Newsletter
The Good Life2024-09-30
“Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued.”
—Socrates
What is a good life? Many different answers have been given by all sort of “authorities”, from clinicians, to artists, to philosophers, to self-help/motivational coaches. The real authority of what is a good life is each person, because it varies for each of us, depending on stage of life, comparisons we make, dreams we have.
In general, there is a set of 8 simple criteria that provide a common foundation of physical and mental health, as well as focus, to go after and achieve whatever your dreams are. The 8 criteria are: food, exercise, sleep, intimacy, socializing, usefulness, avoiding addictions, and getting a win or learn every day.
We have organized these 8 criteria as simple action items in a checklist that can be done every morning in 1-2 minutes, looking at the previous day, to see how on track you are, and what you need to do better. A version of it is in our Life x Mind app, but you can make your own in your favorite paper or digital journal. A Good Life score is computed from them. What you measure, you manage. Keeping track of it is a good way to navigate life!