From Pain to Progress: How Psychologist Julia DiGangi Overcame Her Own Mistakes

My Favorite Mistake Episode 191

My guest for Episode #191 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Julia DiGangi, the founder and CEO of NeuroHealth Partners, LLC.

Dr. DiGangi holds a Ph.D. in psychology and has worked in the field of neuroscience. She has published extensively in the scientific literature. She is known for her engaging, funny, and relatable communication style, which allows her to help others think about how the brain’s “wiring” affects workplace behaviors such as motivation, performance, and relationships.

She has also worked extensively in U.S. politics, including on presidential campaigns and at The White House Press Office, so she is accustomed to helping people gracefully navigate fast-paced, high-stakes professional environments. She has also given a TEDx talk on the relationship between our brains and stress.

In this episode, Julia tells her favorite mistake story about the very painful mistake of leaving academia. When did it feel like a mistake that “ruined everything” and how did she reach the point of “post-traumatic growth”? We also discuss her expertise in how the brain and the body react to mistakes and how we can go from “avoiding pain” to “choosing the most powerful pain.”

We also talk about questions and topics including:

Did you OVER in your academia work?

Was there a time when it DID feel like a mistake?

“Leaving the pain behind??” – “the brain is a pain detection machine” – the brain will generate pain

How did you end up in politics? This was before academia

What happens when you make a mistake — reaction in your nervous system?

Perfectionism — fear of mistakes

How do we move forward from those feelings?

Leadership & emotional intelligence are key themes

Are we OVERcomplicating E.I.?

Understanding others vs. understanding ourselves?

Upcoming book — tell us about that

“From Pain to Power….”