We believe in the power each of us has to shape our lives and the world around us.
Think tanks largely focus on external forces that influence people’s lives. Laws, regulations, and economic conditions certainly matter. In fact, at the Archbridge Institute, we study how to remove barriers like excessive occupational licensing, housing restrictions, and other policies that limit opportunity. That’s essential work.
But the Human Flourishing Lab focuses on something different: what each of us can do for ourselves, our families, our workplaces, and our communities, regardless of what’s happening in Washington or our state capitol.
This is where human agency comes in. Agency is our capacity to set goals, make choices, take action, and shape our circumstances. It’s the foundation of a meaningful life, the psychological bedrock of a free society, and a key driver of human progress. The Lab exists because we believe people have tremendous potential to improve their lives and create positive change in the world around them.
Three Pillars, One Focus
Our work spans the Archbridge Institute’s three pillars of economics, psychology, and culture, but always through the lens of individual agency and action:
- Economics: Not just economic policy, but how we can build financial capability, develop entrepreneurial skills, and create economic opportunity for ourselves and others
- Psychology: The mindsets, motivations, and personal characteristics that help us navigate challenges, find meaning, and flourish
- Culture: How we influence the beliefs, practices, and norms in our families, workplaces, schools, communities, and broader society
Why This Matters Now
Despite remarkable progress in science, technology, and medicine, as well as expanding freedom and equality, many Americans feel anxious, depressed, divided, and pessimistic. Young people especially are struggling to envision a brighter future and losing faith in their ability to shape it.
We must counter this despair. Human beings are capable of extraordinary things even in difficult circumstances. This is especially true when individuals have the freedom to discover their talents, pursue their goals, and reach their full potential. But just as freedom allows people to exercise their agency, agency is what transforms freedom into flourishing. People who lack faith in their ability to improve their circumstances often reject freedom, looking elsewhere for solutions. A free society requires citizens who act on their freedom with purpose and responsibility.
What We Do
The Human Flourishing Lab researches the personal foundations and attitudes that shape well-being and provides practical resources to help individuals improve their own lives and create positive change in the world. Our work appears in academic journals, major media outlets, and toolkits designed for researchers, educators, parents, and the general public.
We’re building an evidence-based movement rooted in a hopeful, progress-oriented vision of human potential. We believe agency and freedom are essential to that vision. The path forward isn’t about retreating inward or waiting for someone else to fix things. It’s about recognizing our power to act, engaging with the world, and contributing to the institutions and communities that make human flourishing possible.
The Human Flourishing Lab is led by Clay Routledge.
