By Angela Duckworth
Situated builds on the ideas explored in her bestselling book, Grit. While Grit focused on passion and perseverance, this book examines another factor behind achievement. Duckworth argues that success also depends on the situations people create around themselves.
Her research challenges the popular belief that people should simply adapt to difficult circumstances. Instead, she suggests that people can often improve their outcomes by changing their environments. The people around us, the objects within reach and the places we live can all influence our behaviour.
The hidden power of situations
In Situated, Duckworth explores how circumstances can shape personality, motivation and behaviour. She shows that people can behave differently across situations. Therefore, understanding these shifts can help individuals create conditions that support their goals.
The book offers several practical insights:
- 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.
Changing your situation versus changing yourself
Duckworth also examines how successful people deliberately shape their circumstances. She highlights figures such as Taylor Swift, Michael Phelps and Jerry Seinfeld. Their examples show how the right environment can help people use their existing strengths more effectively.
Importantly, Duckworth applies these ideas to her own experiences. She discusses burnout and difficulties in her marriage with unusual openness. These experiences helped her recognise that changing her situation could prove more effective than trying to change herself.
Situated encourages readers to look beyond individual effort when pursuing success. It shows how small environmental changes can produce meaningful results. The book also suggests that helping others requires attention to their circumstances.
Ultimately, Situated presents achievement as an interaction between people and their environments. It reminds readers that they do not always need more willpower. Sometimes, they need a better situation. Being Situated can therefore become a practical strategy for achieving personal and professional goals.
About the author
Angela Duckworth, PhD, is a psychologist, MacArthur Fellow and professor at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor. Her TED talk ranks among the most viewed of all time. Her book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance became a New York Times bestseller. It has sold more than five million copies worldwide.
Through Situated, Duckworth extends her research into achievement, behaviour and human potential. She offers readers a different way to understand success. Rather than focusing only on changing themselves, they can also learn to shape the situations around them.
- PUBLISHER | Penguin Random House SA |
- ISBN | 9781779890597 |
- Recommended Retail Price | R480.00 |
- Classification | Mind, Body & Spirit |
