Insights and Advice

Give for a happier, more fulfilling life

Ascent, the research and review arm of The Motley Fool, asked over 1,000 Americans about how satisfied they were with various parts of their lives, how generous they were, and whether they would engage in 14 different generous behaviors.

“Study: It Pays to Be Generous,” The Ascent Staff, The Ascent: A Motley Fool Service (October 2021)

Science explains why giving feels good

Stephen Johnson and Amy Novotney explain the physiological and psychological processes behind generous behavior and what happens in your brain when you are generous.

How to get the most out of giving to others

Feeling good from being generous does require more than just submitting your credit card information. Elizabeth Dunn talks about how to make giving work for you.

Helping others makes us happier -- but it matters how we do it Elizabeth Dunn, TED Conferences (April 2019)

Avoid donor’s remorse.

Emma Turner offers five tips for giving to make donations you won’t regret. Her recipe for giving will help you make thoughtful contributions that make you feel good.

Smart Giving, Emma Turner, TED Conference (July 2018)

Still not feeling generous?

If generosity is so good for you, why don’t more people do it? Jen McFarland Flint interviews an economics and a social psychology researcher to find out why. Michael Blanding shares some insights about the reasons an act of giving may not create happiness and what fundraisers (and maybe donors) can do about it.