Updated on July 25, 2024.
Amid the daily grind—whether that means getting to and from work, paying bills, or managing a busy household—it can be easy to lose sight of your larger goals and your sense of mission in life. Frankly, sometimes just getting through the day is an achievement in itself.
But there are benefits to making time on a regular basis to remember the big picture and to define and pursue the larger goals that drive you in life.
Understanding purpose
You may have heard about the value of having a sense of purpose. But what is purpose?
Like many big ideas, purpose can mean different things to different people. Generally speaking, a sense of purpose is an overall idea that guides your actions, decisions, and behaviors.
For many people, a sense of purpose is directed outwardly. That means it involves helping other people or leaving a benefit for the world, rather than things that only benefit yourself. Many people put this in terms of having a mission that’s “bigger” than themselves.
Although purpose may involve having a long-term goal, it might not necessarily be something that can ever be achieved or completed, like a daily to-do list. Instead, it may be a practice or an ethic that you follow over the course of a lifetime. Purpose may also change with time, as you move through the various phases of life.
Living with purpose for longevity
Research has shown that having a sense of purpose may help improve your physical and mental health—which could help improve your longevity as a result.
For example, several studies have pointed to a lowered risk of mortality associated with cultivating a sense of purpose. A 2022 study published in Preventive Medicine looked at more than 13,000 adults over the course of eight years. Researchers discovered that a sense of purpose was linked to a lower risk of death from all causes.
These effects may hold regardless of other life factors. In a 2021 study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the authors found that the longevity boosting effect of having a sense of purpose was apparent regardless of participants’ socioeconomic status. Another study published in 2023 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that a sense of purpose had a positive effect on mortality risk even if participants reported that they had poor physical health.
Having a sense of purpose alone won’t help you live longer. But studies like these suggest that for many people, setting and maintaining a mission in life can be a valuable piece of overall well-being.
How purpose is linked to health
Research suggests that having a stronger sense of purpose in life may be associated with lower levels of inflammation in the body. It also seems to help reduce the negative effects of stress. Both inflammation and stress can be taxing on one’s physical and mental health, so anything that helps ease their effects may be protective.
Other research has examined the ways in which a sense of purpose may improve various aspects of health. These include:
Improved heart health
A strong sense of purpose in life may be a boon to your cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels) system. A 2019 review published in Current Cardiology Reports found that having a sense of purpose is linked to a lower risk of heart disease.
The researchers theorizes that three factors may contribute to the effect:
- Having a sense of purpose is a psychological protection against the physically harmful effects of stress. It may also result in more social support, which can boost heart health.
- Someone with a sense of purpose may make healthier choices and have heart-healthy behaviors, like eating a nutritious diet or getting regular exercise.
- A sense of purpose may have direct beneficial effects on the biology of the cardiovascular system.
A healthier brain
Your brain may be protected from disease when you have a strong sense of purpose. A 2021 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that people with a sense of purpose had, on average, a nearly 30 percent lower risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
This protective effect was present regardless of age, sex, education, levels of physical activity, and the presence or absence of psychological or clinical conditions like depression.
Better sleep
People with a sense of purpose tend to have better sleep quality. Authors of a 2022 study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion looked at how having a sense of purpose in life affected different aspects of physical, psychosocial, and behavioral health. They found that having the strongest sense of purpose was linked to a 13 percent lower risk of sleep problems.
Conversely, a 2023 study published in Preventive Medicine looked at the effects of having a low purpose in life. Researchers tracked 4,000 U.S. military Veterans and found that having a low purpose in life was linked to higher rates of several health conditions, including sleep disorders.
Healthier overall living
Older adults who spend time doing activities they find meaningful are healthier, physically and mentally, according to a 2019 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Roughly 7,300 adults in the UK aged 50 and older were asked to rate how worthwhile they felt their daily activities were, on a scale of 1 through 10.
At the start of the study and when assessed four years later, adults who saw the most meaning in their lives were at a lower risk for depression, chronic pain, obesity, and developing new diseases. They were also more likely to have stronger personal relationships, better mental health, and better personal finances. More meaningful daily activities were also linked to healthier lifestyles, which included getting more physical activity, eating diets rich in fruits and vegetables, and enjoying better sleep.
Despite the link, the study did not show that seeking out meaningful activities directly caused the health benefits. Researchers noted that it could work in reverse: Being healthier may make people more likely to take up worthwhile pursuits or feel that what they do is meaningful.
How to find your purpose
Each person’s sense of purpose is different based on factors including their life experience and situation, goals, and personality. Some people may be driven by a desire to raise a healthy family, to help others in their community or in other parts of the world, to create art that others enjoy, or to live a quiet, contemplative life.
Whatever your mission might be, there are some fundamental steps that can help you develop and hone your purpose. The following tips are derived from the lifestyles of some of the world’s longest- and healthiest-living people who live in regions known as Blue Zones:
- Think honestly about what you love to do.
- Consider your strongest skills or favorite activities.
- Determine what you want your life’s legacy to be.
- Practice meditation and self-reflection to help you focus your sense of purpose.
- Remember that your purpose can change with time.
Setting goals is often a big part of discovering and crafting one’s purpose in life. It can help to make those goals SMART, which means they are:
- Specific: What actions will you take?
- Measurable: How will you measure your progress toward your goal?
- Achievable: Do you know that you have the skills and resources to achieve your goal?
- Relevant: Does the goal make sense in the context of your values and interests?
- Time-bound: How long will you give yourself to achieve your goal?
Describing your purpose is often the easy part. The hard work is acting on your intention day in and day out.
Remember that the benefits of having a sense of purpose, for both mind and body, are worth the effort. Sometimes having a daily verbal or written reminder—or even a powerful mantra you recite on a regular basis—can help propel you to fulfill your sense of purpose.
Staying connected socially to other people can also help you maintain your sense of purpose. Sharing your sense of purpose with others can inspire friends and loved ones. Likewise, learning about the missions of others may help you foster your own sense of purpose. The benefit may be better health and a longer life—while you contribute to a happier, healthier world.
