We all have different ideas about what constitutes a “great life.” I know that may sound strange. But the reality is that what may be a great life for me may very well not be a great life for you. For example, for many people, having three children and a nice house in the suburbs is their dream life. And for others, that kind of life would be a nightmare.
So, the challenge that we each face in life is to figure out what we want to do with this one and only life that we’ve been given. However, the problem is that the world is a very noisy place. And as a result, it can be challenging to figure out what’s a great life for you.
After all, we each hear the noise of our parents, and they likely have certain ideas about what would be a good life for us. Then there are our friends who aspire to have to certain lifestyles, and we reasonably wonder, “Should I be striving for the same thing?” Even in marriage, your spouse may want one kind of life, and you have to figure out if you want the same type of life too.
The most important thing to remember is this: There’s no single answer to the question of what constitutes a great life. Rather, the answer to that question is different for each one of us. And the key to a happy life is to figure out what that answer is for you. And then you need to work to create that life for yourself.
Below are ways to define what a great life is for you. Follow these approaches, figure out what is a great life for you, and get on the path to creating a great life!
Consider What Truly Energizes You
You can’t create a great life based on what energizes other people. Rather, a great life is built on what makes you feel alive. And what makes each of us feel alive can be quite different.
So, as you try to figure out what a great life looks like for you, consider which activities truly energize you. For instance, I love writing. Sitting at my desk and writing makes me feel alive. I also love learning and speaking other languages. So, if I go on a trip, I always want to go someplace where I can practice my language skills. I find speaking in other languages to be a lot of fun!
So, when attempting to define what constitutes a great life for you, think about those activities that truly energize you. Those are the activities that you would do if you had a free day, with nothing on the schedule. Realize that the key to creating your perfect lifestyle is to fill your life with as many of those energizing activities each day as possible!
Identify the Values You Want to Live By
When creating a great life, you don’t just want to think about how you want to spend your time. You also want to consider what kind of person do you want to be?
What I’ve observed over the years is that most people don’t ask themselves that all-important question. So, they go through life without a personal code. Instead, their behavior depends on their mood. Or whether they’ve had enough sleep. Or if they’re happy or sad.
But to create a great life, you first have to figure out what kind of person you want to be. And that means identifying the values that you want to live by. For example, I value kindness. So, in my life I’ve decided that I want to be a kind person. As a result, I’m kind no matter how I’m feeling, or what other folks around me are doing. Now, I’ll concede that’s difficult. After all, on occasion, I encounter people who are rude or difficult. But their behavior doesn’t dictate my behavior. That’s because I have a Personal Code. And my Personal Code says that I’m going to be kind, regardless of how I’m feeling, or what other folks are doing.
If you identify the what kind of person you want to be, your life becomes much easier. That’s because how you act in any situation is already decided. For instance, because I’ve decided that I want to be a kind person, my life is very simple. I doesn’t matter to me what other people are saying and doing. I’ve decided to be kind no matter what.
So, if you want to create a great life, decide what kind of person you want to be. Then develop a Personal Code, and stick by it! If you do so, your life will be great because you’ll feel good about yourself every single day!
Figure Out What You Don’t Want
Sometimes it’s easier to define what you want in life by figuring out what you don’t want first. For example, I’m someone who hates having a schedule that’s full of activities. In fact, I get very irritated if people try to fill up my free time. So, I know that a great life for me involves having significant time in my week during which I can read, relax and just putter around the house and the yard.
When figuring out what you don’t want in life, you might start by thinking about those moments when you’ve felt drained, resentful, or trapped. We’ve all had those moments. The good news is that they’re our clues to what kind of life we want to create for ourselves.
Similarly, think about what habits you may have that make you feel tired and bad. For instance, alcohol makes me feel terrible. I also feel awful when I eat processed foods. So, a great life for me involves not drinking and having a healthy diet.
You can get a great deal of clarity about what kind of life you want simply by figuring out what kind of life you don’t want.
Think about What Would Be Your Perfect, Ordinary Day
Another very effective way to define what would be a great life for yourself is to envision what would be your perfect day. After all, a great life simply is comprised of ordinary days that are satisfying to you.
To that end, consider asking yourself the following questions: On your perfect day, when would you wake up? Would you you work for an employer, or would you be self-employed? Do you live with other people? Or do you have your own home and live by yourself? What do you do during that perfect day? What would your ideal evening look like?
As an example, I hate setting an alarm to get up in the morning. I simply don’t want to wake up before my body is ready. So, in my perfect day, I don’t set an alarm to get up in the morning. My good news is that during the last year, I’ve been able to have a schedule in which I no longer need to set an alarm. It’s fantastic.
So, to define a great life for yourself, start by figuring out what a perfect, ordinary day would be for you. Because a great life is really just a series of perfect, ordinary days strung together.
Gain Clarity by Experimenting
Sometimes it’s hard to know what a great life would be for you without experimenting. For instance, you may think, “In my ideal life, I’d live in Europe.” Your assessment may be true. Or it may not be true. So, in that case, you might try experimenting. You might spend a two-week vacation renting a house in Europe and live like one of the locals. If you do, you’ll get a taste of what living in Europe is actually like, and you’ll figure out whether a life in Europe would be a great life for you.
Truth be told, there are lots of things that sound good in theory, but they end up being not so great in practice. For example, a certain profession may look appealing from the outside. But when you actually have a job in that field, you find that it isn’t what you expected.
So, don’t be afraid to experiment when trying to figure out what’s a great life for you! Dip your toe in the water before you take the big plunge. The good news is that as you experiment, you’ll be able to refine what a “great” life truly means for you.
If you’re trying to figure out what would be a great life for you, consider following the approaches above. If you put in the work, you’ll be able to get on the path to creating a great life for you! (To read about how to follow your own path in life, click here.)
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