30 Philosophers, Chapter 14: Holistic Eudaimonia extends Aristotle’s thoughts on eudaimonia and living a virtuous life to legacy and ripples into the future. This more holistic approach includes the effects of actions on you, others, and the future. In the “good intent-good results” debate, it not only focuses on “good results,” it cultivates them.

Holistic Eudaimonia expands Aristotle’s idea of flourishing by including the ripple effects of our actions across time. It blends Eastern karma and Western cause-and-effect to show that legacy, memory, and consequence are inseparable from the good life.

The good life is not merely about immediate pleasure, present-day success, or even private virtue. It includes long-term responsibility. Your choices ripple outward including your beliefs, habits, work, kindness, and creativity. Some effects are seen by you. Others disappear into the unknown void and impact the future in unknown ways. Holistic Eudaimonia asks you to live with those ripples in mind.

This does not have to be grand. You can write a book, raise a child, build a business, create art, or simply be kind to someone who may then be kind to someone else. To live well is to cultivate flourishing for all through actions that produce good results rippling into the future.