The Good Life
What research says makes a life good: meaning, purpose, richness, and moments worth savoring.
10 steps · roughly 30 minutes to read · Reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA
Eudaimonia
A meaningful life and a pleasant life aren't always the same thing.
Meaning in Life
Meaning is the sense that your life fits together, matters, and points somewhere.
Sense of Purpose
Purpose is the aim that makes the ordinary days add up to something.
Ikigai
The everyday sense of purpose that makes your days feel worth living.
Psychological Richness
A life measured by how interesting and varied it is, not just happy or meaningful.
Flow
Flow is deep, effortless absorption in a task that stretches you just enough.
Savoring
Savoring is deliberately attending to pleasant experiences to extend their good feeling.
Gratitude
Gratitude is appreciation for a benefit you've received.
Self-Transcendence
Self-transcendence is the moment the self quiets and something larger comes into view.
Flourishing
The absence of a disorder isn't the same as a life that's going well.