The Mel Robbins Podcast

This One Episode Will Change How You Think About the World & Your Life (From #1 Cancer Surgeon)

345 snips
Mar 19, 2026
Dr. Rahul Jandial, a cancer neurosurgeon and neuroscientist at City of Hope, shares hard-won lessons from the edge of life. He talks about regret, bold life pivots, and how crises strip away what does not matter. You’ll hear his journey from college dropout to surgeon, plus practical themes around panic, attention, resilience, and getting unstuck when life turns upside down.
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ADVICE

Rewrite Regret Into Im Glad I Did

  • Replace "I wish I had" with "I'm glad I did" and then fill in the lesson, relationship, or growth that came from it.
  • Rahul Jandial says this is active mental work, the same core move behind stoicism, Buddhism, and cognitive behavioral therapy.
ADVICE

Slow Your Breathing Before You Do Anything Else

  • When crisis hits, slow your breathing immediately so you do not spiral into panic and lose decision-making capacity.
  • Rahul Jandial uses paced breaths in surgery and says blowing off too much carbon dioxide through hyperventilation can trigger panic.
INSIGHT

People Regret Ignoring Their Quiet Instincts

  • When time feels short, people rarely celebrate being practical; they regret not being bolder with their hunches.
  • Rahul Jandial hears patients wish they had acted on subtle instincts to change direction, not necessarily made dramatic reckless moves.
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