Podcast Summary: "How to Master Emotional Power & How Elevators Changed the World – SYSK Choice"

Podcast: Something You Should Know
Host: Mike Carruthers
Guests: Dr. Julia DiGangi (Neuropsychologist), Dr. Lee Gray (Professor of Architectural History)
Date: October 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode is divided into two main explorations:

1. Mastering Emotional Power – Dr. Julia DiGangi discusses the neuroscience of emotional energy, how our brains process uncertainty, and how to transform your life by leading with emotional power rather than seeking certainty.
2. The History & Impact of Elevators – Dr. Lee Gray sheds light on the evolution of elevators, their quirky social role, safety myths, and how they enabled the modern vertical city.

Part 1: Mastering Emotional Power with Dr. Julia DiGangi

Defining Emotional Power

• Dr. DiGangi explains that emotional power is not needed when life is easy but is revealed in moments of "emotional resistance," when things do not go our way.
• "All of our emotional power shows up in the moments of emotional resistance." – Dr. Julia DiGangi [06:00]

The Role of Uncertainty in Emotional Stress

• The human brain is a "pattern detection machine," happiest in familiar, predictable situations.
• Uncertainty (ambiguity, confusion) is the most taxing emotional state, more challenging than anger or sadness.
• To cope, people engage in "the overs": overworking, overthinking, over-communicating, etc., using excess energy in hopes of creating certainty.
• "The more we obsessively seek certainty, the sicker we get. The more anxious we get, the more afraid we get, the more agitated we get." – Dr. Julia DiGangi [00:47 and 10:55]

Self-Trust vs. Certainty

• Contrary to common belief, the opposite of uncertainty isn’t certainty—it's self-trust.
• Dr. DiGangi notes that our cultural obsession with controlling the external world (people, events) leads to internal neglect and increased anxiety.
• "If I had to distill all my work down to a single question, it would be this: How can I control these people who matter to me, so that their behavior doesn't make me feel things I don't like to feel?" – Dr. Julia DiGangi [12:25]

Emotional Patterns & Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

• People repeat emotional narratives unconsciously, which act as self-fulfilling prophecies (e.g., “Things never work out for me”).
• Experimental evidence shows that perception is colored by affect—anxious people view neutral stimuli as threatening.
• "How your brain makes meaning is predicated on affective circuits in the brain." – Dr. Julia DiGangi [19:10]

Practical Applications: Leadership & Parenting

In Leadership:

• Emotional energy is contagious: leaders’ moods and behaviors ripple through teams.
• "Your job is actually not to motivate anyone. Your job is to motivate yourself and trust that they will catch the energy of that motivation." – Dr. Julia DiGangi [22:10]
• Intrinsic motivation works better than extrinsic rewards; enthusiasm and authenticity from leaders truly inspire teams.

In Parenting:

• Parents often try to control kids' actions to ease their own anxiety.
• Pressuring kids to override their emotions (e.g., “Eat your broccoli,” “Say sorry when you’re not”) teaches them self-doubt and people-pleasing.
• "What we're really teaching our children is their own emotional experiences can't be trusted." – Dr. Julia DiGangi [27:15]
• Parental anxiety is directly linked to anxious children.

On Catastrophizing:

• Parents can spiral from a small concern (e.g., unfinished homework) to worst-case scenarios.
• Naming and addressing one's own emotional patterns alleviates unnecessary drama and helps foster emotional resilience in children.

Memorable Final Thought

• "There can be something very healing and very empowering when we start to understand how our emotions are coloring the ways we're acting with our children and other people we love." – Dr. Julia DiGangi [29:18]

Part 2: How Elevators Changed the World with Dr. Lee Gray

Early Passenger Elevators

• The first purpose-built passenger elevator in the U.S. was in New York's Fifth Avenue Hotel (1859), invented by Otis Tufts.
• It used a massive screw mechanism—very slow but prioritized safety and luxury over speed.
• "The idea initially, of course, wasn't speed—it was luxury… I'm going to this hotel to be pampered." – Dr. Lee Gray [36:47]

Evolution of Elevator Technology

• Speed and convenience became priorities over time, but safety remained paramount.
• Until the 1920s, elevators required skilled operators to stop at correct levels; automation came with technological advancements.
• Escalators emerged in the 1890s for continuous, high-capacity movement without operators.

Social Impact and Awkwardness

• Elevators are uniquely awkward social spaces, especially for Americans unaccustomed to close quarters.
• "If you made a list of the most socially awkward spaces, you know the elevator’s probably at the top of the list." – Dr. Lee Gray [51:11]
• Elevator design and operation have evolved to address social and technological challenges.

Urban Myths & Safety

• Modern elevators are extremely safe—failures and free-fall accidents are virtually nonexistent since the 1950s.
• Safety features include multi-dimensional sensors and overweight alarms.
• The "door close" button is real, but is typically delayed by a timer to ensure passenger safety.
• "There's a lot of urban myths about those [door close buttons]... depending on how the elevator is set up, it may not function immediately." – Dr. Lee Gray [46:48]

Elevators, Buildings, and City Planning

• Dividing elevator banks by floor zones optimizes traffic flow and frees rentable space on higher floors.
• Well-maintained elevators can last decades; modernization occurs when buildings’ needs change, not just due to age.

Fun Fact

• Mike notes every elevator has a unique smell—an observation that both entertains and resonates.

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• "The more we obsessively seek certainty, the sicker we get. The more anxious we get, the more afraid we get, the more agitated we get." – Dr. Julia DiGangi [00:47/10:55]
• "Our emotional power is who we become in the moment when we hit this emotional resistance or this emotional pain." – Dr. Julia DiGangi [06:00]
• "The opposite of uncertainty is not certainty. The opposite of uncertainty is self-trust." – Dr. Julia DiGangi [13:30]
• "You can't get inside someone else's nervous system, but you can work on yours… emotions are contagious." – Dr. Julia DiGangi [22:15]
• "All elevator stops were under the control of the operator. If you stopped the car within half an inch of level to the floor, that was considered a good job." – Dr. Lee Gray [39:09]
• "If you made a list of the most socially awkward spaces, you know the elevator’s probably at the top of the list." – Dr. Lee Gray [51:11]

Key Segment Timestamps

• [05:44] – Emotional power: what it really means
• [07:59] – Can people actually change emotional responses?
• [10:55] – Why uncertainty is tough on our brains
• [12:05] – External obsession vs. inner self-trust
• [19:10] – Self-fulfilling emotional prophecies
• [21:12] – The contagious nature of emotion in teams and families
• [27:15] – Parenting, emotional energy, and anxiety
• [33:47] – The world’s first passenger elevator
• [36:47] – Early elevators: luxury, not speed
• [39:09] – Elevator operator skill before automation
• [43:11] – Myths and realities of elevator safety
• [46:48] – Why 'close door' buttons often seem unresponsive
• [51:11] – Social awkwardness and the culture of elevators

Conclusion

This episode offers thought-provoking perspectives on human behavior, leadership, parenthood, and the objects (like elevators) that quietly shape our daily lives. Dr. Julia DiGangi’s insights on emotional mastery and Dr. Lee Gray’s exploration of elevator history are not only informational, but also packed with practical takeaways for personal wellbeing and social understanding. Whether you’re seeking emotional wisdom or simply want to never worry about elevators again, this episode is, as always, something you should know.