Making Your 80,000 Hours Count (with Benjamin Todd) episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 1, 2026 · 1H 7M

Making Your 80,000 Hours Count (with Benjamin Todd)

from EconTalk · host EconTalk: Russ Roberts

If you want to change the world, how you spend your 80,000 working hours may be the most important decision you can make. Benjamin Todd, founder of 80,000 Hours, joins EconTalk's Russ Roberts to dismantle the career advice you've been fed since childhood. "Follow your passion" turns out to be a trap. Chasing a big paycheck barely moves the happiness needle. And being a doctor has a smaller impact than you might think, says Todd. Todd and Roberts wrestle with the real ingredients of a fulfilling career--engaging work, supportive colleagues, meaningful problems--while debating whether Jeff Bezos has lived a worthy life and why most people won't part with 10% of their income to save lives abroad. Along the way, you'll meet unsung heroes like David Nalin, whose solution to dehydration saves millions of children's lives.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jun 1, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Making Your 80,000 Hours Count (with Benjamin Todd)

0:00 1:07:02

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of EconTalk?

This episode is 1 hour and 7 minutes long.

When was this EconTalk episode published?

This episode was published on June 1, 2026.

Can I download this EconTalk episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!