According to a new study, people who have a sense of purpose, goals and direction in their life have a longer life expectancy than people who are aimless. This is substantial, not just for seniors and those in retirement, as the results are resonating across all age categories.

A long-term study tracking the life expectancy of 6000 people reveals that individual perceptions of personal status and relevance have a direct correlation to life expectancy. The results of the in-depth study have been published in Psychological Science Journal.

Led by Patrick Hill or Carleton University in Canada, who collaborated with Nicholas Turiano from the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, the pair sought to expand on previous research about mortality and how it relates to a person’s sense of purpose during their lifetime.

The team conducted interviews, allowing participants to make their own statements regarding their quality of life. Psychological triggers were used to determine the participants’ sense of direction coming from statements such as “some people wander aimlessly through life – but I am not one of them.”

The results were not surprising for aging senior citizens in retirement. Those who were motivated with focus, goals, direction and purpose had a longer lifespan than those who did not. The team surmises that a sense of purpose shields the older generation from early mortality. What the researchers did find surprising was that the sense of meaningful direction was not limited to those in their golden years.

The study indicates that every age category benefits from feeling they have purpose and meaning in their life. In fact, the younger a person is when they develop a sense of purpose, the lower their mortality rate is.

This is a significant finding, since it spans across many life-altering changes. Post-secondary school, marriage, family, work, empty nests, grandchildren and retirement can all have a toll on an individual’s sense of value and direction. However, an overall sense of purpose, which is not defined by any single aspect of person’s life, but rather, overlapping goals and directions during one’s lifespan, will increase longevity.

This current study is just the beginning, as both researchers look forward to uncovering specific psychological indicators that stem from a person’s sense of purpose. They also intend to examine how a person with clear direction may engage in lifestyle and health choices that are different from those with no clear direction.

Mike Bundrant is author of Your Achilles Eel: How to Overcome Negative Emotions, Bad Decisions and Self-Sabotage.

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Source:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/276893.php