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How to Make a Difference: Part 2

How to Make a Difference: Part 2

Think about the last time you had a discouraging thought. Maybe you told yourself, "This won't work. I'm not cut out for this." Did you take that thought as fact? Last week, we talked with psychologist Martin Seligman about why some people come to believe that their actions don’t matter. In the second part of our conversation, he explains how we can strengthen our sense of agency, learn to see new possibilities, and build confidence in our ability to shape what happens next.Anyone who has struggled with depression knows that it feels terrible. But is there a point to that terrible feeling? We consider a new way of thinking about depression in our latest YouTube video -- check it out, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss our future videos. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 3 · Season 149 min0 plays9/28/2026
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How to Make a Difference: Part 2

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How to Make a Difference: Part 2

NPR

Published Sep 28, 2026

0:0049:09

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Hidden Brain

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Shankar Vedantam

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About This Episode

Think about the last time you had a discouraging thought. Maybe you told yourself, "This won't work. I'm not cut out for this." Did you take that thought as fact? Last week, we talked with psychologist Martin Seligman about why some people come to believe that their actions don’t matter. In the second part of our conversation, he explains how we can strengthen our sense of agency, learn to see new possibilities, and build confidence in our ability to shape what happens next.Anyone who has struggled with depression knows that it feels terrible. But is there a point to that terrible feeling? We consider a new way of thinking about depression in our latest YouTube video -- check it out, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss our future videos. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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