Self-Optimization for Individual Happiness?

Abstract

In our secular society, individuals are urged to find meaning in their lives despite limited opportunities. While inner hero’s
journeys convey a sense of purpose, depth, and belonging, apparent promises of happiness, such as self-optimization, are
gaining increasing traction. This exploratory study aims to investigate whether students perceive self-optimization as a path
to a good life and how it relates to transformative journeys. Utilizing a combination of semi-structured interviews and a quan-
titatively analyzed questionnaire, the societal views of students, their practices and motivations for self-optimization, notions
of a good life, and interconnections are explored. In the post-heroic, secular, and performance-oriented society described by
students, the majority expects to self-improve. The analysis reveals that only a small fraction experiences transformative jour-
neys, while others strive for happiness in seemingly transformative developments like self-optimization or other life projects.
The hypothesis that this pursuit of happiness is based on incomplete understandings of meaning and self-awareness should
be examined in further studies

Keywords: finding meaning; good life; self-improvement; self-optimization; transformative hero journey