Dr. Shige Oishi is the Marshall Field IV Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago. He is the author of . Dr Oishi is one of the foremost authorities on happiness, meaning, and culture. He is the author of The Psychological Wealth of Nations, and his research has been featured in major media outlets, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
The Retirement Wisdom Podcast Life in Three Dimensions – Dr. Shige Oishi
Sep 15, 2025
31:18
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Is there more to a great life than happiness and meaning? Dr. Shige Oishi thinks so. He’s the author of Life in Three Dimensions: How Curiosity, Exploration and Experience Make a Fuller, Better Life, and he defines psychological richness as a life filled with diverse, interesting, and perspective-shifting experiences. Unlike the well-trodden paths of happiness (contentment) and meaning (purpose-driven focus), psychological richness is about exploration, challenge, and even taking on uncomfortable challenges —because growth lives outside the comfort zone. And retirement is a catalyst to explore this third dimension of life. Yet, psychological richness doesn’t require dramatic change. It’s quite accessible through small shifts, and by simply trying something new. Try new foods, meet someone new, or change your routine. And seize opportunities to be spontaneous and playful. Listen in and learn more about how psychological richness can enhance your life in retirement.
Shige Oishi joins us from Chicago.
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Bio
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For More on Dr. Shige Oishi
Life in Three Dimensions: How Curiosity, Exploration and Experience Make a Fuller, Better Life
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Podcast Conversations You May Like
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Make Your Next Years Your Best Years – Harry Agress, MD
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About The Retirement Wisdom Podcast
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About Your Podcast Host
Joe Casey is an executive coach who helps people design their next life after their primary career and create their version of The Multipurpose Retirement.™ He created his own next chapter after a 26-year career at Merrill Lynch, where he was Senior Vice President and Head of HR for Global Markets & Investment Banking.
Joe has earned Master’s degrees from the University of Southern California in Gerontology (at age 60), the University of Pennsylvania, and Middlesex University (UK), a BA in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and his coaching certification from Columbia University.
In addition to his work with clients, Joe hosts The Retirement Wisdom Podcast, ranked in the top 1% globally in popularity by Listen Notes, with over 1.6 million downloads. Business Insider recognized Joe as one of 23 innovative coaches who are making a difference. He’s the author of Win the Retirement Game: How to Outsmart the 9 Forces Trying to Steal Your Joy.
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Wise Quotes
On Novelty
“So these results suggest that if you want to make your life psychologically richer, then try to do something new. Break away from the daily routines once in a while, and acting spontaneously. Our life is very much scheduled and planned, I mean adult lives. So I think sometimes going outside of the schedule and the habit and the routines will definitely make our life richer.”
On Playfulness
“In addition to novelty, another important part is being playful, and as a professional adult most of us have so many responsibilities and things you have to do and master on the list. So essentially we forget about being playful and the importance of being playful. So when we are five years old, we lived somewhere between reality and fantasy. We never cared about any responsibility because you didn’t have one. Like a dog chasing tennis ball, essentially we have to let ourselves be like a dog or like five years old. So I try to be playful you know once in a while and that really opens up a lot of opportunities. I think really it’s important to have some open, you know, spaces and time on your schedule. And that allow us to be spontaneous. Spontaneously decide to take a walk, go to a museum, stop by a Goodwill store and things of that nature. I think that’s really important. And if you’re short of time, then you can change your commute a little bit. In my case, when I go to the lecture hall, of course, the default is the shortest, most efficient way to get there. But when I have like three minutes and I just, take a different ways and I notice the different buildings, different architectures and trees and benches and things. of that nature. So just changing up a little bit actually helps a lot. If you’re commuting by train, try to get off on one station before or after, explore the different neighborhood. There are a lot of ways to enrich your life.”
On Taking on New Challenges
“I think once in a while we have to sort of say, Yeah, you know, let’s just see how it goes. And I think that’s the attitude. Let’s try to see if it works. It’s a lot better than, Oh, I think it’s too hard. Instead of: I’m not gonna do this, Emma. I’m gonna just stick with what I know. We have to know that we are so trained, habitually moving toward the familiar and easy. So you have to go opposite, right? [Be open to the] unfamiliar, what’s maybe a little bit more difficult.”