The hallmark of a good life: Introducing fulfillment in life

Fulfillment as the cornerstone of a good life has frequently been mentioned in the context of well-being, happiness, and positive psychology. It acts as a key indicator of what it means to lead a meaningful, well-lived existence. However, despite recognition of the importance of fulfillment, systematic research on its definition and measurement has only recently emerged. This article introduces a new research direction, proposing a comprehensive conceptual framework to understand fulfillment in life. The article defines fulfillment as a cognitive-affective experience that is characterized by a sense of wholeness, congruence, and value towards one’s self, life, and impact. This 3 × 3 arrangement forms the structural model of fulfillment, which also serves as the basis for its assessment. Drawing upon qualitative research, we examine how laypersons perceive and experience fulfillment. Additionally, we investigate how a measured fulfilled life differs from related concepts and highlight its strong connection to successful personality development. Our objective is to establish robust conceptual and methodological foundations alongside initial empirical findings, to pave the way for future research on fulfillment.