[tempmakesalot]

I make way more than average - $500k/year. It used to bother me but it bothers me less nowadays. My late teens through my mid thirties were spent being relatively very generous to worthy causes and people I would meet who were down on their luck. I gave a close family member doing charity work in Africa $80,000 so they could stay there and give their kids a good education.

Looking back - I don't think any of it made much difference - though I have no regrets.

Now that I'm in my early 40s I've sort of lost the energy to care so much. I empathize with people struggling but sort of throw my hands up in the air.

I've shifted my focus toward my family and I feel pretty good about that.

It feels like I'm having A LOT more impact by investing time and money into my family than I was able to by investing in others and their families.

[reducesuffering]

Maybe https://80000hours.org/ research can point you in the right direction about how to make significant impact.

[tempmakesalot]

I spent those late teens to mid thirties actively trying to have significant impact.

The most relevant example I can provide is that I was a very strong advocate for racial equality since my teens. Recently after George Floyd's death and the mainstreaming of Black Lives Matter, I told my wife that I don't have the energy to get involved - though I did participate in several marches with my kids (more for them than me or black people - because I'm convinced of the impact). I applaud those doing impactful work .... and perhaps my focus on making an impact had impact which I did not see. I hope it did.

[iforgottherest]

what line of work?

[tempmakesalot]

luck.

[willemlabu]

So, gambling?

[tempmakesalot]

product manager at big tech company.

the definition of luck i like to use is "when hard work and opportunity meet". there has been a lot of both but i can't stress how much opportunity has presented itself.

i don't believe i deserve 10x the income that many people earn. i do believe i can create 10x the value...but it doesn't seem right that the correlation of rewards should be so drastic. i couldn't be a ceo of a large company but i don't think they deserve 10x my income either.

[apta]

What line of work are you in?

[tempmakesalot]

see below - product manager at big tech co. sharing since you and someone else were curious.