How to Stop Wasting Your Potential with Historian Rutger Bregman
Apr 29, 2025
32:15
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Quick takeaways
Rutger Bregman emphasizes the importance of 'moral ambition' in redefining success by focusing on meaningful societal contributions rather than personal financial gain.
The podcast discusses the need for community and collaboration to initiate significant change, highlighting the collective effort required to tackle pressing global challenges.
Deep dives
Understanding Moral Ambition
Moral ambition combines the idealism of an activist with the ambition of an entrepreneur, creating a powerful drive to contribute positively to society. This concept prompts individuals to question the significance of their work and to seek careers that genuinely align with personal values. Many people find themselves trapped in jobs that do not utilize their talents for a greater purpose, leading to a widespread feeling of burnout and disconnection from their contributions. By embracing moral ambition, individuals can redefine success by focusing on meaningful impacts rather than traditional metrics like salary and job title.
Redefining Success
There is a growing disconnection between career choices made by highly educated individuals and the pressing global challenges we face today. A significant portion of graduates from prestigious universities, like Harvard, often gravitate towards high-paying fields such as finance or consulting, which can lead to a waste of talent that could otherwise address critical issues like poverty, climate change, and health crises. This shift in focus from meaningful contributions to financial gain reflects a broader societal change in how we define success. An alternative path rooted in moral ambition encourages individuals to consider how they can uniquely address societal needs and contribute positively.
Cultivating Collective Action
The journey towards moral ambition often requires community and collaboration, as no one can initiate meaningful change in isolation. Establishing groups or circles focused on shared goals can provide the necessary support and resources to tackle major global challenges collectively. This cooperative approach has historical precedents in successful movements, which demonstrate the importance of building coalitions across diverse perspectives to achieve impactful outcomes. Embracing this model encourages individuals to step outside traditional roles and be proactive in addressing issues that resonate with their skills and passions, ultimately contributing to a larger movement for change.
When it comes time to choose a career, we’re often told to follow our passions and optimize for things like title and salary. But rarely do we pause to consider the impact of our work and whether or not it actually matters. In a world where preventable tragedies occur every day, failing to consider the social impact of our careers is a missed opportunity – and perhaps a moral failing, too.
On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, guest host Jessi Hempel talks with historian and bestselling author Rutger Bregman about his new book “Moral Ambition: How to Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference.” Rutger introduces his concept of “moral ambition,” which challenges readers to rethink what it means to success. Rutger makes the case that talented, privileged professionals must move beyond aiming for status, wealth and personal achievement and use their skills to address the world’s most pressing problems.
