Angela Duckworth — Situated - with Daniel Pink — at St. Paul's

In Angela Duckworth’s first book, she showed that a common denominator of successful strivers is a blend of passion and perseverance she dubbed “grit.” This second book springs from her deepening realization that grit, while necessary, is sometimes not sufficient. How you situate yourself to meet a challenge can be crucial.

Duckworth’s in-depth research reveals the enormous influence wielded by the objects within arm’s reach, your peers and mentors, and even your zip code. Though you’re often told to make the best of your situation, it is far, far better to make your situation better first.

In Situated, you’ll discover:
-Why your personality changes, sometimes dramatically, from one situation to another—and how you can harness that shift
-The secret to conquering temptation without willpower
-Why taking the less effortful path can feel like cheating but often solves a stubborn problem
-How the company you keep shapes the person you become
-The most effective ways to help others succeed

Highlighting four essential elements of successful situations, Duckworth shows how high performers like Taylor Swift, Michael Phelps, and Jerry Seinfeld create situations that make it easier to excel. And with disarming honesty, she shares her own struggles with burnout and marriage—and how learning to change her situation, not herself, made all the difference. Whatever it is you want to achieve, there’s a situation that can make your journey easier.

It takes effort to make your situation your ally—but a little effort goes a long way…when you get situated.

Angela Duckworth, PhD, is a psychologist, a MacArthur Fellow, and the Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Duckworth’s TED talk is among the most viewed of all time. Her first book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance was a #1 New York Times bestseller and has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide. Her second book is called Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best.

Duckworth will be in conversation with Daniel Pink. Pink is the author seven bestselling nonfiction books, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers, Drive and To Sell is Human. His books have been translated into 46 languages and have sold more than 5 million copies around the world. Pink is also a playwright, with two plays — Fielder’s Choice and Julia C — now in development.