Scientists recently announced the discovery of a new species of fish swimming off the coast of California. They are calling it the bumpy snailfish. With its lumpy little body and endearingly awkward look, it’s not exactly winning beauty contests, but that’s not the point. The real thrill is that in 2025, when we’ve mapped the human genome, photographed black holes, and carry supercomputers in our pockets, we’re still finding brand new fish. It’s a reminder that the world has more layers than we think, if only we stay curious enough to discover them.

This made me think about Shigehiro Oishi’s book Life in Three Dimensions and his idea of psychological richness. We often measure a “good life” in terms of happiness or meaning, but Oishi suggests there’s a third dimension that involves curiosity, novelty, and exploration. Psychological richness is about seeking new experiences, learning things you didn’t know, creating what didn’t exist before, and keeping your mind open to the unexpected.

The discovery of the bumpy snailfish embodies that spirit. Without scientists daring to peer deeper into unexplored waters, this fish would have remained unknown. The same applies to our daily lives. If we never venture beyond the familiar, we miss out on the discoveries that make the world an interesting place. In other words, we escape the grind of a Groundhog Day existence.

Equally as important as exploring and learning is the act of creating new things. To create something, whether it’s a painting, a new recipe, a business idea, or even just a clever turn of phrase, is to bring into the world something that wasn’t there before. Creation adds texture to our lives. It transforms curiosity into contribution, and it allows us to see ourselves as not just explorers of the world but participants in shaping it.

Happiness and meaning are important, but they can sometimes make life feel predictable or even stagnant. Psychological richness, on the other hand, brings depth, texture, and surprise. It’s what pushes us to read a new book, take up a hobby, travel to a place we’ve never been, invent something new, or simply ask better questions. Like the scientists who found the bumpy snailfish, we can all become explorers and creators in our own lives.

So, if you feel like your life has become a bit stagnant, think about opening to curiosity and trying new experiences. Who knows what unexpected beauty or bumpy little fish you might discover or create along the way?