The Three Dimensions of a Fulfilling Life | Shigehiro Oishi, PhD

We often confuse happiness with the absence of sadness, or a meaningful life with a productive one. The result might be a life that runs smoothly, but feels strangely flat — as if something essential is missing from the story. What if a truly good life isn’t just happy and meaningful, but also interesting?

Our guest today is Shige Oishi, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago and author of Life in Three Dimensions (2025). Oishi pioneered the idea of psychological richness — the notion that a good life requires a diverse set of interesting, even disorienting experiences. As an expert in social ecology and well-being, his work spans more than 200 scientific articles and has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.

Over the course of our conversation, professor Oishi traces his own journey from an undergraduate in booming-economy Tokyo — surrounded by overworked, unhappy adults — to a career in psychology in the United States, where seeing professors live differently opened his eyes to alternative ways of being. We explore how cultures like Japan, the United States, Finland, and Denmark differ in what they chase and expect from life; why small, everyday joys and high-quality relationships matter more than grand achievements; and how “success” and “ambition” can quietly shape our sense of happiness.

We then dive into psychological richness as a third dimension of the good life alongside happiness and meaning — one defined by variety, newness, and memorable stories, often colored by both positive and negative emotions. We discuss the risks of chasing only stability and efficiency; the importance of spontaneity; and the surprisingly simple ways we can cultivate psychological richness by staying curious and saying “yes” more often.

In this episode, you’ll hear about: 

3:00 - Oishi’s path to studying the psychology of wellbeing 

8:45 - Rising competitiveness in American culture and how it is affecting lifelong happiness 

13:30 - Why Finland and Denmark are regularly rated the happiest countries 

15:55 - Whether there is a “correct” way to find meaning and happiness

19:15 - What it means to be “psychologically rich” 

28:00 - Balancing positive and negative emotions in a happy, meaningful, and psychologically rich life

41:30 - Developing psychological richness 

45:45 - How psychological richness can help address physician burnout

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