There isn’t just one way to live a fulfilling life. It all depends on what matters to you.
Now is the perfect time to take living a meaningful life seriously. Across various fields, more researchers than ever are studying happiness and well-being, and the amount of knowledge gained from these studies continues to grow. From an 85-year-long study on happiness to countless websites and courses dedicated to sharing these findings, there is now an overwhelming amount of information available on how to lead a good life. To make the most of this research, it helps to reflect on what living well means to you and what your ideal life looks like.
People share common physical and psychological traits. This makes us similar, but not identical. It makes sense, then, that a good life would have common elements for everyone but still differ from person to person. The latest research on a fulfilling life confirms this. It reveals that there are three key aspects of a good life: happiness, meaning, and intellectual growth. However, people prioritize these aspects differently.
When asked to choose between these three aspects, some people prioritize happiness, others focus on meaning, and some value intellectual growth the most. Across different cultures, there is no universal definition of a good life. That’s because living well is not a one-size-fits-all concept. While we share similarities, we also have unique preferences and values.
Happiness, purpose, and intellectual stimulation are all essential components of a fulfilling life. Our natural response to experiences related to these three aspects means that they all contribute to a well-rounded life. Pleasant experiences bring happiness, purposeful activities provide meaning, and mentally stimulating challenges enhance intellectual growth. However, each of these resonates differently with different individuals.
Some people naturally gravitate toward one aspect more than the others. Some prioritize happiness and seek comfort, security, and enjoyable experiences. Others focus on meaningful activities that engage their minds and bring a sense of purpose. Then there are those who are driven by curiosity, immersing themselves in challenges and complex ideas to experience intellectual growth.
All three aspects are vital to a good life. As I discuss in my new book, a fulfilling life is like a three-legged stool—without one leg, it collapses. However, because we are all unique, a fulfilling life looks different for everyone. One person’s ideal life might be centered on intellectual growth, another’s on happiness, and another’s on purpose. Yet, without a balance of all three, life feels incomplete.
We need all three elements, but in different proportions. By reflecting on how each type of experience influences you, you can better understand what a fulfilling life means for you. You can determine what your ideal life looks like.
This is how you define your best life. It also allows you to take full advantage of what experts have discovered about happiness, purpose, and intellectual growth. When you understand what you are striving for, you’ll know what to focus on. You’ll know what to research, which topics to explore, and how to apply what you learn. This is how you take living well seriously. And this is how you start living your best life.