Dr. Angela Duckworth

the better the act, the more virtuous.

Now, in my 50s, I can say, no, no, no, no, no.

Why don't you... There's so many problems in the world.

Honestly, there's so many problems in the world.

You don't have to solve all of them.

You can't solve all of them.

Why don't you focus on the subset that is interesting to you, right?

So that you're not only fulfilling a sense of personal...

purpose and doing the right thing.

But my goodness, if you love flowers, can't you find a way to make the world a better place that also allows you to enjoy this, you know, very serious hobby that you have?

Like,

Why do you have to always go in the direction that is against the grain?

And I will tell you, Mel, it took me a long time to fully internalize that.

Now, to me, I mean, this conversation to me is part of my purpose, right?

Like, I want to make the world a psychologically wiser place.

And if I can do that with one person, then I will have lived a good life.

But I did not choose history.

I did not choose current events.

I would be a terrible elected politician.

I can barely name all 50 states in the union.