Good life in one word

What is “the good life”? This is one of the oldest philosophical questions. It has been posed in different ways—How should one live? What does it mean to “live well”?—but these are really just the same question. After all, everyone wants to live well, and no one wants “the bad life.”

But the question isn’t as simple as it sounds. Philosophers specialize in unpacking hidden complexities, and the concept of the good life is one of those that needs quite a bit of unpacking.

The Moral Life

One basic way we use the word “good” is to express moral approval. So when we say someone is living well or that they have lived a good life, we may simply mean that they are a good person, someone who is courageous, honest, trustworthy, kind, selfless, generous, helpful, loyal, principled, and so on.

They possess and practice many of the most important virtues. And they don’t spend all their time merely pursuing their own pleasure; they devote a certain amount of time to activities that benefit others, perhaps through their engagement with family and friends, or through their work, or through various voluntary activities.

This moral conception of the good life has had plenty of champions. Socrates and Plato both gave absolute priority to being a virtuous person over all other supposedly good things such as pleasure, wealth, or power.

In Plato’s dialogue Gorgias, Socrates takes this position to an extreme. He argues that it is much better to suffer wrong than to do it; that a good man who has his eyes gouged out and is tortured to death is more fortunate than a corrupt person who has used wealth and power dishonorably.

In his masterpiece, the Republic, Plato develops this argument in greater detail. The morally good person, he claims, enjoys a sort of inner harmony, whereas the wicked person, no matter how rich and powerful he may be or how many pleasure he enjoys, is disharmonious, fundamentally at odds with himself and the world.

It is worth noting, though, that in both the Gorgias and the Republic, Plato bolsters his argument with a speculative account of an afterlife in which virtuous people are rewarded and wicked people are punished.

Many religions also conceive of the good life in moral terms as a life lived according to God’s laws. A person who lives this way—obeying the commandments and performing the proper rituals—is pious. And in most religions, such piety will be rewarded. Obviously, many people do not receive their reward in this life.

But devout believers are confident that their piety will not be in vain. Christian martyrs went singing to their deaths confident that they would soon be in heaven. Hindus expect that the law of karma will ensure that their good deeds and intentions will be rewarded, while evil actions and desires will be punished, either in this life or in future lives.

The Life of Pleasure

The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus was one of the first to declare, bluntly, that what makes life worth living is that we can experience pleasure. Pleasure is enjoyable, it’s fun, it’s…well…pleasant! The view that pleasure is the good, or, to put I another way, that pleasure is what makes life worth living, is known as hedonism.

The word “hedonist,” when applied to a person, has slightly negative connotations. It suggests that they are devoted to what some have called the “lower” pleasures such as sex, food, drink, and sensual indulgence in general.

Epicurus was thought by some of his contemporaries to be advocating and practicing this sort of lifestyle, and even today an “epicure” is someone who is especially appreciative of food and drink. But this is a misrepresentation of Epicureanism. Epicurus certainly praised all kinds of pleasures. But he didn’t advocate that we lose ourselves in sensual debauchery for various reasons:

• Doing so will probably reduce our pleasures in the long run since over-indulgence tends to cause health problems and limit the range of pleasure we enjoy.
• The so-called “higher” pleasures such as friendship and study are at least as important as “pleasures of the flesh.»
• The good life has to be virtuous. Although Epicurus disagreed with Plato about the value of pleasure, he fully agreed with him on this point.

Today, this hedonistic conception of the good life is arguably dominant in Western culture. Even in everyday speech, if we say someone is “living the good life,” we probably mean that they enjoying lots of recreational pleasures: good food, good wine, skiing, scuba diving, lounging by the pool in the sun with a cocktail and a beautiful partner.

What is key to this hedonistic conception of the good life is that it emphasizes subjective experiences. On this view, to describe a person as “happy” means that they “feel good,” and a happy life is one that contains many “feel good” experiences.

The Fulfilled Life

If Socrates emphasizes virtue and Epicurus emphasizes pleasure, another great Greek thinker, Aristotle, views the good life in a more comprehensive way. According to Aristotle, we all want to be happy.

We value many things because they are a means to other things. For instance, we value money because it enables us to buy things we want; we value leisure because it gives us time to pursue our interests. But happiness is something we value not as a means to some other end but for its own sake. It has intrinsic value rather than instrumental value.

So for Aristotle, the good life is a happy life. But what does that mean? Today, many people automatically think of happiness in subjectivist terms: To them, a person is happy if they are enjoying a positive state of mind, and their life is happy if this is true for them most of the time.

There is a problem with this way of thinking about happiness in this way, though. Imagine a powerful sadist who spends much of his time gratifying cruel desires. Or imagine a pot-smoking, beer-guzzling couch potato who does nothing but sit around all day watching old TV shows and playing video games. These people may have plenty of pleasurable subjective experiences. But should we really describe them as “living well”?

Aristotle would certainly say no. He agrees with Socrates that to live the good life one must be a morally good person. And he agrees with Epicurus that a happy life will involve many and varied pleasurable experiences. We can’t really say someone is living the good life if they are often miserable or constantly suffering.

But Aristotle’s idea of what it means to live well is objectivist rather than subjectivist. It isn’t just a matter of how a person feels inside, although that does matter. It’s also important that certain objective conditions be satisfied.

For instance:

• Virtue: They must be morally virtuous.
• Health: They should enjoy good health and reasonably long life.
• Prosperity: They should be comfortably off (for Aristotle this meant affluent enough so that they don’t need to work for a living doing something that they would not freely choose to do.)
• Friendship: They must have good friends. According to Aristotle human beings are innately social; so the good life can’t be that of a hermit, a recluse, or a misanthrope.
• Respect: They should enjoy the respect of others. Aristotle doesn’t think that fame or glory is necessary; in fact, a craving for fame can lead people astray, just as the desire for excessive wealth can. But ideally, a person’s qualities and achievements will be recognized by others.
• Luck: They need good luck. This is an example of Aristotle’s common sense. Any life can be rendered unhappy by tragic loss or misfortune.
• Engagement: They must exercise their uniquely human abilities and capacities. This is why the couch potato is not living well, even if they report that they are content. Aristotle argues that what separates human beings from the other animals is the human reason. So the good life is one in which a person cultivates and exercises their rational faculties by, for instance, engaging in scientific inquiry, philosophical discussion, artistic creation, or legislation. Were he alive today he might well include some forms of technological innovation.

If at the end of your life you can check all these boxes then you could reasonably claim to have lived well, to have achieved the good life. Of course, the great majority of people today do not belong to the leisure class as Aristotle did. They have to work for a living.

But it’s still true that we think the ideal circumstance is to be doing for a living what you would choose to do anyway. So people who are able to pursue their calling are generally regarded as extremely fortunate.

The Meaningful Life

Recent research shows that people who have children are not necessarily happier than people who don’t have children. Indeed, during the child-raising years, and especially when children have turned into teenagers, parents typically have lower levels of happiness and higher levels of stress. But even though having children may not make people happier, it does seem to give them the sense that their lives are more meaningful.

For many people, the well-being of their family, especially their children and grandchildren, is the main source of meaning in life. This outlook goes back a very long way. In ancient times, the definition of good fortune was to have lots of children who do well for themselves.

But obviously, there can be other sources of meaning in a person’s life. They may, for instance, pursue a particular kind of work with great dedication: e.g. scientific research, artistic creation, or scholarship. They may devote themselves to a cause: e.g. fighting against racism or protecting the environment. Or they may be thoroughly immersed in and engaged with some particular community: e.g. a church, a soccer team, or a school.

The Finished Life

The Greeks had a saying: Call no man happy until he’s dead. There is wisdom in this. In fact, one might want to amend it to: Call no man happy until he’s long dead. For sometimes a person can appear to live a fine life, and be able to check all the boxes—virtue, prosperity, friendship, respect, meaning, etc.—yet eventually be revealed as something other than what we thought they were.

A good example of this Jimmy Saville, the British TV personality who was much admired in his lifetime but who, after he died, was exposed as a serial sexual predator.

Cases like this bring out the great advantage of an objectivist rather than a subjectivist notion of what it means to live well. Jimmy Saville may have enjoyed his life. But surely, we would not want to say that he lived the good life. A truly good life is one that is both enviable and admirable in all or most of the ways outlined above.

1. [gʋd]

1) добро, благо

to do smb. good — делать добро кому-л., помогать кому-л.; помогать кому-л. исправиться

to be after /up to/ no good — задумать недоброе

there’s some [a lot of] good in him — в нём есть немало [много] хорошего

2) польза

to extract all the good out of smth. — максимально использовать что-л.

to do good — быть полезным, приносить пользу

that will do more harm than good — это принесёт больше вреда, чем пользы

it will do you good to spend a week in the country — неделя в деревне пойдёт вам на пользу, вам будет полезно провести неделю в деревне

for (the) good of smb., for smb.’s good — на пользу /на благо/ кому-л., ради кого-л.

I’m doing it for your good — я делаю это для вашей пользы /ради вас/

an influence /a power/ for good — благотворное /хорошее/ влияние

for the public /common/ good — на общее благо

what good will it do? — что пользы в этом?

what is the good of it? — какой в этом смысл?; что в этом толку?

what good will that do you?, what good will it be to you? — зачем вам это?, какой вам смысл делать это?

a (fat) lot of good that will do you! — напрасно вы это затеваете; от этого (никакого) толку не будет

much good may it do you! — а) пусть это пойдёт вам на пользу!; б) какая вам польза от этого?

he will come to no good — для него это добром не кончится; он плохо кончит

it is no good — бесполезно, ни к чему не ведёт

it’s no good being insistent [talking about it] — бесполезно настаивать [говорить об этом]

he is no good — от него толку мало, он пустое место, он ни на что не годен

3) (the good) добрые люди

for good (and all) — навсегда, окончательно

2. [gʋd]

(better; best)

1. 1) хороший

good house [knife, road] — хороший дом [нож, -ая дорога]

good play [music, picture, dictionary] — хорошая пьеса [музыка, картина, -ий словарь]

good soil — хорошая /плодородная/ земля /почва/

of good family — из хорошей /благородной/ семьи

good breeding — хорошее воспитание, хорошие манеры

good behaviour — а) хорошее поведение; б) добросовестное выполнение своих обязанностей (); безупречное прохождение службы

in good English — на хорошем английском языке, безупречным английским языком

very good! — прекрасно!, отлично!, замечательно!

good luck! — желаю удачи!

I don’t feel too good — я неважно себя чувствую; я чувствую себя не в своей тарелке

I don’t feel too good about it — мне это не нравится, мне это не по душе

to have a good time — хорошо /приятно, весело/ провести время, здорово повеселиться [ тж. ]

to bring good news — приносить хорошие /приятные/ новости

drink water, it’s just as good — пей воду, она ничуть /ничем/ не хуже

it would be a good idea to spend a day on the farm — неплохая мысль /будет неплохо/ провести день на ферме

it’s a good thing that you can do it — здорово /я рад/, что ты можешь это сделать

2) приятный, хороший

it’s good to be here [to see you, to hear of it] — приятно быть здесь [видеть вас, слышать об этом]

3) выгодный; удобный

4) имеющий хорошую репутацию; хороший ()

the firm has a good name — у этой фирмы хорошее имя /-ая репутация/

5) высокий, важный

people of /in/ a good position — люди, занимающие высокое положение

2. 1) полезный

medicine good for a headache /toothache/ — лекарство, хорошо помогающее от головной [зубной] боли

he drinks more than is good for him — он чересчур много пьёт; он пьёт во вред здоровью

it’s good for him to spend plenty of time out of doors — ему полезно побольше быть на свежем воздухе

it seemed [I thought] good to do so — казалось [я думал], что так нужно сделать

2) годный

are acorns good to eat? — жёлуди употребляют в пищу?

this is good enough for me — мне это подходит, меня это устраивает [ тж. 5]

this isn’t good enough — а) (мне) это не подходит, (меня) это не устраивает; б) это /так/ не годится; в) это чересчур, это слишком

3. 1) умелый, искусный, хороший

good swimmer [runner] — хороший пловец [бегун]

to be a good dancer — быть хорошим танцором, хорошо танцевать

he is good with his hands — он всё умеет делать, у него золотые руки

2) подходящий; отвечающий цели, назначению; соответствующий

good mother [wife, father] — хорошая мать [жена, -ий отец]

a good man for the work — человек, подходящий для данной работы

a good light for reading — свет, удобный для чтения

to come in good time — прийти вовремя /заранее/

3) (at) способный

to be good at mathematics [at languages] — быть способным к математике [к языкам]

4. 1) добрый, доброжелательный

good works [intentions] — добрые дела [намерения]

good neighbourship /neighbourhood/ — добрососедские отношения

to say a good word for smb. — замолвить словечко за кого-л.

to do smb. a good turn — оказывать услугу кому-л.

to be good to smb. — проявлять доброту к кому-л.

2) благоприятный, положительный ()

to give a good report of smb., of smth. — хорошо отозваться о ком-л., о чём-л.

3) добродетельный; чистый

to be good amid the temptations of the world — оставаться добродетельным среди мирских соблазнов

4) воспитанный, послушный

be good! — веди(те) себя прилично!

5. милый, любезный, добрый

be good enough to… — будьте так любезны… [ тж. 2, 2)]

6. 1) свежий, неиспорченный; доброкачественный

good food — доброкачественная /свежая/ пища

meat keeps good in a refrigerator — мясо остаётся свежим /хорошо сохраняется/ в холодильнике

is the meat still good? — мясо не испортилось?

2) настоящий, неподдельный

good money — настоящие деньги [ тж. 9]

good stone — хороший /драгоценный/ камень

3) надёжный; кредитоспособный

good debt — долг, который обязательно будет выплачен

7. 1) здоровый, хороший

2) (for) способный, в состоянии

all you’re good for is to spend money — ты только и умеешь, что тратить деньги

he is good for some years more — он проживёт /протянет/ ещё несколько лет

he is good for £20 — он может дать /внести/ 20 фунтов стерлингов

he /his credit/ is good for £25 000 — он располагает суммой в 25 000 фунтов стерлингов, у него в банке 25 000 фунтов стерлингов

3) действительный; действующий

the ticket is good for two months — билет действителен в течение двух месяцев

this car ought to be good for another five years — эта машина послужит мне ещё добрых пять лет

are you good for a long walk? — хватит ли тебя на длинную прогулку?

8. основательный; оправданный; справедливый; законный

good excuse — основательная /уважительная/ причина

good reasons — а) основательные причины; б) убедительные /веские/ доводы

the rule holds good — правило действительно /справедливо/

9. достаточный; обильный, изрядный

a good deal /many/ — много, значительное количество

I have a good many books /a good deal of books/ — у меня много книг

to have a good laugh [talk] — хорошенько /как следует/ посмеяться [поговорить]

to earn good money — неплохо заработать [ тж. 6, 2)]

10. добрый, милый ()

my good sir — дорогой сэр /господин/

good hard work — тяжёлая /весьма нелёгкая/ работа

❝How’m I doing?❞ — ❝Not good❞ — Ну, как у меня получается? — Так себе

to wish smb. a good night — пожелать кому-л. доброй ночи

the Good Book — библия; священное писание

good God!, good gosh!, good gracious! — господи!, боже мой!, боже правый!

good grief! — чёрт возьми!; ну и ну! ()

good old John [Tom]! — браво, Джон [Том]!

good for you! — а) тем лучше для вас!; б) браво!

good Lord, deliver us! — господи, спаси и помилуй!

good time — а) приятное времяпрепровождение [ тж. 1, 1)]; б) долгое время, достаточный срок; в) сокращение срока заключения /досрочное освобождение/ за хорошее поведение

in good time — а) со временем, с течением времени; б) своевременно; в) заранее, заблаговременно

the good people — эльфы, феи

as good as — почти; всё равно что

it’s as good as done /settled/ — дело в шляпе

he has as good as got the job — это место у него в кармане; считай, что он уже получил эту работу

as good as gold — а) послушный; б) добрый, снисходительный, благожелательный

as good as pie — очень хороший, симпатичный; благонравный, паинька

as good as a play — очень интересно, забавно

his word is as good as his bond — он никогда не нарушает обещаний, он всегда держит своё слово

too good to be true — так хорошо, что не верится; невероятно, не может быть

to have a good mind to… — намереваться, собираться ()

to make good — а) сдержать слово; выполнить обещание; б) восполнять, возмещать, компенсировать (); в) доказать, обосновать; г) преуспевать, делать успехи

that’s a good one /’un/! — какая ложь!, какой вздор!, надо же такое придумать!

to be in good spirits — быть весёлым /в хорошем настроении/

to be in smb.’s good books — пользоваться чьей-л. благосклонностью

to be in smb.’s good graces grace I 3

good and proper — а) основательно, как следует; to tell smb. off good and proper — как следует отругать, распечь кого-л.; сказать кому-л. всё, что о нём думаешь; б) полностью; наголову, в пух и прах; to beat smb. good and proper — разбить кого-л. наголову

What is the good life? Entire books have been written to address this question. Philosophers of all ages pondered about this transcendent query as well. Still, the question remains to this present day. It therefore comes as no surprise that people are still looking to discover what it truly means to be living the good life. Finding an answer to this question is not easy, even in the modern age of information. The term “living the good life” can mean quite a variety of different things to different people. The following will present from a variety of different perspectives what the good life is all about. In its basic form, living the good life is all about the exploration of that which gives you joy and satisfaction. It’s about finding purpose and meaning in your life and drawing happiness from that which you do.

Every human being aspires to live a good life. The problem is, we all define the phrase “good life” differently. Some are looking to live an honest life, full of integrity, joy and happiness. Others seek wealth, social status and fame, as they hope these aspects will help them to live the good life. In fact, they directly associate the good life with money and material belongings.

In people’s quest for a good life, some completely disregard the needs of other people, while others consider helping people a means of living a good life. In the end, the question who gets to decide what it is that constitutes a good life remains.

Not every person that is living “the dream” or “the good life” is actually living a good life. Take for instance the infamous Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. He surely lived well. After all, Escobar is recorded to have been the wealthiest criminal in history. He had private jets, race cars and luxurious mansions. And I’m pretty sure he certainly draw happiness and satisfaction from his life. But was his life a good life? Certainly not.

As you can see, there’s potentially a huge difference between living the good life and living a good life. Not every person that is living a satisfied life is living a good life.

Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued.
Socrates

Let’s have a closer look what a good life is.

Table of contents

Definition of the good life
What is the good life?
The good life according to philosophy.
How to live the good life?

Definition of the good life

The good life is a term that refers to a (desirable) state that is primarily characterized by a high standard of living or the adherence to ethical and moral laws. In its two different expressions, living the good life can be either expressed through an abundant/luxurious lifestyle full of material belongings or the attempt to live life in accordance with the ethical, moral, legal and religious laws of one’s country or culture. As such, the term can both be understood as the quest for wealth, material possessions or luxuries and the quest to create a worthwhile, honest and meaningful existence.

The term is also a central concept in the works of Aristotle that are centered around ethics (see also Eudaimonia).

What is the good life?

What exactly is the good life and what contributes to living a good life?

When it comes to living the good life, we almost all have a certain idea how such a life should look like. For some, the good life is all about spending time playing video games or watching television, while eating and drinking as much as they please. Others associate the good life with days spent in nature, pondering and philosophizing about life. Some simply want to spend their time in a worthwhile and productive manner, for example by trying to make this world a better place. Others believe that the good life is all about pleasure, wealth and the fulfillment of all their (material) wishes.

These examples raise an important issue. When it comes to the good life, some understand it as the continuous pursuit of their desires by means of mundane activities. Others consider it as the striving for personal excellence and the wish to contribute something meaningful in life.

We then have to ask ourselves the question, if the good life could really be characterized by a high standard of living alone. If this were the case, living the good life would primarily consist of the never-ending attempt to fulfill one’s desires and material wishes. As we all know, human desires can be boundless, while the earth’s resources are quite limited. As such, the (excessive) good life of one group of people might prevent others from living the “high-standard-of-living good life.” Or it might hinder future generations from ever living the good life.

A high standard of living can certainly be regarded as part of the good life. But in itself, the good life does not alone consist of wealth and abundance. As such, it would be quite limited and out of balance.

In line with this arguing, the popular philosophers Socrates and Plato primarily define in their works the good life as the examination of life, the mastery of the self and the contribution to one’s community. To them, living the good life integrated aspects of self-control and civic duty. As such, the good life consisted of reining in your passions by attaining mastery over yourself and to contribute to your community.

To return to the initial question, what is the good life?

Living the good life means living a life that sets you free. A life that satisfies and fulfills you, that adds happiness, joy and a sense of purpose to your life. But it also means to live a life that is worthwhile – a life that makes a contribution, instead of being solely self-centered. The good life is a life that is not primarily wasted with mundane activities. Instead, it adds value and contributes to making this world a better place. Even more so, it also contributes to your own growth. The attainment of a high standard of living alone might not be fully fulfilling and will definitely not set you free. Therefore, the good life combines aspects of exploration, self-mastery and civic responsibility with the endeavor to spend your time in a worthwhile manner that both satisfies and fulfills. It is only through the combination of these aspects that a joyous and happy life can be truly considered the good life.

The good life according to philosophy

Plato about the good life

In his work Apology, Plato gives an account of a speech given by Socrates while defending himself against allegations of impiety and corrupting the youth in the year 399 BC. When being asked by the court why Socrates simply cannot stop questioning the way people live, Socrates responds with a simple, yet profound answer. According to Socrates the unexamined life is not worth living. Living life without ever reflecting upon it is not worth living. The person who unquestioningly and continuously repeats the cycle of waking up, working and going back to sleep, is not living the good life. Even further, people that do not reflect on the nature of things are not living a worthwhile life. If a person is not examining what they value and why, the chances of them being able to live a good life are reduced.

Examining, reflecting and questioning the nature of things, however, is not enough. Similarly, it’s not enough to reflect on your personal values. Living the good life requires you to become a Master of yourself. Socrates compared this process to a charioteer directing two horses. Socrates argued that each and every one of us is such a charioteer. We all have to handle two horses. The first horse is stubborn. It is a direct reflection of our animal instincts with a boundless appetite for lust and pleasure. The first horse goes in whatever direction it pleases, if not tightly controlled. It is egotistical and does not reflect what it does. It simply does. The second horse is of a much nobler and more sensible spirit. It resembles reason and man’s capability to reflect upon that which he does.

If the charioteer ever wants to live the good life, the stubborn appetites of the first horse must be controlled. Only by using your reason to reign in your passions, the two horses will lead you on the path of the good life. In line with this arguing, not being able to control your desires and passions will make you behave like an uncontrolled and misdirected stubborn horse. Socrates concluded that by living a just life, based on reflection, examination and servitude to society, a person can truly live the good life. But those who allow desires and passions to guide their actions, are most likely not living worthwhile lives.

Aristotle about the good life

In Aristotle’s best-known work, Nicomachean Ethics, the philosopher adds important insights about the good life. Very early in this work, Aristotle seeks to construct a framework by developing an understanding about the highest good for human beings. He points out that to most people, the highest good consists either in the acquisition of wealth, the pursuit of honor or the satisfying of bodily pleasures. As a result, most people act accordingly. They seek wealth, honor or satisfaction and thereby hope to ultimately attain happiness. Aristotle, however, points out that none of these aspects can ever serve as the highest good. Firstly, he argues that wealth is primarily used to acquire other things. In itself, wealth cannot make happy. Secondly, honor might not necessarily contribute to a person’s happiness. Instead, honor is primarily sought to change how people think of us. Thirdly, the desire to fulfill one’s (bodily) desires is not something limited to human beings alone. Animals are seeking pleasure, too. Even more so, by orientating one’s life primarily to the satisfaction of bodily pleasures, a human being behaves no differently than an animal. According to Aristotle, such a life is neither fit nor meant for human beings.

From this Aristotle concludes that the highest good cannot consist primarily out of these three aspects. Instead, the highest good should be something that aims to maximize the inherent faculties of man. It helps human beings to develop that which separates them from animals. In line with this arguing, the capacity for reason is that which separates man from cattle.

Based on his reflections, Aristotle highlights the essential qualities of the good life. These qualities primarily consist of contemplation and learning. It is through the process of contemplating and learning that intellectual virtues are steadily acquired. These virtues can for instance stem from the acquisition of knowledge about the fundamental principles of nature. Furthermore, this knowledge can be expanded by applying the principles of nature.

However, contemplation and acquiring knowledge is not enough to live the good life. Solely understanding nature’s principles and contemplating on these does not contribute the highest good. It is only through right action that knowledge can be put to its proper use. Hence, the development of a strong and virtuous character is necessary to perform right actions. Aristotle therefore concludes that the highest good consists of the acquisition of both intellectual and personal virtues. And, by living in accordance to the highest good, happiness (or Eudaimonia) can be attained. Consequently, a person achieves happiness by contemplation, learning and the mental strength to perform right actions. Such a person does not only know what is right, but also acts accordingly and derives happiness, fulfillment and purpose from it.

How to live the good life?

As pointed out in the above, living the good life consists of three essential aspects. These aspects are centered around concepts of self-mastery, exploration/contemplation/learning and civic engagement:

By integrating these fundamental aspects into life, the good life that creates happiness, fulfillment and gives you a sense of purpose and meaning in life can be attained. Therefore, the ideal of the good life does not set you on a pursuit of wealth, status and pleasure, but creates happiness, fulfillment and joy through understanding the world you live in, mastering yourself and helping your community to thrive.

In the following you can find several ideas to live the good life.

1. Examine life, seek knowledge

Examine life, explore its concepts and principles and seek to learn new things each day. Be open for new ideas and never cease to go through life with open eyes.

Aristotle stated for a good reason that the unexamined life is not worth living. Living without questioning and reflecting your behavior, beliefs and values, can result in spending your time with activities that are not worthwhile. Even more so, it might even make it all the more difficult to live the good life. On the other hand however, by applying reason to the examination of (your own) life, a continuous stream of knowledge and virtues can be acquired. It is our capacity for reason that differentiates human beings from (instinct-driven and pleasure-seeking) animals. If we explore the world and contemplate on our discoveries, new sources of pleasure, happiness and well-being can be tapped into.

2. Slow down and enjoy simplicity

A great number of people assume that the good life can only be attained by adding more to their life. As a consequence, they seek to add material belongings, wealth, social status, fame or something entirely different to their lives. This, however, is the wrong approach. You don’t necessarily have to add something new to your life to enjoy the good life. Quite the contrary is the case. The good life does not consist of continuously chasing evermore. Instead, simplicity and the ability to draw happiness from what you already have can be integral aspects of a good life. This shift in perception can help you to start living the good life in this present moment, without being dependent upon external influences.

3. Seek to attain self-mastery

Living the good life is all about mastering yourself. But interestingly, most people do not consider self-mastery when it comes to the pursuit of a good life. Instead of seeking discipline and mastery over themselves, they prefer to chase wealth, material possessions, status or the fulfillment of desires. However, without self-discipline one’s actions are primarily centered around the wish to fulfill desires. As a result, we waste important time and energy on feeding desires that can never be fully satisfied. Consequently, our actions are egotistical, self-centered and unreflected. Instead of living the good life, we succumb to the instinct-driven and unreasoned qualities we share with animals.

It is only through self-mastery that we can replace our boundless appetite for pleasure with a nobler and more reasonable thinking. Instead of being instinct-driven, it allows us to reflect and to think about what we do.

4. Drawing joy and happiness from life’s simple pleasures

In their quest to live the good life, the vast majority of people shift their attention from the present moment to a desirable state in the future. They think that the good life can only be attained through the acquisition of wealth, status and a variety of other things. Therefore, these people will never truly be able to live the good life, because there will always be something missing. They either do not have enough material possessions to satisfy all their desires. Or they are no longer able to enjoy these possessions after a certain period of time.

For this reason, the ability to draw happiness from life’s simple pleasures is essential. It’s a person’s ability to take pleasure from even the most simplistic things in life that will help in understanding how worthwhile this present moment is.

5. Help in making this world a better place

Almost all philosophers that pondered about the good life highlighted the importance of civic engagement. It is an integral aspect of a good life. Even more so, all the other aspects of the good life can only be committed in a worthwhile manner by utilizing them for the greater cause. Therefore, the life that is solely lived for the purpose of fulfilling one’s own desires can never be fully considered a truly meaningful and worthwhile existence.

6. Be grateful for what you have

Gratitude is an important aspect of the good life. It helps us to overcome the feeling of not having enough. By being grateful we can also overcome the never-ending pursuit of boundless desires.

7. Don’t worry about things you can’t control

Life presents us with two different aspects. Firstly, those aspects of our life that can be influenced or changed. Secondly, there are those aspects or events that are beyond our ability to influence or alter. We are simply incapable of exerting even the slightest influence over these events. We therefore feel extremely intimidated and helpless. Feelings that even further contribute to our fear about things we cannot control.

However, the principal key to withstanding life’s hardship, lies in the way we allow these happenings to influence us. While we’re not able to control a great variety of events in life, we still have the capacity to control our responses to these events. We therefore have the choice to allow these happenings to break us and to incite fear within us, or to get back up from the ground and to recover from it.

8. Value and nurture relationships

Imagine you’re living the good life but no one is around you can share your joy with. The concept of living the good life includes the relationship dimension as well. Without it, it would not fully contribute to your happiness and fulfillment. Even more so, relationships are an integral part of a worthwhile life. Neither wealth nor social status can grant access to true friendship. Therefore, living the good life also consists of spending a significant amounts of your time with those that you love and enjoy being around. The good life is all about growing, developing and becoming stronger together, not alone.

9. Live your passions

Living the good life is all about discovering your true passions and having the courage to pursue these activities. By doing what you’re passionate about, a sense of fulfillment, accomplishment and true satisfaction can be added to your life.

10. Live in the moment

While it is certainly true that the good life means a great variety of different things to different people, we can all agree that being haunted by the past or having fear of the future is certainly not part of it. Instead of being trapped in the past or fearful about the future, try to enjoy this present moment. There’s nothing you can do to change what happened. Also, the future can be greatly impacted in this very moment. Be here right now, this is exactly where you need to be.

Conclusion about the good life

Living the good life means to strive for self-mastery, exploration and the improvement of the world around you. It is a worthwhile life that sets you free. A life that is in balance and fully satisfies and fulfills you. But the good life is not just a life that adds happiness, joy and pleasure, but it also desires to attain mastery over the self. The good life therefore is not a life spend by the never-ending pursuit of personal desires. Instead, it seeks to reign in your passions by attaining self-control. The one who is living the good life also contributes to the betterment of this world and adds value to it.

The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.
Bertrand Russell

I hope you enjoyed this exploration of the good life. Let us know in the comment section below what your understanding is of living a good life.

Stay victorious!

the good life

An especially comfortable, pleasurable, luxurious, and/or wealthy lifestyle. Sitting in the sun, having a few drinks, eating great food, with no worldly stresses… this is the good life, eh? We’ve been living the good life since my wife’s wealthy uncle left us his entire fortune.

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

good life, the

A wealthy, luxurious style of living. For example, Aunt Agatha left them a fortune, so now they’re enjoying the good life. [Mid-1900s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

the good life

A wealthy, luxurious way of living.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

See also:

• good life, the
• live large
• Living large
• lap of luxury, the
• lap of luxury
• the lap of luxury
• lap of luxury, in the
• in the lap of luxury
• luxury
• give it large

Happy to read and share the best inspirational Life In One Word quotes, sayings and quotations on Wise Famous Quotes.

Integrity — one word that means so much; costs so little yet makes a real difference in this world. — Salley Farquharson

Our cares are all To-day, our joys are all To-day;
And in one little word, our life, what is it but
To-day? — Martin Farquhar Tupper

If there were one word that could act as a standard of conduct for one’s entire life, perhaps it would be ‘thoughtfulness. — Confucius

If a life can have a ‘theme-song’ — and I believe every worthwhile one has — mine is [best] expressed in one word: Individualism. — Ayn Rand

A song fluttered down in the form of a dove,
And it bore me a message, the one word-Love! — Paul Laurence Dunbar

You never know when one act, or one word of encouragement can change a life forever. — Zig Ziglar

She thinks her sister has held life always in the palm of one hand, that «no» is a word the world never learned to say to her. — Alice Walker

Life and work revolved around duty, self-respect, and the ultimate value of one’s word. — Dan Simmons

God’s Word not only gives authority to one’s ministry; it provides a solid foundation for one’s life. — Billy Graham

All I remembered clearly was that one moment, that one simple word that would change my life forever.
Yes. — Julie Kagawa

Civilization … is another word for respect for life. One can’t have too much respect for a loveliness that’s brittle as spun glass. — Elizabeth Goudge

There is one word that can be the guide for your life- it is the word reciprocity. — Pearl S. Buck

All it takes is one word, one action, one voice. Believe in yourself, and you can accomplish anything! — Samuel Colbran

The word Universe is made up of two Latin words- uni (meaning «one») and versus (meaning «turned into»). It literally means «one turned into. — Chris Prentiss

Here was my whole life hanging on his one word! Surely I was serious enough? — Fyodor Dostoyevsky

There is one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one’s life -reciprocity. — Confucius

Writers ever since writing began have had problems, and the main problem narrows down to just one word — life. — William Styron

Nothing conceivable is so petty, so insipid, so crowded with paltry interests, in one word, so anti-poetic, as the life of a man in the United States. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Nobleness was one word for making a fuss about the trivial inevitabilities of life, but there were others. — Douglas Adams

I had a million questions to ask life, and they were all answered by one word: love. — Matshona Dhliwayo

I said only one word, brought only one message: Love. Love — nothing else. — Nikos Kazantzakis

Dancing is the last word in life. In dancing one draws nearer to oneself. — Jean Dubuffet

Be a lady? Forget it. Ladies don’t last a day in the real word. No one’s a lady anymore. Why do you think we get our claws polished? — Crystal Woods

It’s impossible for me to say one word about all that music has meant to me in my life. How, then, can I hope to be understood? — Ludwig Wittgenstein

If eskimos can come up with fifty words for snow because its a matter of life and death, why do we have just one word for love? — Mike Gayle

I believe in one Gnostic and Catholic Church of Light, Life, Love and Liberty, the Word of whose Law is THELEMA . — Aleister Crowley

Live your life by just one word and that is reciprocity. — Debasish Mridha

From our first babblings to our last word,
we make but one statement, and that is our life.
— Richard Paul Evans

Faith is not a one-time act. It’s a way of life. — Jim George

My life, the most truthful one, is unrecognizable, extremely interior, and there is no single word that gives it meaning. — Clarice Lispector

One word frees us all the weight and pain of life:
That word is Love.
-Sophocles — Anne Gracie

Our love was a two-person game. At least until one of us died, and the other became a murderer. — Dark Jar Tin Zoo

Faith is a strong word in my life. That’s one thing my mother has always stressed to me. — LaDainian Tomlinson

Sometimes one word can recall a whole span of life. — Edna O’Brien

One word can lift a mind.
One smile can soothe a heart.
One touch can heal a soul.
One act can change the world. — Matshona Dhliwayo

The meaning of life. The wasted years of life. The poor choices of life. God answers the mess of life with one word: ‘grace.’ — Max Lucado

Val: Why do you go out there?
Sandra: Because dead people give such good advice.
Val: What advice do they give?
Sandra: Just one word- live! — Tennessee Williams

The trick to saying the word cock, is to do it like you have one in your mouth. — Geoffrey Knight

The point,’ Ms. Conyers continued, is that no word had one specific definition. Maybe in the dictionary, but not in real life. — Sarah Dessen

I believe that you can change a life with just one word. — Onew

Results: 278064,
Time: 0.357

Prakhar is the creator of Design Epic Life. His mission is to help high achievers design their epic lives, perform at their peak and become the best version of themselves. Sign up to the DesignEpicLife newsletter to get started now! Follow on Instagram and Twitter.