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

Shigehiro Oishi is the Marshall Field IV Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago. He is one of the foremost authorities on happiness, meaning, and culture. His newest book is Life in Three Dimensions: How Curiosity, Exploration, and Experience Make a Fuller, Better Life.

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Episode cheatsheet

The big takeaway

Psychologist Shigehiro Oishi challenges the classic paths to the “good life”—happiness and meaning—by proposing a third dimension: psychological richness. Oishi shares how embracing a life filled with curiosity, novelty, and playful exploration can help us feel more alive, turn adversity into wisdom, and avoid the pitfalls of endless self-optimization.

The case for the third path: psychological richness

Key takeaways:

• When Happiness Feels Flat: Obsessing over happiness or meaning alone can actually trap us in cycles of craving or exclusion—sometimes making us less fulfilled.

• The Third Path – Psychological Richness: Life isn’t just about comfort or meaning; it’s also about interesting, perspective-changing experiences that shake us out of routine.

• Small Joys Matter Most: True happiness and meaning come from frequent small connections and positive experiences, not just big achievements.

• Adversity as Fuel: The most difficult moments, when reflected on and shared, often add the deepest psychological richness to our lives.

6 practical ways to infuse your life with psychological richness