Delusional Altruism

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Delusional altruism is a problem, and too many philanthropists are under its spell.

Are you?

I would guess by now you've identified at least a few ways you, too, are delusional in your altruism. How you've gotten in your own way without realizing it. How you've slowed yourself down on the road to impact. How you've been mired in tactics when a clear strategy would set you free. How a scarcity mentality has held your genius hostage.

As a philanthropy adviser, speaker, and writer, I have seen far too many philanthropists—individuals and organizations of all sizes—fall under the spell of delusional altruism. The result has been a tremendous loss of efficiency and effectiveness. A dramatic reduction in impact. Unleveraged assets. Money that never created change because the entrepreneur or the celebrity never started that foundation or opened that donor-advised fund. It seemed to risky. They were overcome by fear.

While I can't put an exact number on the impact reduction caused by delusional altruism, I estimate it's easily in the hundreds of millions—and probably billions—of dollars lost. When you factor in a $68 trillion intergenerational transfer of wealth in the next three decades, you can see how the damage of delusional altruism could grow exponentially.

Pure and simple, delusional altruism prevents philanthropists from being as fabulous, catalytic, and impactful as they can be.

But I know you. You don't want to be delusional ...