GUEST POST from Robert B. Tucker
For decades, personal development has been dominated by buzzwords like “success,” “achievement,” and “maximizing wealth.” These concepts, all rooted in performance, have guided how people evaluate their lives for decades.
But now a deeper way of measuring life is gaining attention: call it the human flourishing movement. Human flourishing seeks a broader and more holistic measure of what it means to live well. Researchers aligning with this trend are beginning to measure factors other than money.
In a new study, Gallup interviewed people in 142 countries and asked them a series of questions to determine whether they felt they were flourishing or floundering. They sought insights into how people thrive in their lives and what factors lead to struggle, or worse of all, suffering.
Good news: the number of people worldwide who say they are thriving has been rising steadily for ten years. The number of people who report “suffering” is down to seven percent. The surprising exception is that the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and other Western countries are floundering.
Perhaps the most comprehensive study of well-being comes from the Global Flourishing Study, led by epidemiologist Tyler J. VanderWeele of Harvard and Byron Johnson of Baylor University. Beginning in 2022, their team has interviewed 200,000 people across 22 countries to probe not just material success, but overall well-being.
The metrics of what might be called the Flourishing Movement don’t just measure what you’ve achieved or have not achieved. They look at the deeper question of how well and how fully you are living. Are your relationships supportive? Do you feel that your life adds up to something bigger than the sum of its parts? Such questions open the door to a much fuller conversation about what it means to live well in the 21st century, during a time when vast social, technological, and economic trends are coalescing, sometimes at exponential rates.
“Levels of happiness and life satisfaction are higher in richer developed countries,” VanderWeele noted in a recent podcast, “but, intriguingly, one finds the reverse with meaning and purpose. Meaning and purpose were reported as higher in poor developing countries and the richer developed world, and I think this leads to interesting and important dimensions.”
True flourishing encompasses not only material well-being and mental health, but also purpose, relationships, character, and even spiritual fulfillment. As researchers dig deeper into what truly sustains happiness and meaning, the idea of flourishing has emerged as a more complete—and compelling—lens through which to understand human potential.
One of the most revealing insights from recent studies is how flourishing plays out differently across the globe. Wealthier nations, such as those in Western Europe or North America, typically score high in areas like financial security and life satisfaction. But when it comes to meaning, social connection, and purpose, middle-income countries are often leading the way.
Indonesia, Mexico, and the Philippines consistently report strong scores in these deeper dimensions of flourishing, despite more modest economic conditions. Their cultures tend to emphasize close-knit families, communal life, and spiritual practices — elements that are proving central to sustained well-being. On the other hand, nations like Japan and Turkey, while relatively developed, show lower scores in key flourishing domains, suggesting that prosperity alone doesn’t ensure a meaningful life.
Why Many Young People Are Floundering
One of the most surprising findings in the flourishing research has to do with age. In youth-dominated cultures, we assume that youth is the golden era of life — more energy, more opportunities, more freedom. But younger generations often report lower well-being than their parents or grandparents. Digital overload, social comparison, economic insecurity, and a world that feels perpetually in flux have left many twenty-somethings adrift.
By contrast, older adults — those in their fifties, sixties, and beyond — often score higher on measures of flourishing. Having weathered storms, built relationships, and gathered wisdom, they report more peace, more purpose, and a deeper sense of connection. It turns out life doesn’t peak at 25; in fact, flourishing often deepens as we age. And that flips the script on how we think about the so-called “prime years.” Maybe our later decades aren’t a decline at all, but a hidden dividend.
The Quiet Benefit of Spirituality
Spirituality, long relegated to the personal or private sphere, is increasingly being recognized as a cornerstone of flourishing—even in secular societies. Research shows that people who regularly attend religious services or engage in spiritual practices tend to report higher levels of well-being.
This doesn’t necessarily point to belief systems or doctrines, but rather the communal and reflective aspects of spirituality. Whether through meditation, prayer, ritual, or service, spiritual engagement appears to offer a sense of belonging and alignment with something greater — an antidote to isolation and meaninglessness in an age that often prizes individualism.
Why Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness
It’s tempting to equate flourishing with economic prosperity. After all, financial security can buffer against many of life’s stresses. Yet study after study shows that material wealth is only one piece of the puzzle — and often not the most important one.
In fact, people with high incomes but weak social ties or no clear purpose often report lower well-being than those with modest means but rich community lives. Flourishing is built not just on what people have, but on how they live: whether they feel seen, supported, and significant. Relationships, purpose, and spiritual depth routinely outperform wealth as predictors of a flourishing life.
Technology: Tool or Trap?
In the digital era, flourishing or floundering often has a lot to do with the impact of technology and social media. On one hand, digital tools allow people to connect across vast distances, learn new skills, and access mental health support like never before. On the other hand, overuse can foster social isolation, constant comparison, and disengagement from the physical world.
Social media, as researchers like Jonathan Haidt have pointed out, can create a curated version of life that feels disconnected from reality — fueling anxiety and a sense of inadequacy, and even suicide. The challenge, as the Flourishing Movement points out, is not to abandon technology, but to use it intentionally. Flourishing in a digital world requires setting boundaries, practicing conscious parenting, maintaining presence, and fostering real-world connections.
Relationships at the Core
If there is one universal thread in the flourishing conversation, it is the centrality of relationships. Over and over, research finds that close social bonds — whether with family, friends, partners, or communities—are among the most reliable predictors of a flourishing life. These relationships provide emotional support, meaning, and a sense of belonging that no career or possession can replace.
In cultures where multi-generational households are common or communal values are prioritized, people often flourish despite economic hardship. In more individualistic societies, the erosion of communal life can leave people feeling un-moored, even if they are materially comfortable. The takeaway is simple but profound: human beings are wired for connection, and our well-being depends on it.
Toward a More Complete Vision of Thriving
What emerges from this body of research is the need for a holistic, multidimensional approach to well-being. Flourishing isn’t just the absence of illness or the presence of pleasure—it’s a state of wholeness, rooted in both internal and external conditions. It involves aligning your life with your values, nurturing relationships, engaging in meaningful work, and cultivating a sense of spiritual or existential purpose.
In the end, flourishing does not mean we have it all, or even all together —it’s about being fully alive.
This article originally appeared in Forbes
Image credit: Pixabay
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