10% Happier with Dan Harris

Feeling Stuck? Dull? Flat? Here's a Better Path to the "Good Life." | Shigehiro Oishi

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Oct 27, 2025
Shigehiro Oishi, Marshall Field IV Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago, explores a different approach to living well. He argues that our fixation on happiness and meaning can be limiting and introduces 'psychological richness' as a richer path to fulfillment. Shige offers insights on cultivating curiosity, playfulness, and finding depth in everyday experiences. He shares practical tools for reframing adversities into empowering narratives and emphasizes the importance of small interactions for lasting joy. Dive in for a fresh perspective on the good life!
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INSIGHT

Meaning Is Distinct From Happiness

  • Meaning has three parts: significance, purpose, and coherence across roles in life.
  • Empirically, meaning and happiness are related but separable across cultures.
INSIGHT

The Meaning Trap And Its Cost

  • The meaning trap: narrow causes can increase meaning but also deepen in-group/out-group divides.
  • Strong meaning can come from small, repeated acts like volunteering or parenting.
INSIGHT

Psychological Richness Defined

  • Psychological richness is a portfolio of interesting, perspective-changing experiences and stories.
  • It values diverse, memorable experiences over material wealth.
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