Finding Your Purpose Can Help You Live Longer

Endowing your life with meaning—whether through spiritual growth or goal-setting—may boost your longevity, according to new research.

Dr. Patricia Boyle and colleagues at Rush University Medical Center say that people who say they have a purpose in life are more likely to outlive their counterparts who have not found that source of inspiration.

As part of the study, the scientists asked more than 1,200 participants—who had an average age of 78—to rate themselves on a series of questions about goal-setting, purpose and satisfaction.

During the follow-up period and after controlling for various illnesses, they found that subjects whose answers indicated a greater sense of purpose were approximately half as likely to have died.

Boyle said that the findings suggest that "aspects of human flourishing—particularly the tendency to derive meaning from life's experiences and possess a sense of intentionality and goal-directedness—contribute to successful aging."

One's sense of purpose need not be grand, she told HealthDay News. For example, deciding to change your life by reading great literature, taking up a new hobby or volunteering more could all be beneficial.