We like to think our good deeds speak for themselves, but what if I told you that doing something good today might make you more likely to take a shortcut tomorrow?
Good deeds are often celebrated as pure acts of selflessness, bringing benefits to both the recipient and the giver. However, the psychology of morality is not so straightforward. Beneath the surface of our good deeds is a complex phenomenon known as moral licensing, a concept that might make us reconsider the true nature of our actions and their unintended consequences.
If you live in a big city like NYC, chances are you’ve given a few dollars to someone in need at least once. It probably felt great to give without expecting anything in return. You handed over the cash, felt good about yourself, and went on with your day. But then, just a few minutes later, another request for help came along. This time, you dismissed it, thinking, “I already gave someone money today.”
This is called “moral licensing.“ The idea is that doing something good gives us a “license” to act less ethically later. This concept is closely tied to the notion of the future self because people might justify current unethical behavior by telling themselves that they will make up for it in the future. For example, someone might indulge in a “cheat meal” with the promise that they will exercise extra hard the next day. This form of self-deception allows us to maintain the illusion of moral and ethical consistency, even while our actions suggest otherwise.
The logic here is somewhat paradoxical but deeply human: performing an act of kindness can sometimes lead us to feel overly confident in our moral standing, to the extent that we believe we’ve earned the right to act less ethically afterward.
This article ties in closely with the way we perceive our future selves. We often treat our future selves as separate entities who will be better equipped to handle moral dilemmas or personal challenges. After doing something good, a person might think they’ve accumulated enough moral credit to offset future misdeeds.
At the heart of moral licensing lies a deep-seated self-deception. This cognitive bias allows people to maintain an image of themselves as ethical and moral, despite evidence to the contrary. It’s a form of mental accounting where good deeds are deposited into an ethical bank account, used to balance out withdrawals made by less ethical actions. This mental ledger, however, is often skewed towards a more favorable self-view.
The danger of self-deception in moral licensing is especially clear in how people plan to make up for their less ethical behaviors. Promises to oneself about future compensation—like planning to diet after an indulgence or volunteering more after behaving selfishly—are often not kept. These intentions are a psychological cushion, softening the guilt but leading to a cycle of repeated compromise.
Implications
Moral licensing has significant implications across many aspects of life, including personal relationships and workplace dynamics. You see this example a lot in personal relationships when someone might justify a sassy behavior at a partner because they were extra supportive the previous day. Or, in the workplace, a worker might feel justified in taking longer breaks after completing a major project ahead of schedule.
This phenomenon is a part of human nature and isn’t just limited to individuals. Organizations can use moral licensing to justify inaction or even questionable decisions. After doing something positive, like making a charitable donation or supporting a social cause, they may feel they’ve earned a pass on the next ethical decision, thinking, “We’ve already done our part.” This mindset can lead to complacency, where the initial good deed becomes a reason not to keep pushing forward or addressing ongoing issues.
Navigating the Ethical Minefield
The first step in pushing back against moral licensing is awareness. Recognizing this pattern in ourselves helps us stay consistent in our actions instead of bouncing between good deeds and complacency. It’s about being true to ourselves—making sure our good actions come from a place of genuine values, not just ticking boxes on some moral checklist.
It’s also about looking at ethics as an ongoing process of self-improvement. Instead of reflecting on the good things we’ve already done, we should ask, “What more can I do?” That mindset keeps us moving forward and makes our actions more meaningful in the long run.
It’s natural to want to help others, but don’t get me wrong—I’m not suggesting that you should give endlessly without limits or drain your personal resources in the process. The key is to find a healthy balance between giving and receiving. My advice is simple: do what allows you to sleep well at night.
Don’t forget that you are defined by what you do, not by what you think of yourself.
Do something amazing,
Tsahi Shemesh
Founder & CEO
Krav Maga Experts