Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
High achievers don’t wake up every morning thinking, “I hate this, but I’m going to force myself through it.” Here's what they think instead.
After more than 20 years studying achievement, #1 New York Times bestselling author Angela Duckworth has identified four thoughts that help people put forth their best: “This is interesting. This is important. I can do this. I know what to try next.”
But those thoughts aren’t just a matter of having the right attitude. Angela says we also need to ask: what kind of situation makes those thoughts more likely?
Angela’s new book, Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best, is out tomorrow! In the hotly anticipated follow-up to Grit, she builds on her groundbreaking research to reveal another side to high achievement: perseverance matters, but so do the situations that help us sustain it. And by changing our situation, we can change what we're capable of.
Angela is a MacArthur Genius and a pioneering psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania. A Lavin Exclusive Speaker, she gives practical, research-backed keynotes on grit, achievement, and how we can bring out the best in ourselves and others.
Learn more about her and her new book on our website at the link in bio!
High achievers don’t wake up every morning thinking, “I hate this, but I’m going to force myself through it.” Here's what they think instead.
After more than 20 years studying achievement, #1 New York Times bestselling author Angela Duckworth has identified four thoughts that help people put forth their best: “This is interesting. This is important. I can do this. I know what to try next.”
But those thoughts aren’t just a matter of having the right attitude. Angela says we also need to ask: what kind of situation makes those thoughts more likely?
Angela’s new book, Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best, is out tomorrow! In the hotly anticipated follow-up to Grit, she builds on her groundbreaking research to reveal another side to high achievement: perseverance matters, but so do the situations that help us sustain it. And by changing our situation, we can change what we're capable of.
Angela is a MacArthur Genius and a pioneering psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania. A Lavin Exclusive Speaker, she gives practical, research-backed keynotes on grit, achievement, and how we can bring out the best in ourselves and others.
Learn more about her and her new book on our website at the link in bio!
