Why Young People Are Struggling | Angela Duckworth

About this episode

Dr. Angela Duckworth discusses the mental health crisis among young people and the importance of grit and purpose in overcoming challenges.

Why are young people today reporting the highest levels of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and despair in modern history? Dr. Angela Duckworth is a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and one of the world’s leading voices on grit, self-control, and the science of thriving. In this conversation with Dr. Michael Gervais, Angela reflects on how her thinking about grit has evolved, where it’s often misunderstood, and why perseverance without purpose can become harmful instead of helpful. They explore what excellence really looks like behind the scenes. Not the highlight reel, but the long stretch of deliberate practice and repeated effort that most people never see. Angela also reframes passion as something that develops over time, and offers a practical lens for staying committed when enthusiasm fades and outcomes take longer than expected. The conversation expands beyond performance into family life and parenting. They examine the cultural forces shaping today’s youth: the rise of social media, the erosion of in-person connection, the displacement of nature, and the unintended consequences of modern parenting. Angela shares what the data actually shows about…

People in this episode

Host: Michael Gervais

Guest: Angela Duckworth

Topics covered

• anxiety
• depression
• loneliness
• grit
• self-control
• mental health
• parenting
• social media

Keywords

• thriving
• perseverance
• cultural forces
• modern parenting
• deliberate practice

More episodes of Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

• The Psychology Of Spirituality | Dr. Lisa Miller · June 10, 2026 · 1h 1m
• The Psychology of Awareness | Jon Kabat-Zinn · June 3, 2026 · 1h 1m
• The Psychology Of Not Giving A F*ck | Mark Manson · May 27, 2026 · 48 min
• The Psychology Of Feeling Loved | Dr Sonja Lyubomirsky · May 20, 2026 · 1h 4m
• The Psychology of Being a Super Communicator | Charles Duhigg · May 13, 2026 · 52 min
• 5 Questions to Unlock Your Inner Potential | Dr. Mike Gervais - AMA Vol.29 · May 6, 2026 · 60 min