In our first two articles, we’ve completely reframed the pursuit of happiness. We’ve learned from Martin Seligman's Authentic Happiness that chasing "feeling good" (The Pleasant Life) is a fool's errand. We’ve discovered that true, durable well-being comes from The Good Life—a life of engagement and "flow" that we build by identifying and using our Signature Strengths every day.
This is a powerful framework, and for many, it’s enough to transform their careers. But Seligman, in his research, found that there was one more level. A level that, he argues, provides the most durable and profound form of human flourishing. It's the answer to the "what's it all for?" question that can haunt even those who are "in the flow."
This is the third and final pillar: The Meaningful Life.
Pillar 3: The Meaningful Life (Service & Purpose)
Seligman's definition of The Meaningful Life is simple, elegant, and perfectly integrated with the other pillars:
A Meaningful Life is using your Signature Strengths in the service of something larger than yourself.
This is the capstone. It takes the "Good Life" and gives it a direction.
The Good Life: Using your strength of "Leadership" to manage your team effectively so you hit your targets. This feels good.
The Meaningful Life: Using your strength of "Leadership" to mentor your team, helping them grow and find their own strengths, so that they can go on to build better things. This feels meaningful.
The "something larger" does not have to be "save the whales" or "cure a disease." It can be your family, your team, your community, your clients, or even a strongly-held set of values. It is the simple act of turning your strengths "outward" for a purpose beyond your own personal gain.
A lawyer using their strength of "Judgment" to win a big case has a Good Life. A lawyer using that same strength to defend the innocent or create a fair and just system has a Meaningful Life. The action is the same. The intent is different.
The Coach’s View: The Happiness Formula H = S + C + V
As a coach, this is where all the pieces click together. Seligman proposes a "formula" for your level of happiness (H): H = S + C + V
S (Set Point): This is your genetic baseline for happiness. It's your "hedonic treadmill." As we learned in Article 1, we can't do much about this. It's 50% of the variance.
C (Circumstances): This is the part we obsess over. It’s our money, our job title, our house, our marital status, our health. And here is Seligman's most shocking finding: circumstances account for only 10-15% of our happiness. This is revolutionary. Why? Because we adapt to everything. The raise, the new car, the corner office... they all have a shockingly small and temporary effect on our long-term happiness. This is a crucial insight for clients who believe the next promotion is the thing that will finally fix everything. It won't.
V (Voluntary Control): This is the rest. It is the 40% (or so) of happiness that is completely and totally up to you. It's not your genes, it's not your circumstances. It's your choices.
And what are these "voluntary" choices? They are the three pillars of his book:
Voluntary control over your past/future (The Pleasant Life): Choosing to practice gratitude and optimism.
Voluntary control over your present (The Good Life): Choosing to identify and deploy your strengths to create flow.
Voluntary control over your purpose (The Meaningful Life): Choosing to use those strengths in service of something bigger.
The "V" variable is everything. It's where all our coaching work lives. It’s the entire game.
Putting It All Together: Happiness is a Byproduct
This leads us to the grand, final conclusion of Authentic Happiness. If you chase happiness directly—if you make the "Pleasant Life" your primary goal—it will elude you. It's like trying to grab a sunbeam.
But, if you stop chasing happiness and instead focus your voluntary energy on building the other two pillars... happiness will show up.
If you chase The Good Life by getting clear on your Signature Strengths and re-crafting your work to use them... you will create flow and gratification.
If you chase The Meaningful Life by taking those strengths and applying them to a purpose you believe in... you will build a sense of meaning.
And as a byproduct of living a life of engagement and meaning, you will find yourself experiencing a deep, authentic happiness. The positive feelings of the "Pleasant Life" will come in through the side door. They will show up as the natural result of a life well-lived, not as the goal itself.
This, ultimately, is the new "lens" Seligman offers us. Stop asking, "How can I be happy?" Instead, ask these two, much more powerful questions:
"How can I use my strengths more today?"
"How can I be of service?"
Answer those two questions with your daily actions, and the happiness will take care of itself.
If any of these concepts resonate, I strongly encourage you to read Authentic Happiness by Martin Seligman for a richer understanding. Tailoring the concepts for you and supplementing them with personalized strategies and tools is where a coach comes in.
