# Motivation and emotion/Book/2020/Eudaimonia

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## Overview

The question of what a "good" life consists of and how one may achieve it has almost certainly been on people's minds since human societies were first in a secure enough position to think so far ahead. It is a question that the vast majority of us consider at some point in our lives; what does "success" mean to me? What makes a good life? Am I living as fully as I could be? What can I do to ensure that I'm proud of the life I led when I'm at the end of it? There are many different philosophical schools of thought that address this concern, proposing their ideas about what constitutes a worthwhile existence. One such concept is Aristotle's eudaimonia.
* Focus questions:
* What is eudaimonia?
* Why is it a valuable concept?
* How can eudaimonia be developed?

## What is eudaimonia and why is the concept useful?

Eudaimonia can be translated to "human flourishing" (add source), and is considered the epitome of wellness - true fulfillment.
Aristotle referred to eudaimonia as, "[the] highest of all goods achievable by human action" (Ryff & Singer, 2006, p. 14).
* Etymologyː Greek - "eu"ː good, "daimon"ː spirit (add source)

### History

Aristotle, Greek philosophy (Stoicism)

### Happiness and hedonism

Qualitatively different from eudaimonia (Waterman, 1993).
Define hedonism
See Figure 1.

## Theoretical frameworks and approaches

There are a few major theories/approaches that apply well to the research and discussion of eudaimonia.

### Self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2006)

Autonomy, Competence, Relatedness
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### Psychological well-being model (Ryff & Singer, 2006)

Self acceptance, purpose in life, environmental mastery, positive relationships, personal growth, autonomy (Ryff & Singer, 2006, p. 20).
Add image

### Maslow's hierarchy of needs

Physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, self-actualization.
See Figure 2.

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## How can eudaimonia be achieved?

* Courage, presence/mindfulness, integrity, self-trust, ambition (being virtuous, considering excess & deficiency - Aristotle and Stoics)
* Intimacy and healthy, meaningful relationships with others
* Disparity between Stoics and Aristotle about what they considered necessary vs a bonus (eg good health)

## Conclusion

Important points about this section:
* This is arguably the most important section.
* What is the answer to the question in the sub-title (based on psychological theory and research)?
* What are the practical, take-home messages?
Eudaimonia is a form of well-being that emphasizes life purpose, meaning and future orientation. It shares similar - with satisfaction, happiness, flourishing, and resilience(?).
Central models and theories to it include self-determination theory, Ryff's psychological well-being model, Diener's ̈model of subjective well-being, and Seligman's concept of authentic happiness.
It can be developed through active focus on meaning (rather than outcome), engaging in experiences of flow, practicing a future orientation (rather than present or past), prosocial behaviour and community engagement.