Hi, I’m Ben.

I’m the founder of 80,000 Hours and helped to start the effective altruism movement.

80,000 Hours is a non-profit that provides free research and support to help people find careers that effectively tackle the world’s most pressing problems.

I was the lead author of the 80,000 Hours Career Guide and Advanced Series. I write about career strategy, doing good, and using research to have a nice life.

Right now I’m on sabbatical – traveling, studying Chinese and meditating.

See my full bio.

Follow all my writing on Twitter.

Or random personal things on instagram.

Writing 

Some of the writing I’m more proud of:

• The 80,000 Hours advanced series (formerly key ideas series)
• The 80,000 Hours career guide
• An introduction to effective altruism
• A list of the world’s most pressing problems
• The case for reducing extinction risks
• Podcast: what’s the core idea of effective altruism?
• Talent gaps vs. funding gaps
• Is it fair to say most social interventions don’t work? & All the studies we could find on how much solutions to social problems differ in effectiveness.
• How communities can coordinate to do more good
• Video: How to compare the world’s most pressing problems
• My updates on effective altruism after FTX
  

Some of my most popular writing & media:

• What makes for a dream job? What the evidence says.
• TEDx: To find work you love, don’t follow your passion
• What are the world’s biggest problems?
• All the evidence-based advice we could find on being more successful

See a list of everything I’ve written at 80,000 Hours.

Media requests

If you’d like to write about me or 80,000 Hours, email uliana@benjamintodd.org.

Here’s a short interview with me on BBC Radio 4, and here’s a longer interview with me by Sam Harris.

Also see: my bio on LinkedIn, two more interviews with me on SuperDataScience and Clearer Thinking, and past media coverage of 80,000 Hours (including TIME, the Telegraph & the Economist).

Some other interests

• Philosophy & physics: here’s a video by one of my favourite tutors at university (sad this was never made), and an interview we did with another.
• Investing: See some of my investing philosophy, favourite book.
• Travel: I traveled from Tokyo to Singapore overland before university, mostly by train. I’ve been to China 10 times, and I speak Chinese, badly.
• Secular Buddhism: I’ve been to meditation retreat at Gaia House annually since 2016, and have made it a bigger focus since 2022. Some of my biggest influences are: Shamil Chandaria, Rob Burbea, Michael Taft, and Loch Kelly.
• Personal developmenty stuff: Once a year I do an annual life review – some others have found the process useful, so here’s the 2020 version, and the simpler 2019 version. Right now I’m also practicing IFS and here’s an article I wrote about evidence-based personal development.
• Fitness: Besides the normal things (lately weightlifting), I practice qigong (though I’m not sure about qi), acroyoga, and once kick-boxed for Oxford.
• Food: Some favourite restaurants: Bocca di Lupo, St John, Kiln, Ozone, Bartavelle, Oli’s Thai, Kaizen, Mao Chow.
• Music: the future, juddery rhythms, arvo stabat, spacious jazz,

Consulting & speaking

I consult on non-profit startup strategy, and currently advise the Global Priorities Institute at the University of Oxford, the Centre for Effective Altruism, and the Tianxia Academy. I was one of the first non-profit founders to go through Y Combinator. I do public speaking, and have given a TEDx talk.

Say hello

Contact me: ben at 80000hours.org

Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.