal growth and self-improvement.
01:33:40
Distancing techniques, such as thinking about a problem from a third person perspective and actively seeking critical feedback, can promote objectivity and help reframe situations, while venting can be counterproductive and hinder personal growth.
01:41:03
Framing goals in terms of approach orientation rather than avoidance orientation can lead to increased motivation and a greater sense of accomplishment, as well as making it easier to measure success and failure.
01:49:25
Building agency and choice into goal pursuit increases motivation and ownership of success or failure, while being in like-minded spaces can limit our frame of mind and hinder our ability to challenge our own beliefs and viewpoints.
01:57:22
Understanding why people believe what they do and approaching conversations with genuine curiosity and a willingness to change minds can be effective strategies for promoting dialogue and challenging deeply entrenched beliefs.
02:05:27
The more we learn about how the mind works and why people are the way they are, the more empathy we can extend and the more we can have discussions with people who have different beliefs from us, ultimately leading to personal growth and kindness towards others.
02:12:52
Cultivating cognitive empathy and empathic concern can be protective against burnout, and there are different categories of empathy that are just as important as emotional empathy.
02:20:38
To maintain motivation and overcome the lull in the middle of goal pursuit, it is helpful to shorten the time duration of goals and practice temptation bundling by pairing an unpleasant activity with an immediately rewarding one, while also being mindful of the peak and end moments of an experience to shape our perception of it.
02:28:11
To maintain motivation and overcome the lull in the middle of goal pursuit, it is helpful to shorten the time duration of goals and practice temptation bundling by pairing an unpleasant activity with an immediately rewarding one, while also being mindful of the peak and end moments of an experience to shape our perception of it.
Categories:
Health & Fitness
Science
