We need pleasure in our lives. We also need meaning. Pleasure gives us joy and delight. Meaning gives us purpose and a set of goals to work toward.

But have there ever been times in your life when you’ve experienced meaning and pleasure, yet felt something was missing? Turns out, you’re not alone.

What’s missing, according to recent research, is something called psychological richness. Think of it as mental stimulation. A combination of curiosity and wonder. Lorraine Besser writes about this in her book, The Art of the Interesting: What We Miss in Our Pursuit of the Good Life and How to Cultivate It. She also shares what she and her research colleagues have learned about how to get it.

This is a book that takes something we know we need – mental challenge and stimulation – and calls it out as a key component for living a good life.

Episode Links

What If You Pursued What’s Interesting Instead of Happiness?

How Novelty Positively Impacts Your Brain

Interview with Rainesford Stauffer

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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