The determinants of a great life have remained the same for centuries
Life is absurd — trying, carrying on, is the superhuman achievement
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People have sought the keys to a good or meaningful life for centuries. The answer seems to change depending on who you ask and what era you live in, but certain truths remain consistently true.
The ancient Greeks believed that everyone was born with a specific calling in life — which they called “the road to virtue” or “the ideal life” — and that purposelessness was a vice rather than an absence of vices at all.
“ Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued,” Socrates said.
Pursuing a great life is essential to living an abundant and happy life. There is no definitive answer to what constitutes a magnificent” life, as the term can have different meanings for different people. To live a fulfilling life, you need to figure out what you value most and then differentiate between the truly important things in your life.
Immanuel Kant thought the rules for happiness are “ something to do, someone to love, something to hope for.” A magnificent life is much more than money, status, or prestige. It’s about who we are as people; how we choose to spend our time; what goals we pursue with single-minded passion; and what kind of impact we want to make on this planet.
A great life is mostly predicated on a few factors, argues Robin Sharma in his book, The 5 AM Club. He says the determinant of a magnificent life is having “a sense that you’re growing and capitalizing on your human potential; effortful work that draws out your finest productivity and is profitable for humanity; weighty connections with positive people who escalate your jubilation; and time doing that which nurtures your spirit as you advance through your days with a grateful heart.”
Once you achieve a great life, you feel like you are at the peak of your existence, and nothing will ever compare to your current situation again.
The key elements of a good life are based on our innate human nature and psychology. They tap into basic human desires, such as the desire for security, safety, connection, love, and self-actualisation, that have been present throughout history.
Christopher Morley once said, “There are three ingredients in the good life: learning, earning and yearning.” The innate desires and needs of humans are not specific to any particular culture or era but are universal across all human cultures and societies.
A combination of experiences can improve your chances of a great life. A sense of purpose and direction in life and feeling like one’s actions and pursuits align with personal values and beliefs is key.
Solid and supportive relationships with family, friends and loved ones have made a massive difference in people since the beginning of time. Personal growth and self-actualisation — the drive to reach your highest level of personal development and self-awareness is a life-changing determinant of a good life.
Key determinants of a great life are interconnected and interdependent
“Friendship, awareness, happiness, all of the arts of the good life, are brilliant beads strung on the golden cord of love,” says Wilferd Peterson.
Meaningful needs and desires, such as the need for connection and belonging, the need for purpose and meaning, and the need for physical and mental well-being, are inherent to being human and are not specific to any particular culture or era. They are interconnected and interdependent.
For example, good physical health is often necessary for good mental health, and having a sense of purpose can help foster positive relationships with others.
To achieve self-actualisation, you must first fulfil basic needs such as food and safety and then move on to fulfil higher needs such as self-esteem and love. And the ability to achieve self-actualisation relies on other factors such as access to learning, personal relationships, and societal support. All these factors work together to achieve an extraordinary life.
These interconnections further strengthen the idea that these determinants have been and will continue to be critical throughout time. These determinations are associated with greater overall life satisfaction and happiness. They remain essential for people’s well-being and happiness and have remained relevant and unchanged over time.
A good life is also not dependent on external factors such as technological advances or changes in society. They are not affected by changes in how we live or the environment in which we live. They are also not affected by a specific period’s fashion, trends or culture. They are based on universal human needs and desires consistent throughout history.
“All human beings seek the happy life, but many confuse the means — for example, wealth and status — with that life itself. This misguided focus on the means to a good life makes people get further from the happy life. The really worthwhile things are the virtuous activities that make up the happy life, not the external means that may seem to produce it,” says Epictetus.
What makes a great life is often passed down from generation to generation through culture, religion, and tradition. They are considered timeless wisdom and the best approach to living a good life. These factors have been emphasised in different cultures and societies throughout history and remain important today.
In summary, a great life is fulfilling, meaningful, and balanced, characterised by personal growth, positive relationships, and a sense of purpose. It is a balance between personal and professional life, leisure, health, personal pursuit and social activities. It’s not a life free of challenges, but you can find meaning and purpose in the face of the many life setbacks.
Food for thought
Life is absurd — trying, carrying on, is the superhuman achievement
Existential philosopher Albert Camus said something that makes a lot of sense. “Sometimes, carrying on, just carrying on, is the superhuman achievement,” he said. “The realization that life is absurd cannot be an end, but only a beginning,” Camus notes.
I couldn’t agree more.
The simple act of moving forward, of refusing to give in, is a rebellion against absurdity. Life doesn’t need to make sense for you to live it. The meaning doesn’t come built in. But you carry on and keep trying anyway. You get out bed, get ready and get out. You keep going.
You repeat what works for you.
A concept worth understanding
The Golem Effect
A psychological concept where low expectations placed on someone lead to that person performing poorly. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy: if you expect little from someone, they're likely to deliver just that.
The Golem Effect is the opposite of the Pygmalion Effect, where higher expectations lead to improved performance. In the context of the Golem Effect, if a supervisor or authority figure holds negative beliefs or low expectations about your capabilities, you may internalise these expectations.
Negative perception can influence your self-esteem, motivation, and confidence, ultimately leading to a decline in performance. Negative expectations from others can shape our self-perception and performance.
Several mechanisms contribute to the Golem Effect:
Reduced expectancy: When someone in authority expects less of you, they may provide less encouragement, feedback, or opportunities for growth. Lack of support can undermine your self-belief and enthusiasm.
Self-fulfilling prophecy: Negative expectations can create a self-fulfilling prophecy, where you begin to behave in ways that align with those expectations. It can lead to a cycle of underperformance, reinforcing the initial negative beliefs.
Limited opportunities: Low expectations is likely to result in fewer opportunities for skill development, challenging tasks, or advancement. Lack of exposure to growth opportunities can hinder your overall performance.
It's important to recognize the impact that expectations can have on individuals and strive to foster a positive and supportive environment. By setting high expectations and providing encouragement and opportunities for growth, supervisors, teachers, and leaders can help individuals reach their full potential, avoiding the negative consequences associated with the Golem Effect.
How to minimise the effects
Awareness is the best way to minimise the impact of the Golem Effect. Once you know how your beliefs and expectations can influence outcomes, you will be able to provide better feedback. Acknowledge achievements, improvements, and efforts. Reinforce a positive self-image and encourage a growth mindset.
Establish achievable but challenging goals. Avoid setting expectations that are too low, as this can inadvertently contribute to underperformance. Strive for a balance that encourages growth and development.
Regularly assess and adjust expectations based on observed performance. RecogniSe and reward progress, and be willing to adapt your expectations as you or others demonstrate capabilities.
Pieces of advice worth passing on
Don’t get stuck on the details. Only allowing the perfect version of something to see the light of day can not only hinder progress, it may even stop you from doing your best work. Focus on speed and iteration: build, show your work, learn, improve.
Whenever you feel stuck or out of options, just do something... do anything. Don’t wait for the ‘right’ or ‘perfect’ thing. By making a decision and getting moving, you shake off the ‘stuck’ feeling and good change usually follows.
Doing nothing is an active decision. Sometimes we don’t want to make a choice, so we don’t. But staying silent on something you believe in or staying in a job or career you’re not sure about isn’t doing ‘nothing’. Rather, you’re making an active choice. Often it’s worth taking a risk.
Don’t worry about an honest mistake. Ponder the reason for it and learn from it. Progress at your own speed from simple job to something more difficult, but never force the pace. At the same time, be just as ambitious as your previous work warrants.
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Thanks for reading!
Until next two weeks,
Happy Holidays!
Thomas
Medium | All Courses | The Write Life | Philosophy For Modern Life
Postanly Weekly is now a reader-supported publication. To support my work, you can upgrade to a paid subscription for $7 per month or $40 for an entire year. With a modest yearly contribution you’re not only helping keep Postanly Weekly going, you also get free access to Thinking Toolbox (mental models for life) and Mental Wealth Toolbox (practical concepts for smarter decisions).
Christmas discount: 50% off today (get free instant access to Thinking Toolbox (mental models for life) and Mental Wealth Toolbox.
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