Angela Duckworth (Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best, Grit) is a psychologist, MacArthur Fellow, and professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Angela returns to the Armchair Expert to discuss nearly drowning while trying to save her mother, apologizing 15 years later to an author she treated poorly, and how a graduate student’s critique of Grit changed the direction of her work. Angela and Dax talk about why achieving goals rarely delivers happiness, how Leon Marchand changed his environment to break Michael Phelps’s world record, and why the people around us deserve more credit for our success. Angela explains why grit isn’t always enough, how our surroundings shape our behavior before we realize it, and why changing your situation can actually give you more agency. Watch the fact check: https://youtu.be/1ad4DAdj8mU Thank you to our presenting partner Lilly. Lilly’s Foundayo™(orforglipron). Advertisement Disclaimer: Please see Indications and Safety Summary with Warnings for Foundayo™(orforglipron) at https://www.foundayo.lilly.com/risk Start your 2 month free trial today: https://youtube.com/premium . Terms Apply. Cancel Anytime. Check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds: https://www.allstate.com/ Take printer ink off your to-do list with HP Smart Tank | http://www.hp.com/SmartTank Watch Armchair Expert episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzPEuwClyOzDdlrAmU-IwKncG87qrF7Vw Follow Armchair Expert on social: https://www.instagram.com/armchairexppod https://www.facebook.com/ArmchairExpPod/ https://twitter.com/armchairexppod Connect with Wondery https://wondery.com/shows/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ https://www.facebook.com/WonderyMedia https://twitter.com/WonderyMedia https://www.instagram.com/WonderyMedia https://www.tiktok.com/@wonderymedia About the Show: Hi, I’m Dax Shepard, and I love talking to people. I am endlessly fascinated by the messiness of being human, and I find people who are vulnerable and honest about their struggles and shortcomings to be incredibly sexy. I invite you to join me as I explore other people’s stories. We will celebrate, above all, the challenges and setbacks that ultimately lead to growth and betterment. What qualifies me for such an endeavor? More than a decade of sobriety, a degree in Anthropology and four years of improv training. I will attempt to discover human “truths” without any laboratory work, clinical trials or data collection. I will be, in the great tradition of 16th-century scientists, an Armchair Expert. Watch Armchair Expert every MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, and FRIDAY here on Youtube! Listen to episodes ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting https://wondery.com/shows/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ Chapters: 0:00 - Yellows and Greens 6:55 - Endorsements 15:54 - Blaming Situations 24:07 - Bob Bowman 35:06 - Chasing Goals 39:30 - Mom In The Ocean 47:36 - The Three Box Parabol 51:36 - Location Location Location 58:35 - GLP-1s 1:08:45 - Reward Systems 1:16:44 - Loneliness Epidemic 1:22:07 - Dr. Bob and Bill W. 1:30L57 - Girl Groups #armchairexpert #daxshepard #AngelaDuckworth #Situated #Grit #AngelaDuckworthInterview #GritBook #SituatedBook #Perseverance #PassionAndPersistence #UniversityOfPennsylvania #MacArthurGenius #PsychologyInterview #AngelaDuckworth2026 #SelfImprovementBook #WillpowerVsSituation #Achievement #BehavioralScience #AuthorInterview #NonfictionAuthor #GritAuthor #NewYorkTimesBestseller