Shankar Vedantam

Other friends are basically encouraging Gary in his delusion.

What did you do?

It must have been very difficult for you to say what you said to him, Dave, but also very difficult for him to listen to it.

This is not the kind of thing that a friend is supposed to tell you.

I'm wondering how Gary took your advice and what he did with it.

When we come back, why the most important thing might not be figuring out where you want to go, but accepting where it is you are.

You're listening to Hidden Brain.

I'm Shankar Vedantam.

This is Hidden Brain.

I'm Shankar Vedantam.

At Stanford University, Dave Evans studies a concept called design thinking.

He says that the same principles that engineers and innovators use to solve complex problems can also be applied to designing our lives, making them more meaningful, joyful, and fulfilling.

Dave, we talked about your friend Gary, who was in denial about the seriousness of his strokes.

You told him he had two options, to die well or to go out kicking and screaming.

I want to go back to early March of 2020.

The COVID pandemic had just broken and worries about illness were on all of our minds.

Paint a picture for me of what was happening in your life at the time.

I cannot imagine how this news must have struck you, Dave.

How did you and Claudia react?

It's strange that you say that it was a wonderful year of your life, Dave.