The Content and Aspirational groups provide a starting point for understanding people’s broad orientation to life: whether they are primarily motivated to get ahead or more satisfied with their current position. 

At their core, contentment and aspiration reflect two distinct orientations. 

Contentment reflects an orientation to sufficiency: trusting, appreciating and protecting what already feels meaningful. Aspiration reflects an orientation to possibility: seeking growth, expansion or betterment in pursuit of more from life. 

But these orientations do not show up in one uniform way. Contentment in practice can still contain ambition, curiosity, and a life rich with meaning. Aspiration can still contain restraint, modesty, and a desire for stability. Across the six MindSets, the orientations resolve in very different ways.