Last month, Martin Seligman published Agency: The Psychological History of Human Progress.

For those of us at Human Flourishing, and many of our friends at Heroic, this is exciting news. Seligman helped establish the field of positive psychology, and his work has profoundly shaped how we understand human well-being and what makes a good life.

The fact that his new book arrived just weeks before the public launch of Human Flourishing feels especially timely.

What the book argues

Seligman looks back across 2,500 years of human history, from ancient Athens and the Hebrew Torah through the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and the Civil Rights Movement.

His central argument is that agency has been one of the great driving forces of human progress.

He describes agency as the combination of three capacities: efficacy, the belief that we can accomplish something; optimism, the expectation that our efforts can lead to a better future; and imagination, the ability to envision possibilities that do not yet exist.

When people believe their choices matter, they are more likely to act, innovate, and build. When that belief disappears, progress can stall, even in societies with tremendous wealth and resources.

Seligman also looks ahead to the possibilities and challenges of artificial intelligence and what it might mean for the future of human agency.

Why this matters to Human Flourishing

Agency. Hope. Optimism.

These are the three words at the heart of Human Flourishing, so you can imagine why this book caught our attention.

We think of agency as the capacity and freedom to make meaningful choices and act on them. Hope gives that agency a credible direction, a reason to believe there is a path forward. And optimism helps us recognize that progress is possible, even when the challenges are enormous.

Think about how easily pessimism takes root when someone believes nothing they do will make a difference. The problems seem too big. The divisions seem too deep. Their individual voice seems too small.

But what happens when that person takes one meaningful step?

Perhaps they sign our Pledge and make a commitment to pursue understanding across differences. Perhaps they enter a conversation they have been avoiding. Or perhaps they invite a few friends and neighbors to gather for a Circle, where people with different perspectives can explore a question that matters.

These are small acts of agency, but small acts can grow.

As Human Flourishing develops, we want to help people discover those paths forward and connect them with others who want to make a difference. We believe that agency can grow through meaningful relationships, shared inquiry, and the experience of seeing that our actions really do matter.

And that is where hope becomes something we can build together.

Who will be in the room Friday

Several of the participants in our daytime Founding Salon studied positive psychology directly under Seligman, so his influence will certainly be part of our conversations.

Our board member Jason Viyar will deliver Friday evening’s keynote, making the case for optimism. Jason’s forthcoming book, The Psychological Millionaire, grew out of his graduate work in positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and explores what it means to be truly rich in the things that matter most.

Following Jason’s keynote, we’ll have a moderated Forum featuring participants from our Salon, and then something I’m especially excited about: everyone will have an opportunity to experience one of our first Human Flourishing Circles.

Think of a Circle a little like a book club, except instead of discussing a book, we gather around a question worth exploring. You don’t need special knowledge or training. Just a willingness to be curious, listen, and share what you think.

It’s simple, it’s meaningful, and it’s something you can bring into your own community.

We hope you’ll join us this Friday, October 16

We’re launching Human Flourishing because we believe the future can be better, and that each of us has a part to play in making it so.

Friday evening is our opportunity to explore that possibility together.

Friday, October 16, 2026

Sheraton Mesa Hotel at Wrigleyville West, Mesa, Arizona

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. | Program 6:00–9:00 p.m.

Attend in person or join us virtually.

Learn more and reserve your place at the Founding Gathering →

We would love to see you there. And if you know someone who could use a little more hope about the future, please invite them to join us.

Scott McIntosh
Co-Founder, Human Flourishing