How does giving impact happiness?

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Giving can have a significant and positive impact on happiness. Research by indicates that prosocial spending—using one's money to benefit others—can lead to substantial increases in happiness, even more so than personal spending. Interestingly, giving money to others and seeing the tangible benefits enhances the giver's well-being significantly 1.

and also underscore that giving becomes more fulfilling when donors can see the impact of their contributions. This visibility boosts the joy derived from helping others as it reaffirms that the resources spent are making a measurable difference in someone else's life 2.

Additionally, the act of giving can create a positive feedback loop. When people spend on others, they report increased happiness, which in turn encourages more acts of generosity, further enhancing their happiness 3.

Giving for Happiness

Andrew discusses a study that found that giving money to others, or prosocial spending, is strongly associated with increased happiness. The study found that the act of giving itself led to greater increases in happiness than receiving a bonus, and the degree of increase in happiness is proportional to the extent to which the person receiving actually needed that help and registers that help.
Huberman Lab
Science-Based Tools for Increasing Happiness | Huberman Lab Podcast #98
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Practical strategies to maximize happiness through giving include:

  1. Supporting specific, tangible projects to see direct impact.
  2. Giving frequently and in smaller amounts.
  3. Giving without expecting anything in return 4.
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