Moral Ambition

Moral ambition is the refusal to treat one’s working life as ethically neutral. Rutger Bregman argues that the most powerful moral choices we make are not isolated acts of kindness, but long-term decisions about where we invest our talent, time, and attention. In a world facing enormous challenges, caring is not enough. What matters is whether concern translates into structured, sustained action that actually improves lives.

The book ultimately calls for a redefinition of success. Not success as status, wealth, or recognition—but success as contribution. Moral ambition does not demand perfection or heroism. It demands responsibility: the willingness to ask where one’s effort truly matters, to accept imperfect progress, and to remain committed long after applause fades. In doing so, it offers not guilt or purity, but a deeper sense of purpose rooted in participation in something larger than oneself.

Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian, writer, and public intellectual known for challenging deeply held assumptions about human nature, economics, and social progress. He rose to international prominence with Utopia for Realists and Humankind, both of which argue that people are more cooperative and capable of change than commonly believed.

With Moral Ambition, Bregman turns his focus from social systems to personal responsibility—examining how individuals with privilege and opportunity can align their lives with humanity’s most urgent needs. He is also the founder of the School for Moral Ambition, an initiative designed to help people redirect their careers toward meaningful impact and long-term change.