I read an article a while back about what makes a good life. It says that an important element of a good life is something called “psychological richness.” Here is an excerpt:
According to this view, a good life is one that is interesting, varied and surprising—even if some of those surprises aren’t necessarily pleasant ones. In fact, the things that make a life psychologically rich may actually make it less happy in the ordinary sense. After all, to put it bluntly, a happy life can also be boring. Adventures, explorations and crises may be painful, but at least they’re interesting.
I agree with this view. In Tim Ferriss’ words, “The opposite of happiness is boredom.” The opposite of happiness is not a bad event; it’s boredom. Even if everything seems to go well, without some “richness” it’s not exactly the kind of life that I want to live.
So what would define a good life?
In my opinion, a good life is a life of adventure. The word “adventure” implies doing something new. It implies the possibility of surprise. It implies excitement.
This, by the way, is how Steve Jobs convinced the reluctant Wozniak to quit his stable job and start Apple. He told Wozniak that, even if they failed, they would have a fun adventure.
How can you live a life of adventure?
In a nutshell, you must be willing to take risks. You must embrace the unknown. You must view the unknown as exciting rather than scary.
It also means that you must be willing to leave your comfort zone. When something has become predictable, maybe it’s time for you to move to something new. Maybe it’s time for you to enter a new season in life.
The great thing about living a life of adventure is it can help you minimize lifetime regrets. Years from now, you won’t have to wonder whether you passed a great opportunity in the past.
Furthermore, you don’t need to be adventurous in your ideal sense of the word. You just need to be more adventurous than you are now. Just like everything else in life, you can get better at this.
Living an adventurous life may not be easy, but it’s definitely worth the effort. You will get a life of excitement and fulfillment as your reward. You will get a life worth living.
