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How to be Awesome - With Almost no Effort (with John Green)

Apr 14, 2025 31m 2s 16 insights
<p>Best-selling author John Green wants to see less <em>suck</em> in the world and more <em>awesome - </em>and you can help achieve that right now! John's turned his attention to tuberculosis (TB) - a disease that is fixable and yet still kills millions of people. But you can stop that.&nbsp;</p> <p>TB is a disease of poverty - so if you can spare a buck, then you can save lives by donating to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.givedirectly.org/TB">GiveDirectly.org/tb</a></p> <p>Giving to help others is proven to make us feel happier and more hopeful in tough times, so Dr Laurie will match every dollar up to the first $10,000, and John will match donations up to $10,000 after that.&nbsp;</p> <p>It's a bad time for people everywhere - but even a dollar donated at <a href="https://www.givedirectly.org/TB">GiveDirectly.org/tb</a> will reduce the suck and increase the awesome.&nbsp;</p> <p>John's new book <a href="https://everythingistb.com">Everything is Tuberculosis</a> is out now.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>
Actionable Insights

1. Donate to GiveDirectly for TB

Donate to givedirectly.org/tb to help fix the totally fixable problem of tuberculosis and poverty, which is described as life-saving, happiness-inducing, and can be done with almost zero effort.

2. Give Cash Directly to the Poor

Support organizations like GiveDirectly that provide unconditional cash transfers directly to people in poverty, as this is one of the most effective and cost-effective ways to reduce poverty and its associated problems like TB.

3. Take Action to Build Hope

Actively engage in fixing “sucky” problems, as taking action helps build hope and makes the world feel less overwhelming.

4. Give Small Amounts to Boost Happiness

Donate even small sums like five or ten dollars to help others, as research indicates this boosts your own happiness more effectively than spending the same amount on personal consumption.

5. Engage in Collective Action

Participate in collective efforts, such as donating or advocating, as part of a larger community, because individual small contributions gain significant impact when combined with others.

6. Focus Resources on Chosen Problems

Dedicate your resources, time, and attention to specific world problems you choose to address, as this can make you feel better and prevent being overwhelmed by the sheer number of global issues.

7. Embrace Problems with Earnestness

Approach current problems, especially global health issues, with earnestness and optimism, as this is described as “the most punk rock thing to do.”

8. Channel Negative Emotions to Hope

Instead of pushing negative emotions aside, engage with them and actively use them to fuel hope, rather than allowing them to lead to despair.

9. Support Impactful Organizations

Contribute financially to organizations that are making a difference, as this is a functional way to help solve problems like TB.

10. Support Poverty Reduction Efforts

Donate to organizations that combat malnutrition and overall poverty, as historical data shows that when poverty goes down, tuberculosis rates also decrease.

11. Value and Direct Your Attention

Recognize your attention as an incredibly valuable resource and direct it towards problems, as paying attention makes them much more likely to be solved.

12. Empower People’s Financial Decisions

Empower individuals living in poverty to make their own financial decisions, as they are much better judges of how to spend money to improve their lives and address needs like food insecurity or housing.

13. Embrace Suffering for Meaning

Find meaning not by avoiding suffering, but by embracing it, as this aligns with the science of happiness.

14. Find Wonder in the Mundane

Seek out and appreciate the wonder that can be found in everyday, mundane experiences.

15. Band Together to Fix Things

Even in the face of terrible situations, choose to band together with others to actively work towards fixing problems.

16. Don’t Forget to Be Awesome

Remember to embody awesomeness in your actions and outlook.