In this paper, I will discuss several components of the good life that Aristotle lays out in his renowned work, "Nicomachean Ethics." Aa student of Plato, Aristotle believed that “happiness depends on ourselves.” (Russell) According to Aristotle happiness is the central purpose of life and is the goal all man attempts to reach. Furthermore, Aristotle believed the highest good of human’s life is happiness and is achieved by living a life of virtue. The two most important questions to Aristotle were what is the good life and how can one achieve it. He believed happiness was dependent on virtue or a variety of conditions both physical and mental. He believed friendship, virtue and the study of the highest things where criteria of the good life. Aristotle argued virtue is reached by maintaining the Mean. Virtue involves the middle choice between two extremes the excess and the deficiency. Some of these moral virtues include courage, wit, modesty, and generosity these are what he considers the Mean. Aristotle also believed humans can exhibited too much or too little moral virtues (deficiency, excess). Some of these include cowardliness, shamelessness, rashness and bashfulness. Virtue prompts a person to make a reasonable decision. According to Aristotle happiness is the activity of the soul and we demonstrate these virtues by voluntary means. Nicomachean Ethics, began by posing a question “Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim.” (Nicomachean Ethics) Because his ethical theory contains certain propositions about man’s purpose, his place in society, and what is in his best interest it is often viewed as being teleological. Aristotle looks to nature to explain happiness. He says every living thing has a soul. Because plants seek nourishment to grow (vegetative) they have a soul.