Patricia Mou

Results from a randomized trial suggest that the implementation of an intervention designed to promote the use of one’s central character strengths in new ways improves well-being (Seligman et al., 2005). The intervention consists of taking a survey to identify one’s five central character strengths and then using one of these top five strengths in... See more

A first principle is a basic assumption that cannot be deduced from any other assumption. In Mathematics, these are called axioms.

But the non-linear approach to meaning is about becoming a certain kind of person, the person who will, when given a chance, act effectively to realize their values in this world, even if those values are not articulable except as a felt sense of meaning. It requires us to become developed along multiple axes of development: capable of risking it... See more

Live, work, and learn elegantly: I advocate for that which is elegantly designed, built, created— whether it's a clever turn of phrase, a well-written segment of code, a skillfully pared down piece of furniture, or a delightful UX element that precisely meets user needs. And in all aspects of my life and work, I do things well and elegantly.

Most of us, however, develop a portfolio of meaning – we have multiple sources of it in our lives, and cannot in fact derive it from only one source any more than we can be healthy on a diet of bread and water.

Members of a tribe expect to benefit from investing into the tribe - and they might decide to leave if those benefits never manifest - but it matters little to them when and how exactly they receive that benefit.

A couple of months ago I pursued a new habit. Every night I pulled out a pad of paper and filled a blank page with answers to the question “What do I want in life?” (This is an exercise based on Jim O’Shaughnessy’s excellent six-part Thinker & Prover thread.) Unearthing my desires was painstaking work.