Digest for 11/29/2025

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.

Dr Lucy Hone is a resilience expert who thought she found her calling supporting people to recover following the Christchurch earthquake. She had no idea that her personal journey was about to peak when her own family experienced a devastating loss. In this powerful and personal talk, she shares the three strategies that got her family through incredible loss.

Writer Andrew Solomon has spent his career telling stories of the hardships of others. Now he turns inward, bringing us into a childhood of adversity, while also spinning tales of the courageous people he's met in the years since. In a moving, heartfelt and at times downright funny talk, Solomon gives a powerful call to action to forge meaning from our biggest struggles.

Tom Gruber shares his vision of a future where AI helps each person achieve their full potential — and still leaves us in control of our lives.

What will a future with intuitive AI look like? Futurist Maurice Conti offers a look at technology that augments human creativity and intelligence, from generative design to augmented reality.

Andrew Ng explains how AI could transform any industry by unlocking human potential through accessible machine learning tools.

Majora Carter redefined the field of environmental equality, starting in the South Bronx by pulling her community out of decline with green initiatives and rethinking sustainable urban development.

Green-minded architect and designer William McDonough asks what our buildings and products would look like if designers took into account all children, all species, for all time.

At his carpet company, Ray Anderson has increased sales and doubled profits while turning the traditional 'take / make / waste' industrial system on its head. In a gentle, understated way, he shares a powerful vision for sustainable commerce.