From a kid studying for examination to an office employee succeeding at work, thriving is seen at all stages of life. Thriving is continuous practice. It is a continual reaching for your next level.
Until now, there is no particular agreement found on what makes a person successful or, on the other hand on how individuals can attempt and guarantee they do.
Dr. Daniel Brown from the University of Portsmouth analyzed what makes people successful. He collected data from studies of babies and teenagers to studies of artists, sportspeople, employees, etc. And now, he comes up with the first definitive catch-all i.e., the secret to thriving.
According to him, thriving is a word most people would be glad to hear themselves described as. It appears to come down to an individual experiencing a sense of development, of getting better at something, and succeeding at mastering something.
In other words, it is nothing but feeling good about life and yourself and being good at something.
He outlines the ‘shopping list’ underlying his simple definition. Although, thriving doesn’t need all these following components, but suggests a combination of some from each of the two following lists may help
A:
- Optimistic
- Spiritual or religious
- Motivated
- Proactive
- Someone who enjoys learning
- Flexible
- Adaptable
- Socially competent
- Believes in self/has self-esteem
B:
- Opportunity
- Employer/family/other support
- Challenges and difficulties are at manageable level
- Environment is calm
- A high degree of autonomy
- Is trusted as competent
Dr. Brown said, “Since the end of the 20th century, there has been a quest in science to better understand the secret to thriving, there’s been a shift towards wanting to understand how humans can function as highly as possible.”
“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 someone thrive and others not, and so on. By setting out a clear definition, I hope this helps set a course for future research.”
Thriving, many times described as vitality, learning, mental toughness, focus, or combinations of these and other qualities.
The study recommends six things for future research. For example, the need for close examination of what enables thriving, and whether thriving has any lasting or cumulative effect on individuals.