In complex fields like biotech and health, technical brilliance isn’t enough.

Judgment, psychological flexibility, and the ability to operate under uncertainty often determine who adapts — and who collapses.

In this episode, Dr. Alexandra Ilieva, philosopher and Teaching Associate in Buddhist Studies at the University of Cambridge, joins The Vitality Lab to explore how ideas from Madhyamaka Buddhism and contemporary pragmatism can function as practical tools for thinking clearly under pressure.

We examine:

• Why attaching identity to outcomes distorts judgment
• How the “voice in your head” shapes perception and decision-making
• Why over-identifying with views makes disagreement feel existential
• The difference between discovering yourself and constructing yourself
• How loosening atta ...