---
client: 80000_hours
project_id: articles
narrator: pw
qa: km
---
It’s easy to feel like one person can’t make a difference. The world has so many big problems, and they often seem impossible to solve.

So when we started 80,000 Hours — with the aim of helping people do good with their careers — one of the first questions we asked was, “How much difference can one person really make?”

We learned that while many common ways to do good (such as becoming a doctor) have less impact than you might first think, others have allowed certain people to achieve an extraordinary impact.

In other words, one person can make a difference — but you might have to do something a little unconventional.

In this article, we start by estimating how much good you could do by becoming a doctor. Then, we share some stories of the highest-impact people in history, and consider what they mean for your career.

Source:
https://80000hours.org/career-guide/can-one-person-make-a-difference/

Narrated for 80,000 Hours by Perrin Walker of TYPE III AUDIO.

Share feedback on this narration.