Beneath the Surface of Well-Being

Exploring Well-Being: Insights from the Hartman Happy Hour Conversation

Following Thomas Hawk's insightful presentation on well-being during the February Hartman Happy Hour, a rich discussion unfolded within the Hartman Institute community. One of the standout contributions came from Edward Korbal, who offered a beautiful axiological lens on the concept of well-being. He framed it through Hartman’s hierarchy: Systemic = well-thinking, Extrinsic = well-doing, and Intrinsic = well-being. This elegant mapping resonated with many in the session and likely helped spark the deeper reflections that followed.

In the days after, a series of thoughtful emails were exchanged among members, each adding a new perspective to this evolving conversation. The dialogue demonstrated the depth and curiosity of the RSHI community, and how powerful it is to reflect collectively on the application of Hartman's work. What follows is a collection of insights drawn from that conversation – not to define well-being once and for all, but to invite further reflection on its meaning and experience.

The Intrinsic Nature of Well-Being

Steve Byrum’s contribution highlighted the inherent difficulty in defining well-being. He explained that, according to Hartman’s hierarchy, well-being is best understood as an intrinsic experience—something that cannot be fully captured in words but must be felt. Steve wrote:

“Well-being can be seen systemically as a concept informed by a variety of basic ideas… it is an intrinsic experience that is highly welcome, positively reinforcing, and valued by a person in his/her own uniqueness.” — Steve

He elaborated on how this experience of well-being can also be seen as the opposite of feelings of loneliness or estrangement. For Steve, well-being is not merely an external measure of success, but an internal experience of alignment with one’s values and purpose.

Why Well-Being Can't Be Easily Defined

As Tom Hawk noted in his contribution, well-being is a deeply personal and evolving concept that is difficult to pin down with a single definition. He acknowledged the challenge in addressing such a complex topic and expressed his comfort in leaving it open for interpretation:

"Well-being is so complex that it likely defies definition, particularly since each of us may define it differently at any one point in time and that our individual definitions of wellbeing evolve as we make our ways through life's journey." — Tom

Tom’s willingness to embrace the complexity of well-being aligns with the broader conversation within the Hartman community. Rather than seeking a single, rigid definition, Tom suggests that the concept of well-being is something to be explored continuously.

The Definition of "Good" and Purpose Fulfillment

Peter Demarest reflected on the notion of “good,” offering a definition that aligns with Hartman’s work:

"Something is good to the degree that it has all the attributes required to fulfill its purpose." — Peter

This definition focuses on purpose fulfillment rather than moral goodness, a concept that Peter has found universally accepted in his coaching, training, and presentations. He also connected this idea to Hartman’s framework, emphasizing that well-being can be viewed as the fulfillment of purpose through the lens of axiological principles. Peter’s perspective helps ground the abstract concept of well-being in something tangible and practical, while also reinforcing the importance of intrinsic qualities in understanding what it means to live a good life.

Exploring Self-Concept and Intrinsic Development

Jon Ciampi shared a personal anecdote from a road trip with his family. He used the opportunity to facilitate a conversation with his daughters about values and well-being, particularly focusing on how their self-concept aligned with their value hierarchies. Jon asked each of them to reflect on deep questions like:

“Who are you?”
“What are you?”
“What ought you be?”

Through this discussion, Jon sought to help his daughters understand how well-being is tied to intrinsic development and how their goals and self-perceptions reflected their internal value systems.

One excerpt from Jon’s experience illustrates this well:

“My 14 y/o daughter said she ought to be married to a blond-haired, blue-eyed, 6-foot tall man and have 2 kids before 30. Her goals lacked intrinsic qualities... I asked her if the man was a brunette or she couldn't have kids, how would she feel. She defended her position, as expected from a highly extrinsic person. I then asked her if she could restate her goals into objectives that were in her control and obtainable.” — Jon

This exchange reveals how well-being is connected to self-awareness and the language we use to define our goals. Jon’s approach encouraged his daughters to move from extrinsic, rigid goals toward more intrinsic objectives, providing them with a better understanding of well-being.

Well-Being as a Journey of Understanding

April Ballestero introduced an additional perspective, reflecting on how well-being could be connected to spiritual and psychological development. She drew from Maslow’s work, noting that the search for well-being could be seen as the search for one's authentic values—a theme Hartman also addressed. April wrote:

"Could it be that we are so 'self-focused' and so 'self-protected' about what tool, message, or way we go about 'organizing good' that we may be missing attributes to BE good?" — April

This thought-provoking question invites us to consider how our individual paths toward well-being might be shaped by external factors, and whether a deeper alignment with our intrinsic values can lead to more sustainable well-being.

Hartman, Maslow, and the Nature of Well-Being

Both Art Ellis and Steve Byrum touched on the important connection between Robert S. Hartman and Abraham Maslow, highlighting how their overlapping ideas offer a richer understanding of well-being.

Art reflected on Maslow’s hierarchy and its alignment with Hartman’s concept of value:

“Well-being is when we are maximizing our hierarchy of value as best we can within our context. I think it aligns well with Maslow’s hierarchy and the idea of ‘being’ values.” — Art

He pointed out that Hartman’s framework and Maslow’s hierarchy share a common purpose: helping people actualise their potential. Art emphasised that Hartman saw Maslow as a kindred spirit in the pursuit of understanding human goodness and value, writing:

“In my conversation with Hartman, he clearly liked Maslow and thought that they had much in common. Hartman didn’t like most psychologists, but he liked Maslow.”

Steve built on this by noting the mutual influence between the two thinkers during the late 1950s and early 1960s:

“I believe that the more we learn about both men, the more of a mutual influence that we see in the late 50s and early 60s that had pretty profound, mutual benefit.” — Steve

He connected this to the idea of concept fulfilment—a term Hartman used to describe intrinsic alignment and actualisation, which Steve described as the core of well-being. By framing well-being as a kind of “goodness be-ing,” Steve captured the essence of Maslow’s self-actualisation and Hartman’s intrinsic value, pointing out that the two thinkers, though using different language, were often pointing to the same thing.

This convergence between Hartman and Maslow offers a powerful framework for understanding well-being—not as a static state, but as an evolving, deeply personal experience rooted in both values and self-realisation.

The Value of Ongoing Discussion

The conversation sparked by Tom’s presentation is a perfect example of why the Hartman Happy Hour is such a valuable part of the community. Members are able to engage in these deep, philosophical discussions and gain new perspectives on Hartman’s work and its application to our lives. As Jon aptly put it:

"These discussions are incredibly valuable. More importantly, they promote the collective understanding of axiology that is vital to the future." — Jon

This underscores the importance of continuing such conversations, not just within the context of a single event but as an ongoing dialogue that enriches everyone’s understanding of Hartman’s axiological principles.

Join the Conversation

If this discussion sparked your interest, we highly encourage you to register for the next Hartman Happy Hour. These events offer a rich opportunity to explore the application of Hartman’s work in both theory and practice. Following each presentation, the After Hours session invites members to reflect, ask questions, and discuss how the topic can be applied in real-world contexts. Engaging with fellow members in these deeper conversations is an invaluable way to expand your understanding and gain more value from your membership.