How to Be a Superhero for the World: The 5 Questions That Maximize Your Impact

What if you could multiply your impact—saving more lives, curing more diseases, and creating more happiness—just by asking a few smart questions? In Doing Good Better, Will MacAskill distills years of research into a simple, powerful framework: five questions that help anyone turn good intentions into world-changing results.

1. How many people benefit, and by how much? The scale of a problem matters. Focus on causes where your actions can help the most people, or make the biggest difference for each person.
2. Is this the most effective thing I can do? Some interventions are hundreds of times more effective than others. Always compare your options and choose the highest-impact one.
3. Is this area neglected? The less attention a cause gets, the more difference your support can make. Look for overlooked problems where your help is rare and precious.
4. What would happen if I didn’t act? This counterfactual thinking helps you measure your unique impact. If someone else would do the same thing anyway, your effect is less than you think.
5. What are the chances of success, and what’s at stake? Sometimes, risky bets with big potential payoffs—like advocating for policy change or preventing global catastrophes—are worth it, even if the odds are low.

Let’s see these questions in action. Imagine you’re deciding where to donate. Instead of following your heart alone, you use this checklist. You discover that giving to malaria prevention—an often neglected but massive problem—can save a life for a few thousand dollars, while other options have less measurable impact. Or, you consider volunteering: by choosing a role where your skills are rare, you make a unique, counterfactual difference.

This framework isn’t just for donors. It can guide your career, your advocacy, even your daily habits. By thinking carefully about scale, effectiveness, neglectedness, counterfactuals, and risk, you can become a true superhero for the world.

So next time you want to help, ask yourself: Am I doing the most good I can? With these five questions, the answer might just be yes.