Life in Three Dimensions summary

What is the formula for a happy life? 

Spoiler: this Blink does not contain the answer to that question. And that’s not because we're being withholding, but because a precise formula for happiness simply doesn't exist. However, psychologists, cognitive scientists, and other happiness researchers have quantified and measured elements that constitute a good, rewarding, and happy life.

What do Aristotle, philosopher William James, and 69% of respondents in a recent large-scale global study all have in common? They all agree that happiness is the most important goal in life.

This seems intuitive. Research consistently shows that happy people are healthier, more prosocial, longer-lived, and more productive than their unhappy counterparts. Why would you not want to be happy? But the thing is, blindly pursuing happiness often probably won’t make you happy.

Not everyone is a cheerleader for happiness. 19th century French novelist Gustave Flaubert cynically claimed the three requirements for happiness were "to be stupid, selfish, and have good health”. For critics like him, happiness is simplistic. Meaning – not happiness – is what truly elevates a life.

Steve Jobs reinforced this perspective in his famous Stanford commencement address: "The only way to be truly satisfied is to do great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." A meaningful life, by this definition, makes a difference beyond your immediate circle, possesses clear purpose, and organizes experiences around core values and principles.

Do you remember the father and son we told you about earlier? While both have experienced happiness and meaning, when we examine their trajectories, we can say that the father, who prioritized family, stability and tradition, has lived a life guided more by meaning. The son, on the other hand, who pursued travel, love, and professional success, has lived a life oriented more towards personal happiness. 

Seeing that you’ve learned about how happiness and meaning can manifest in our lives, let me ask you that question again: who is happier? The father, who has led a life rich in meaning? Or the son, who has made the most of his opportunities for happiness?

So, what is this secret happiness ingredient that we’re calling psychological richness?

Psychologically rich lives are characterized by interesting, perspective-changing experiences. Experiences that challenge and extend us, like travelling or studying abroad, mastering a difficult skill, going through a big life change like becoming a parent or recovering from a serious illness. 

Quitting your job and becoming a lighthouse-keeper. Moving to Japan without speaking a word of Japanese. Telling your hairdresser to do “anything they want”. All potentially extremely psychologically rich experiences. 

But if none of those appeal, don’t worry. You can embrace psychological richness without making dramatic life changes or embarking on wild adventures. Even small adjustments to your everyday routines can create space for psychological richness in your day-to-day. Here are three adjustments that even the least extroverted and adventurous among us can embrace.

While we often pursue psychological richness intentionally – studying abroad, learning new skills, reading Proust – some of our most perspective-shifting experiences arrive uninvited. So, can adversity, despite its challenges, create psychological richness?

Ask Takashi Fujimoto. He’s a New Yorker whose basement apartment flooded during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Fujimoto was working with power cords when water rushed in. He was electrocuted and hospitalized for 37 days with a stroke and burns. He left the hospital only to find all his possessions destroyed. Yet, this devastating experience transformed him positively. "It changed my perspective for life," he told the New York Times, describing how the local community rallied to help him, reaffirming his faith in others and deepening his connection to his neighbourhood.

Let’s return one final time to the story of the father and son. A quick refresher: the father has led a simple, stable life rooted in tradition and meaning. The son’s life has been spent in pursuit of new experiences, professional accomplishments, and personal fulfillment.

So, for the last time: which one is happier?