Having a purpose in life means
caring deeply about a goal that you are willing to work toward achieving—often to help others or affect the world in some positive, productive way. New research shows that a sense of purpose in life is important for midlife and older adults.
But
do older people need a sense of purpose, or should they just sit back and enjoy life? For young adults, the world and their possibilities seem wide open—college students embark on a career path, and young parents start their families. How do older people find a sense of purpose after having the career and raised their children?
Evidence is mounting
Though purpose may seem like it belongs to the realm of younger people, evidence is mounting that having a purpose is important throughout one’s lifespan. Researchers are finding
strong associations between having a purpose in life in adulthood and better physical health and well-being down the road. Their findings point to the need to foster purpose in older adults, especially in those who may find themselves adrift after children move away or post-retirement.
Patrick Hill of Washington University’s
Purpose, Aging, Transitions, and Health Lab and his colleagues have found important advantages for more purposeful adults, including better
cognitive functioning and greater longevity. They’re more likely to exercise and get to the doctor.
Are some purposes better than others?
Hill points to a
study done with college students whose goals coalesced around four different categories. On one side stood goals that aimed to help others—that is, “prosocial” goals. Others were artistic, and some were simply more self-oriented: financial goals or recognition and achievement at work. The researchers didn’t find significant differences in positive outcomes between the groups.
It was just good to have a goal, no matter what it was.
“There are benefits to living a life of purpose even if it isn’t deemed to be focused on helping others beyond the self,” Hill says.
Read full article at Greater Good Magazine: