How to live a good life - Post Reports Recap

Podcast: Post Reports

Published: 2026-01-17

Duration: 23 minutes

Guests: Richard Seema, Shige Oishi

Summary

The episode explores the three dimensions of a good life: happiness, meaningfulness, and psychological richness, and discusses how individuals can pursue these paths.

What Happened

Maggie Penman and Richard Seema delve into what constitutes a good life, a question long pondered by philosophers, religious leaders, and now, scientists. They reveal that psychologists have identified three primary dimensions of a good life: happiness, meaningfulness, and psychological richness.

Happiness is often associated with comfort and satisfaction, characterized by more positive emotions than negative ones. A meaningful life, on the other hand, involves making a difference in the world, having a sense of purpose, and engaging in significant activities for oneself and others.

The third path, psychological richness, involves having perspective-changing experiences that challenge and enrich one's life. This can include adventurous activities, moving to new places, or taking on new roles that break from routine.

The episode introduces Shige Oishi, a psychologist at the University of Chicago, who has studied these dimensions extensively. He shares how his research began with happiness and gradually expanded to include meaning and psychological richness.

Oishi and his colleague Aaron Westgate conducted studies revealing that many people regret not pursuing opportunities that would have made their lives richer, such as traveling or moving abroad.

The episode also features a quiz developed to help individuals identify which path they are currently on and reflect on whether it aligns with their ideal life path.

Listeners are encouraged to engage in small, manageable steps toward the life they desire, whether it's through fostering relationships, seeking new experiences, or reflecting on personal values.

Key Insights