For many people in our difficult times, questions of the content and meaning of life become extremely acute. In previous eras, these questions either did not have such urgency or were not raised at all (for example, in the era of the dominance of communist ideology and the primacy of collectivism over individuality). These questions touch upon the basic and most important for everyone - vital - categories - these are the essence, nature and vital criteria of the authenticity and authenticity of a person. Obviously, these are not just abstract philosophical categories (such as “good” or “evil”) that philosophical thought has produced immensely over the entire history of its development. These categories are the criteria for our well-being in life. It is extremely interesting and extremely important that the personal and even physical well-being of the overwhelming majority of our adult contemporaries is directly associated with these categories. It turns out that at present a person is prosperous, stable, successful, satisfied with life and happy if the main criteria in his value system are the criteria of authenticity, naturalness and authenticity. How do we know that we are prosperous? That everything is fine with them, despite the multiple vicissitudes of everyday life and what happens to us - by and large, should happen? I remember an old joke on this topic: A priest and a businessman are traveling in the same compartment on a train. The businessman immediately opened the laptop and began working with documents. The priest looked at him, thought, then said: “My son, shouldn’t we take a walk to the restaurant car and see what’s on the menu?” “No, father, I’m not hungry.” The priest goes to the restaurant alone. An hour later he returns, satisfied and smiling, carrying a bottle of expensive cognac in his hand. “My son, shouldn’t we try this five-star drink?” “No, father, I’m sorry, I don’t.” The priest pours himself half a glass of cognac, savoring it, and slowly drinks it. He wipes his lips and goes out into the corridor. Fifteen minutes later he comes back. “My son, two young laywomen are traveling one compartment away from us.” Maybe we can visit them and talk about high things? “No, father, I’m married, and I have to work with documents.” The priest takes a bottle of cognac from the table and goes out. He returns in the morning, happy as a March cat. The businessman, who has been working all this time, looks up at him. “Tell me, Holy Father, how is this possible?” I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I maintain my moral character. I work like an ox. Am I really living wrong? The priest sighs. “That’s right, my son.” But in vain... It would be really funny, like in this joke, if it weren’t so sad. This situation is caused by the lack of so-called authentic choice among many modern very worthy subjects - hostages of their own ideas. And as a result - hostages of their own business, their own family, relationships with loved ones, with their own children... Sometimes psychologists call this type of dependence on one’s own ideas a simple and dissonant word - perfectionism. Perfectionism is an orientation in everything towards ideal and perfect forms and, accordingly, similar achievements. Perfectionism is based on deep-seated anxiety and a feeling of personal failure. Through perfectionistic tendencies and aspirations, the subject creates extremely powerful tension for himself and for others. And thanks to this, he can really achieve something in life. However, in almost no cases, even with extraordinary achievements, does he feel that he is prosperous and happy. The stress of perfectionism, which he himself created with his idealistic and largely hallucinatory aspirations, does not lower him in any way, even in the case of serious social achievements... Authentic choice is a category that I introduce to understand a person’s personal responsibility for his well-being. In his book “The Psychology of Happiness: Everything is Much Simpler” / P.F. Silenok. – Rostov n/d: Phoenix, 2012. – 254 p. I pursue the central idea of ​​the nature of human happiness and well-being: “each of us.