Ground your foundational values in maximizing the well-being and happiness of others, striving for actions that increase positive mental states and reduce suffering for the greatest number of people.
Define personal success in terms of the positive impact made on the world and contribution to humanity’s flourishing, as this perspective is more likely to lead to a meaningful and fulfilling life than the pursuit of financial gain or status alone.
Approach charitable giving and efforts to do good with scientific rigor, evidence, and argument, rather than being solely emotion-driven, to ensure maximum positive impact and avoid ineffective programs.
Actively work to reduce overconfidence in your beliefs and probability assessments by engaging in calibration exercises, which help you internalize what different likelihood percentages truly mean.
Cultivate intellectual humility by becoming ambivalent when an equally intelligent and well-reasoned person holds an opposing view, recognizing their equal likelihood of being correct and fostering an environment where the best argument prevails.
Dedicate a significant amount of time, even a few years, early in your career to try out various types of work to identify the area where you can achieve the most impact and develop deep interest, despite social pressures to accelerate.
Explore high-earning career paths with the intention of donating a substantial portion of your income, as this strategy can often generate more philanthropic impact than directly working in the non-profit sector.
When choosing a career, especially among plausibly impactful options, prioritize ‘personal fit’ by considering where you could become highly skilled and passionate after significant investment, rather than just current passions or skills.
Understand that passion often arises from achieving mastery in a subject or area, rather than being a prerequisite; invest time and effort to become proficient, and deep interest will likely develop.
Avoid the common mistake of ‘reinventing the wheel’ by always investigating how others have successfully accomplished a given task or goal, seeking out existing information, books, or direct advice from those with experience.
Re-evaluate personal spending on luxuries, considering that the same money could statistically save a child’s life in a poor country through effective interventions like distributing bed nets.
Calculate your financial needs for a happy life and commit to donating all income earned above that baseline to charity, potentially giving away a significant portion of lifetime earnings.
Donate income above a predetermined baseline once a year to maintain accountability and potentially achieve greater impact, as money donated earlier can compound in impact more effectively than financial investments.
Prioritize giving charitably earlier in life, as the impact of donations can compound over time, especially in growing cause areas, potentially yielding greater returns than typical financial investments.
To combat bureaucracy and inefficiency in philanthropy, support and rely on independent institutions that rigorously assess non-profits, providing essential feedback and guiding donations to the most impactful organizations.
To find highly effective giving opportunities, consult expert charity evaluators like GiveWell for global health and development, and the Open Philanthropy Project for strategic, long-term focused cause areas, both known for their transparency and rigorous research.
When choosing charitable interventions, prioritize those that can save a thousand lives over one, or save a life over curing a broken leg, focusing on maximizing the number of people benefited and the severity of the problem addressed.
Evaluate the effectiveness of charitable giving by measuring the return using metrics such as ‘Quality-Adjusted Life Years’ (QALYs), which combine life extension and quality of life improvement, or by the percentage increase in beneficiaries’ income.
Recognize that even well-intentioned programs can be actively harmful; always verify their effectiveness using high-quality evidence such as randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses, rather than relying on anecdotal feedback.
Broaden your philanthropic focus beyond traditional global health and development to include areas like the long-term future of humanity, recognizing that effective interventions in these areas may rely on less quantitative evidence.
When considering philanthropic structures, favor limited-life foundations that spend down their endowments over a set period, as perpetual foundations can become misaligned with original goals or address problems that are no longer relevant.
Employ the ‘Veil of Ignorance’ thought experiment – imagining how you would structure society if you didn’t know your own position within it – to develop more impartial and just moral views.
Actively challenge the ‘charity starts at home’ mindset by acknowledging the equal moral value of all individuals, regardless of their country of birth, and recognizing that greater impact can often be achieved by assisting the extremely poor globally.
Understand philanthropy’s role as a ’last line of defense’ for societal problems that are not effectively solved by market forces or government action, particularly for vulnerable populations or future generations.
Avoid the misconception that paying taxes is a form of charity, as taxes primarily fund public goods and services that are fundamental prerequisites for earning income and maintaining a functional society.
If in a position of government influence, prioritize investment in global public goods such as medical research, heavily focus development aid on global health, and rigorously test the effectiveness of all spending against direct cash transfers to the poor.
Strive for general honesty and aim to never lie, but avoid the extreme of ‘radical honesty’ that disregards the symbolic value of language or can be used insensitively, as words carry more than literal meaning.
Make an effort to proactively express positive feelings, appreciation, and respect for others, rather than holding back due to social reservations, as this can significantly improve relationships and well-being.
Find meaning and purpose in life by striving to contribute in ways that improve others’ lives as much as possible, and for humanity as a whole, by safeguarding its long-term future.