Psychologist Angela Duckworth studies the traits that allow us to stick to our goals — and she chose four great talks that explore other facets of how human beings behave.

What does it take to persevere and succeed, not just in our careers but in all aspects of our lives? For psychologist Angela Duckworth, the answer can be summed up in one concept: grit. She explains the ingredients in grit and the experiences that make one person persist where another gives up -- and offers concrete steps to instill grit early i...

Leaving a high-flying job in consulting, Angela Lee Duckworth took a job teaching math to seventh graders in a New York public school. She quickly realized that IQ wasn't the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled. Here, she explains her theory of "grit" as a predictor of success.

At the University of Pennsylvania, Angela Lee Duckworth studies intangible concepts such as self-control and grit to determine how they might predict both academic and professional success.

Great life advice for the moment after you throw your mortarboard in the air.

Be inspired to find the work you love to do with these TED Talks full of passion and zeal.

What defines success -- and what is a failure, exactly? Readjust your expectations with these novel, refreshing perspectives on what it means to “win” and “lose”.

How can we create an education system that works for kids, instead of against them? Watch eight inspiring talks from TED's May 2013 PBS special, given in their entirety.

These talks drive home the many different ways to get better at what you care about.

Head of TED Chris Anderson speaks with fascinating individuals to dig into some of the most provocative and powerful ideas of our time.

How to be happier at work? Start by focusing on happiness -- not, surprisingly, on work. We learned this fun fact from Shawn Achor's TED Talk. So we asked Achor to choose some more talks he loves, about making work and life a happier place.

No one can decide your self-worth. Let these talks serve as a gentle reminder that you are enough.

You know how to write a resume and ask for a promotion. These talks go beyond the basics, offering insightful advice on how to think about our work lives.

So, you've decided to pursue your dreams. Go you! It'll be hard work, but well worth the effort. Throughout your quest, let these TED Talks reinvigorate your sense of purpose when times get tough.

Success can mean: feeling that tingle of excitement about what you do, sticking with what matters through hard times, living a life you can feel proud of in retrospect. These talks say it all.

Maybe a huge project just landed on your desk. Or you're feeling like your co-workers don't appreciate you. Whatever has you down, these talks offer the deep breath you need.

A thoughtful selection of engaging TED Talks, translated into 40+ languages thanks to our wonderful TED Translators community!

On Tuesday night, PBS and TED joined forces to air TED Talks Education, a one-hour televised special, featuring passionate teachers, students and researchers from the field who shared their ideas about transforming the US education system. We were so inspired by these spirited speakers that we asked them to curate playlists of their favorite...

A selection of fascinating TED Talks for when you need to feed your intellectual curiosity (in 10 minutes or less).

Are schools killing creativity? What makes a great leader? How can I find happiness? These 25 talks are the ones that you and your fellow TED fans just can't stop sharing. (Updated January 2023)

Need a new reason to get up in the morning? Enrich your life by finding and developing your next passion, with tips from psychology researcher Angela Duckworth. Ever watch The Great British Bake-off? It’s an addictive reality TV show about the hunt for Britain’s best amateur baker. Few of the contestants cook for a living -- baking is simply th...

Six TED speakers have been recognized in the 2013 class of MacArthur Fellows. Each recipient will heretofore be unofficially known as a "genius" and will very officially receive a no-strings-attached prize of $625,000 to support his or her creative instincts for the benefit of society. We salute all 24 of this year's winners, of course. B...

A design competition to reimagine death. 100 percent of the human population will die, and yet, why don’t we design for this inevitable outcome? OpenIDEO, design and innovation firm IDEO’s online innovation platform, has launched a new public design challenge to “reimagine the end of life experience.” BJ Miller is an advisor on the project a...

This short post collects messages and reflections on Rita Pierson, who passed away Friday in Texas. If Dr. Pierson's talk or work touched your life, please share in the comments below. So very sorry to have this terrible news. I only met Dr. Pearson on the day of the recording and was deeply impressed as we all were by her passion, vivac...

Whether you put on your cap and gown last week -- or last century -- these honest answers can give you some insight and guidance. “If you don't know what you want to do with the rest of your life, you're not a failure. Give yourself time and get yourself experience to figure things out.” -- Angela Duckworth (TED Talk: Grit -- the power of pass...

TED is coming to a TV screen near you. On Tuesday, May 7, our first-ever television special will air on PBS at 10pm. Called TED Talks Education, the special is a deep dive on ideas to make our education system stronger – with talks from teachers, learning experts, education researchers and more. The speaker roster includes: host John Legend,...

About this event: You are cordially invited to the next TEDxTheHague salon! Our October edition — themed The Strength of Willpower — is curated by TEDxTheHague treasurer Peter van den Berg. Peter writes: "What is willpower and how does it work? The subject is hardly investigated. The number of scientific studies and literature lags far behind topics like poli...

By Bill Gates I spend a lot of my time working to help improve America’s schools. I’m also a big fan of TED Talks. So when TED’s Chris Anderson asked me to give a talk as part of a special TED session on education, I jumped at the chance. The show premieres on PBS this Tuesday, May 7, at 10 p.m. Eastern/9 p.m. Central. (Here’s a preview. ...

Four TED speakers have been given the AIGA Centennial Medal, billed as “the highest honor in the design profession.” Chip Kidd (watch his talk), David Carson (watch his talk), Bob Greenberg (who spoke at TED3, in 1992, and will appear at TED2014), Nancye Green (who spoke at TED2, in 1990!) are among the 24 medalists. B.J. Novak of The Office ...

By Olivia Cucinotta and Emily McManus Here, a look at just a few members of the TED community making headlines this week. Rob Knight’s American Gut project released its latest results this week, with data from the microbiomes (i.e., the microbial world inside each human body) of 3,238 participants so far. Some interesting facts they’ve c...