Scientists find secret to thriving.

 Surprise, surprise according to new research published in European Psychologist, what it takes to thrive, rather than merely survive, is probably as simple as feeling good about life and yourself and being good at something.

What the researchers say: From a teenager studying for their exams to an employee succeeding at work, thriving can be seen at all ages and across all cultures. But until now and despite plenty of theories, there has been no agreement on what makes a person thrive or on how people can try and ensure they do.

Now researchers have pulled together all the research on what makes people thrive, from studies of babies and teenagers, to studies of artists, sportspeople, employees and the elderly, and have come up with the first definitive catch-all.

Drum roll here. They declared: “Thriving is a word most people would be glad to hear themselves described as, but which science hasn't really managed to consistently classify and describe until now. It appears to come down to an individual experiencing a sense of development, of getting better at something, and succeeding at mastering something. In the simplest terms, what underpins it is feeling good about life and yourself and being good at something.” Wow! Who’d have thought it?

The study outlines the 'shopping list' underlying their simple definition. To thrive doesn't need all the components, but suggests a combination of some from each of the two following lists may help -

A thriving person is:

 optimistic,

spiritual or religious,

motivated,

proactive,

someone who enjoys learning,

flexible,

adaptable,

socially competent,

believes in self/has self-esteem.

He or she has:

opportunity,

employer/family/other support,

challenges and difficulties are at manageable level,

a calm environment,

a high degree of autonomy,

is trusted as competent.

Surprisingly their research has established that though thriving is similar to resilience, prospering or growth, it stands alone.

Thriving has been examined at various stages of human life and has at times been described as vitality, learning, mental toughness, focus, or combinations of these and other qualities. It has also been examined in various contexts, including in the military, in health and in child development.

“Since the end of the 20th century, there has been a quest in science to better understand human fulfilment and thriving, there's been a shift towards wanting to understand how humans can function as highly as possible,” said the lead author. “Part of the reason for a lack of consensus is the research so far has been narrowly focused. Some have studied what makes babies thrive, others have examined what makes some employees thrive and others not, and so on. By setting out a clear definition, I hope this helps set a course for future research.”

So what? Too many of us are in the “survive” rather than in the “thrive” state, and for most of us even surviving our present society is triumph enough.

I think that the researchers behind this study are on to something rather important—thriving is a feeling of “being OK.” More precisely it’s the absence of negative feelings or more clinically “moods.” Most of the aspects on the first list that the researchers say are needed for a person to thrive are generally absent from someone who suffers from major depression, or general anxiety disorder, or panic disorder, or PTSD or any of the plethora of variations of these.

Most recent research has shown that all serious mood disorders are on the increase and therefore there are fewer people who are “thriving.”

They are also, I think, right in singling out the second list—the circumstances within which a feeling of competence arises—as the things needed in order to thrive. Though it is true that mood disorders are about 40% genetic in origin, their increase now can be attributed largely to the increasing pressure that individuals and families are under due to the lack of these basic necessities. Without them thriving is impossible, or at least very difficult and unusual.

What I think the researchers have got absolutely right is the importance that they devote to social support and community. Humans thrive within community since we are preeminently social animals. Nothing gets the human system ready for death quicker—as research noted in TR has shown—than isolation or loneliness. Our need for communal support—in the workplace, the family and outside of those—is paramount. Yet we are becoming both more “connected” and at the same time more isolated due to our reliance on technology. “Facebook depression” is real and on the increase as readers of TR will by now be aware.

What now? We should judge the value of work, the functioning of society, and the strength of family on the basis of their capacity to provide humans with the ability to thrive. As the song goes, the “bear necessities” for a human are pretty well all in the researchers’ lists.