How to make the most important choice of your life

You have 80,000 hours in your career. How will you spend them?

This email was sent

May 29, 2026 10:30am EDT

Is this your brand on Milled? Claim it.

Matte tone:

Anyone who’s been forced to rethink their career knows that changing your path later in life can be as difficult as any job that you might end up eventually taking on. And those who are entering the job market now don’t have it any easier, thanks to a shaky economy and the ways that AI is transforming the very nature of work. For too many of us, easing into a career that is both stable and, crucially, meaningful seems all but impossible.

Fortunately, there’s hope. Future Perfect fellow Shayna Korol recently spoke with Benjamin Todd, author of the new book 80,000 Hours: How to Find a Meaningful Career That Does Good. In their wide-ranging conversation, they discussed how people can transition into higher impact careers, what to do when financial constraints loom over your job search, and how to make the most of your past experiences, among other things. As Todd said to Shayna, “The advice I give is don’t go with your gut, but do check with it.” There’s loads of advice here to help you make the right choices, no matter what your instincts are telling you.

This kind of work is made possible by our Vox Members. If you would like to support Vox’s independent journalism, please consider becoming a Vox Member today.

—Jacob Brogan, deputy editor, Future Perfect

How to make the most important choice of your life

You have 80,000 hours in your career. How will you spend them?

by Shayna Korol

A chair in the middle of a patterned background | Jorm Sangsorn/Getty Images

How to make the most important choice of your life

You have 80,000 hours in your career. How will you spend them?

Recent emails from Vox