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I Want to Have a Good Life

Today is New Year's Day. and so I am thinking about what it means to live a good life.

To me, a good life is one that is based on virtue--(1) choosing to be virtuous in my actions and (2) deriving pleasure from my choice of actions. If I undertake number 1 but do not achieve number 2, I am not living my best life. Likewise if I choose number 2 without checking box number 1, I am also underachieving in a major way.

I most certainly could be more virtuous than I am, but then I might diminish the pleasure I get from my very virtuous actions. Better to be somewhat virtuous and enjoy every moment than be uber virtuous and hate every moment on Earth. So I am constantly thinking about how to be more virtuous while achieving personal happiness.

And there is another necessary component of living a good life: examining my life to make any mid-course adjustments. Was it Aristotle who said that the unexamined life is not worth living? He had a point.

Have a great year everyone, but have an even greater life.
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SW-User
Very insightful. Thanks for sharing. I will take these words with me to the next year :)