The Dr. Maliheh Paryavi Podcast Maliheh Paryavi, Ph.D.

Angela Duckworth is a Professor of Psychology at University of Pennsylvania, Founder and CEO of Character Lab, winner of the MacArthur Award (Genius Award), and New York Times Bestselling author on grit.
In this episode, Professor Duckworth and Dr. Paryavi explore the keys to success while sharing reflections from their own growth experiences. Their conversation is full of great insights, reminders, and advice to help us reach our goals and live our best lives.
 
Episode Notes from Maliheh Paryavi, PhD: 
 
"Psychologists have spent decades searching for the secret of success, but Duckworth is the one who found it." - Daniel Gilbert, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University
 
I feel so grateful for having had the opportunity to host the amazing Angela Duckworth as my first guest on this podcast. Angela is a Professor of Psychology at University of Pennsylvania, Founder and CEO of The Character Lab, winner of the MacArthur Award (Genius Award), and New York Times Bestselling author on grit.
I had been following Angela's work for quite a while and was so excited when I finally had the chance to meet her. We had a wonderful time as we explored the keys to success. Angela also enriched our conversation with candid stories from her own life and growth journey. This episode is full of great insights, reminders, and advice to help us reach our goals and live our best lives.  Enjoy!
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:59 - What are key factors to success?
03:09 - Importance of grit
05:45 - How can we become experts at anything?
08:34 - How to embrace challenges
10:39 - How to cultivate a growth mindset
13:31 - How to deal with fear, anxiety, and self-doubt
18:20 - How to deal with perfectionism and failure
24:17 - How to set goals for success
32:57 - How to deal with expectations
35:55 - Embracing curiosity and character development
38:19 - How to reach for your goals even when feeling unprepared
40:27 - How does Angela manage all of her responsibilities?
43:38 - Importance of saying “No”
46:57 - Importance of self-care
49:36 - How to balance it all!


More about Angela Duckworth:

Angela Duckworth is the Founder and CEO of Character Lab, a nonprofit whose mission is to advance the science and practice of character development. She is also the Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, faculty co-director of the Penn-Wharton Behavior Change For Good Initiative, and faculty co-director of Wharton People Analytics.

A 2013 MacArthur Fellow, Angela has advised the White House, the World Bank, NBA and NFL teams, and Fortune 500 CEOs.

Prior to her career in research, Angela founded a summer school for low-income children that was profiled as a Harvard Kennedy School case study and, in 2018, celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary. She has also been a McKinsey management consultant and a math and science teacher in the public schools of New York City, San Francisco, and Philadelphia.

Angela completed her undergraduate degree in Advanced Studies Neurobiology at Harvard, graduating magna cum laude. With the support of a Marshall Scholarship, she completed an MSc with Distinction in Neuroscience from Oxford University. She completed her PhD in Psychology as a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania.

Angela has received numerous awards for her contributions to K–12 education, including a Beyond Z Award from the KIPP Foundation. Angela's TED talk is among the most-viewed of all time. Her first book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, is a #1 New York Times best seller.

Iris Bohnet is a Behavioral Economist and Professor of Business and Government at Harvard University, Academic Dean of Harvard Kennedy School, Co-Director of the Women and Public Policy Program, and author of the award-winning book, What Works: Gender Equality by Design.
In this episode, Professor Bohnet takes you through her scholarly journey and shares how she manages all her demanding commitments and finds the motivation to keep going. Professor Bohnet and Dr. Paryavi also discuss the importance of having more women in leadership positions, and present strategies and insights for promoting gender equality and closing the gender gap in leadership.
 
Episode Notes from Maliheh Paryavi, PhD: 
I had the great fortune of having Iris Bohnet as my Ph.D. advisor at Harvard. In all the years I’ve known her, we would always prioritize discussing my growth, dissertation, and our research. This was the first time we had the chance to actually talk about her! I was able to see a whole new side to Iris during this podcast recording, and I feel so grateful to have had this opportunity. Iris opened up about how she balances all of her commitments as a scholar, leader, and mother, what energizes her, and what keeps her going. We also talked about why we need more women in leadership, “what works” to get them there, and how to make sure they thrive. Enjoy!
 
Episode Breakdown:
01:28 - How does Iris manage her numerous commitments?
04:37 - How does Iris keep a work-life balance?
09:11 - How does Iris stay motivated?
12:58 - Iris’ inspiring journey towards becoming a leading scholar on gender equality
17:29 - Why is it so important to have more women in leadership positions?
22:13 - Is promoting gender equality a zero-sum game?
27:38 - “What works” to close the gender gap in leadership?
34:03 - Having the right support to thrive as a leader
37:03 - How to challenge the status quo: I introduce my idea of imagining a “Women Designed World” and discuss it with Iris.
 
Exercise: Imagine a “Women Designed World”
For the most part, we have inherited a world that was originally designed by men, for men. Imagining what I call, a “Women Designed World” is an exercise to help us identify the gaps in our world, challenge the status quo, and create systemic changes that will improve everyone’s lives.
Listen to the conversation starting at 37:03, then allow yourself to imagine a different life in a different world. What do you think a woman designed world would look like? What would it be like to live in a world designed by women? If you can’t think of anything, start by imagining how you would redesign your own life to better meet your unique needs. What would you love to change?
Share your ideas! #womendesignedworld
And remember:
You have the power to redesign your life, your organization, and your world!


More about Iris Bohnet:
Iris Bohnet, the Albert Pratt Professor of Business and Government and Academic Dean at the Harvard Kennedy School, serves as co-director of the Women and Public Policy Program, an associate director of the Harvard Decision Science Laboratory, and the faculty chair of the executive program “Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century” for the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders. She serves on the boards, advisory boards or as a patron of Credit Suisse Group, Applied, Edge, genEquality, TaketheLeadWomen, We Shape Tech, Women in Banking and Finance, and the UK Government’s Equalities Office as well as numerous academic journals. She was named one of the Most Influential People in Gender Policy by apolitical in 2018, a Leading Thinker of Victoria, Australia, 2016-2019, and has received an honorary degree from the University of Lucerne, Switzerland, in 2016.
Professor Bohnet teaches organizational design, decision-making, negotiation and gender in public policy and leadership in degree and executive programs, and ha

Anousheh Ansari is the CEO of the XPRIZE Foundation and Co-Founder of The Billion Dollar Fund for Women. She captured headlines around the world when she embarked upon an 11-day space expedition, accomplishing her childhood dream of becoming the first female private space explorer, first astronaut of Iranian descent, first Muslim woman in space, and fourth private explorer to visit space.
In this episode, Ms. Ansari and Dr. Paryavi explore the keys to finding passion and purpose in life, while drawing upon Ms. Ansari’s inspiring journey. They shed light on how we can become curious explorers and the steps we need to take to fulfill our biggest dreams.
 
Episode Notes from Maliheh Paryavi, PhD: 
 
One of the themes that keeps coming up in my work as The Leadership Ellevator is about the importance of cultivating curiosity. Curiosity is an essential skill that can be developed and is accessible to all of us. It can help individuals break internal and external barriers, find creative solutions to challenging problems, and discover new horizons. I was fortunate that a long-time mentor and dear friend introduced me to Anousheh Ansari, who is an excellent example of someone who has had a lifelong practice of cultivating her curiosity. I flew across the U.S. to meet Anousheh, and it was definitely worth it! She is truly one of the most inspiring individuals I have ever met. She shared how trusting her curiosity has empowered her to pursue her passions and continue to find new ones. She also had some wonderful advice on how we can find our passion, achieve our dreams, and change the world for the better. Enjoy!
 
Episode Breakdown:
01:15 - What has propelled Anousheh to break so many barriers?
02:48 - Origins and significance of cultivating curiosity
05:25 - How did Anousheh deal with resistance to her curiosity and passions?
06:45 - Importance of asking questions
09:43 - How to overcome fear of failure
11:19 - How to discover your passion
12:55 - What Anousheh felt when she was about to launch into space
15:19 - How to connect the dots in life
16:13 - How to identify and take the first step towards your passion
21:40 - How to find your life purpose
24:00 - Anousheh’s advice for dealing with naysayers
26:03 - How to challenge the status quo: I introduce my idea of imagining a “Women Designed World” and discuss it with Anousheh.
27:50 - How is Anousheh redesigning her world?
32:33 - Anousheh’s take on work-life balance and her self-care practice
 
EXERCISE: IMAGINE A “WOMEN DESIGNED WORLD”
For the most part, we have inherited a world that was originally designed by men, for men. Imagining what I call, a “Women Designed World” is an exercise to help us identify the gaps in our world, challenge the status quo, and create systemic changes that will improve everyone’s lives.
I talked to Anousheh about this (starting at 26:03), but I first introduced this idea in Episode 2 with Harvard’s Iris Bohnet, so make sure to check out that conversation as well. Next, allow yourself to imagine a different life in a different world. What do you think a woman designed world would look like? What would it be like to live in a world designed by women? If you can’t think of anything, start by imagining how you would redesign your own life to better meet your unique needs. What would you love to change?
Share your ideas! #womendesignedworld
And remember:
You have the power to redesign your life, your organization, and your world!
 
 
More about Anousheh Ansari:
 
Anousheh Ansari is the CEO of the XPRIZE Foundation, the world’s leader in designing and operating incentive competitions to solve humanity’s grand challenges. Ansari, along with her family, sponsored the organization’s first competition, the Ansari XPRIZE, a $10 million competition that ignited a new era for commercial spaceflight.  Since then, she has served on XPRIZE’s Board of Directors.

Susan David, Ph.D. is one of the world’s leading management thinkers and an award-winning Harvard Medical School psychologist. She is the author of #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling book, “Emotional Agility,” and her TED Talk, “The Gift and Power of Emotional Courage,” went viral with over 1 million views in its first week of release.
In this episode, Dr. Paryavi asks Dr. David to share how we can develop the emotional courage and agility to manage our inner worlds and truly empower ourselves to thrive. Dr. David describes life-changing strategies and techniques for navigating our emotions and using the critical information they provide to transform how we live, parent, and lead.
 
Episode Notes from Maliheh Paryavi, PhD: 
 
“How we deal with our inner world drives everything.  Every aspect of how we love, how we live, how we parent, and how we lead.” - Dr. Susan David 
By the time I discovered Dr. Susan David’s TED Talk, I had spent years engaging in research, self-exploration, and lots of trial and error to learn how to manage my inner world and befriend my emotions. As I heard her speak, I kept thinking, “Where have you been all this time?” I started following her work and when I decided to launch this podcast, I knew it was critical to feature Susan’s message. We had an enriching conversation about how we can all learn to heal and manage our inner worlds, develop emotional courage and agility, and empower ourselves to thrive. From beginning to end, this episode is packed with powerful life and career-changing insights and inspiration. Enjoy!
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:57 - What does it take, internally, to thrive in the world?
04:38 - Why trying to “be positive” could be undermining your wellbeing and success
08:35 - Why avoiding difficult emotions devalues your mental health, wellbeing, and ability to reach your goals
12:14 - How to deal with and move through difficult emotions
16:39 - What are your emotions trying to tell you?
17:49 - Importance of being self-compassionate
19:08 - The power of labeling our emotions
21:07 - Embracing discomfort to have a meaningful life
24:17 - How to strengthen your emotional courage and raise emotionally agile children
29:30 - How to promote emotional courage in the workplace
32:09 - How to model emotional courage and lead by example
34:15 - The importance of learning to be with yourself and your emotions
37:15 - How to connect with your intrinsic wants and sustain your goals
40:52 - How to make small changes to transform your life
45:54 - How to free yourself from limiting beliefs and stories
50:26 - How to continue exploring your inner world
 
More about Susan David:
Susan David has a PhD in psychology (clinical) and a post-doctorate in emotions research from Yale. She is on faculty at Harvard Medical School and is co-founder and co-director of the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate. She has been awarded many prizes and scholarships for her academic work.
Named on the Thinkers50 global list of the top management thinkers, Susan has a passion for keynote speaking and management consulting, and is a renowned executive coach, who applies her knowledge of emotions, human motivation and change to individuals and organizations. She frequently works in the areas of personal leadership, culture, engagement, and people strategy. 
Susan has been an advisor to numerous leaders faced with difficult situations, including mergers and acquisitions, leadership transitions, and strategic revisions. She routinely consults at the most senior levels of Fortune 500 companies, and with other global organizations from industries as diverse as financial services, information technology, healthcare, utilities, pharmaceuticals, and mining. Her world-wide client list includes Ernst and Young Global, the World Economic Forum, the United Nations Development Program, BHP Bill

Christiane Northrup, M.D. is a leading authority on women’s health and wellness.  She is a board-certified OB/GYN, a three-time New York Times bestselling author of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom, The Wisdom of Menopause, and Goddesses Never Age: The Secret Prescription for Radiance, Vitality, and Well-being, and one of Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul 100.
In this episode, Dr. Paryavi shares her healing journey with Dr. Northrup, and together, they explore how we can all empower ourselves to achieve and sustain optimal health and wellbeing. Dr. Northrup also shares insights and inspiring stories from her amazing life and career as a pioneer in women’s health.
 
Episode Notes from Maliheh Paryavi, PhD: 
“The secret to thriving is the knowledge that we are never simply victims of our bodies. We have within us the ability to heal from anything and go on to live joy-filled lives.” - Dr. Christiane Northrup
 
I strongly believe that achieving and maintaining physical health requires a holistic approach that needs to honor and connect the mind, body, and spirit. When I was planning for this episode, I knew that I couldn’t find anyone else in the world who could speak to this with greater authority and in a more loving and empowering way than Dr. Northrup. I had the pleasure of visiting Dr. Northrup in Portland, Maine and simply being in her presence was a healing experience for me. I truly hope our conversation inspires you to love and befriend your body, feel empowered to tune into your inner guide, and design a life and career that honors you as a whole - mind, body, and spirit. Enjoy!
 
Episode Breakdown:
01:02 - Maliheh’s healing journey
03:26 - An empowering and holistic approach to health
07:34 - The shortcomings of modern medicine
09:34 - The power of the mind
11:32 - The body's infinite capacity to heal
12:11 - How to begin healing your body
16:34 - Finding your own path to healing
19:18 - Connecting with our emotions and finding our purpose
26:20 - Healing the parts of us that need to mature
29:06 - The healing powers of loving thoughts and gratitude
33:04 - Loving, appreciating, and accepting our bodies
37:35 - Tuning in and honoring our individual needs
44:24 - The unrealistic expectations and pressures faced by women
45:59 - How to redesign our world to better honor women
49:08 - How embracing your authentic self impacts your health
52:29 - The challenges of childcare
56:33 - Dr. Northrup's inspiring journey as a pioneer in women’s health and her advice for others
 
(Information and insights provided in this episode are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Please consult a medical professional directly for any health concerns.)
 
More about Dr. Christiane Northrup:
Christiane Northrup, M.D. is a visionary pioneer and a leading authority in the field of women’s health and wellness.  She is a board-certified OB/GYN, former assistant clinical professor of OB/GYN at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, and a three-time New York Times bestselling author of “Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom,” “The Wisdom of Menopause,” and “Goddesses Never Age: The Secret Prescription for Radiance, Vitality, and Well-being.” 
In 2013, Reader’s Digest named Dr. Northrup one of the “100 Most Trusted People in America.”  In 2016, she was named one of Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul 100, a group of leaders who are using their voices and talent to awaken humanity. And in 2018, Dr. Northrup received the first Mind/Body Healing award, a special category within the New Thought Walden Awards, honoring those who use empowering spiritual ideas and philosophies to change lives and make the planet a better place.
Internationally known for her empowering approach, Dr. Northrup embraces medicine that acknowledges the unity of mind, body, emotions, and spirit, and teaches women to create health by tuning into

Amaney Jamal is a Professor of Politics at Princeton University and Director of the Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace and Justice. She is a Carnegie Scholar specializing in political behavior and development, and the author of the award-winning book "Barriers to Democracy."
In this episode, Professor Jamal and Dr. Paryavi discuss challenges of representation in academia, belonging, self-acceptance, and women's empowerment. Professor Jamal also shares her inspiring journey as a scholar, leader, and mother of four.
 
Episodes Notes from Maliheh Paryavi, PhD:
 
I’ll never forget the first time I met Amaney Jamal back in 2014. We were at a workshop in Abu Dhabi and I was completely awestruck. Seeing and meeting her had such a significant impact on me as a PhD student. I start the episode sharing this and thanking Amaney for being such an inspiring presence. Having the opportunity to give gratitude in person, host her on this podcast, and hear her amazing journey meant so much to me. She is a remarkable example of how we can break through barriers and succeed when we combine grit with embracing who we are. I truly hope our conversation inspires you to continue to honor yourself and live your life to the fullest. Enjoy!
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:55 - Amaney's impact on Maliheh as a role model
03:57 - The importance of descriptive representation
06:05 - The challenge of diversity in academia
08:05 - Empowering yourself though education
11:20 - Amaney's journey as an academic
13:28 - The challenges of belonging and how to belong
15:48 - Importance of self-acceptance
18:45 - Assimilation while staying true to yourself and your values
22:39 - The possibility of multiple modernities within the modern world and what that could mean for women's empowerment
26:15 - Shifting attitudes towards women's empowerment in the Middle East
32:13 - Honoring one’s personal spiritual path
34:40 - Importance of taking breaks and gaining perspective
35:39 - Balancing responsibilities as a mother of four
38:59 - Inspiring children through own success and leadership
41:12 - Following your passion while facing conflicting external pressures and expectations
44:15 - The importance of prioritizing self-care
 
More about Amaney Jamal:
Amaney A. Jamal is the Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Politics at Princeton University and Director of the Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace and Justice. Jamal also directs the Workshop on Arab Political Development and the Bobst-American University of Beirut Collaborative Initiative.  
Her book, Barriers to Democracy (2007), which explores the role of civic associations in promoting democratic effects in the Arab world, won the 2008 American Political Science Best Book Award in the Comparative Democratization section. Her other books include, Of Empires and Citizens and her co-edited volume Arab Americans Before and After 9/11. Jamal’s articles have appeared in the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, Comparative Political Studies, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Comparative Politics, Perspectives on Politics, International Migration Review, and other venues. Her article “Does Islam Play a Role in anti-Immigrant Sentiment: An Experimental Approach.”, in Social Science Research 2015 won the 2016 Louis Wirth Best Article Award: American Sociological Association, International Migration Section.  
Jamal is the co-Principal of the Arab Barometer Project (Winner of the Best Dataset in the Field of Comparative Politics (Lijphart/Przeworski/Verba Dataset Award 2010), and has secured over 4 million dollars in grants for this and other projects from the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), National Science Foundation (NSF), NSF: Time-Sharing Experiments for the Social Sciences (TESS), Qatar National Research Fund, (QNRF), United States Institute of Peace (USIP), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC),