This academic treatise provides an analytical construct and associated methodology for evaluating the potential for fulfillment and happiness at both individual and societal levels, encompassing race, religion, nationality, and political systems. Through included case studies and hypothetical examples, Martin Skeer explores how individuals are best able to recognize what events shape their lives, and, in the process of this exploration, he reveals a key question: To what extent has actual fulfillment and happiness been realized in relation to the potential for them both over time? As Skeer details why possible potential and actual potential are interconnected yet fundamentally different measurements of fulfillment and happiness, he also reveals why, on the societal level, these principles are applicable to wide-ranging aspects of human behavior. The objectives of this dissertation are threefold: to enable the quality of life for individuals and societal groups to be gauged in quantitative terms, either alone or in contrast to one another; to provide a basis for measuring how well individuals are faring with regard to maximizing their quality of life; and to offer a systematic approach for establishing strategies and priorities to enhance the quality of life for both individuals and societal groups.