The Hidden Power of Purpose for Longevity

When thinking of longevity, we often focus on the most important culprits: diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management. As a researcher in precision health and longevity, I’ve spent years exploring the factors that shape not just lifespan, but also health-span—the years we live free from chronic disease and disability—from an evidence-based quantified perspective. Increasingly, the evidence points to purpose as a critical, yet often overlooked, ingredient in both of these.

A Life of Purpose

Purpose in life refers to a deeper sense of meaning, direction, and significance—our personal compass motivated by something outside of ourselves. You've probably heard the famous quote from Nietzsche: "(S)he who has a why to live, can bear almost with any how."

It's the reason why you and I may get up each morning, whether it’s our children, our passions, trying to climb up the corporate ladder (not all purpose is high and noble), or changing the world for better.

The fact that people with a purpose are more fulfilled makes sense. However, research would suggest that people with purpose also benefit from a reduced risk of chronic diseases like cardiovascular issues and dementia, lower levels of inflammation, healthier lifestyle choices, and greater resilience against stress.

What Science Tells Us: Purpose and Longevity

The link between purpose and longevity has been explored extensively in the past couple of years. A 2022 study by Eric S. Kim and colleagues found that older adults with the highest sense of purpose had a 46% lower risk of mortality over four years compared to those with the lowest scores. This is close to 1.8 times as effective as not smoking or engaging in physical activity. Research also shows that purpose-driven individuals are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, experience cognitive decline, or suffer from depression.

But why is this so? When we look deeper, the mechanisms are multifaceted. Purposeful individuals tend to be more present in their lives and make more intentional lifestyle choices, which can impact diet, regular exercise, and consistent sleep. They also experience less chronic stress and inflammation, both of which accelerate aging. Many people with purpose have stronger social connections, which contributes to longevity. Perhaps most importantly, when we have purpose, we can persevere through health challenges because we have a will to do so. This is especially important as individuals age, and past sources of purpose such as children and career pursuit fade away as motivators for life.

Purpose and Quality of Life

We all know it's not just about how long we live, but the quality of that life. Research by Kim (2022) shows that people with the highest purpose scores are 24% less likely to become physically inactive, 33% less likely to develop sleep problems, and 22% less likely to develop an unhealthy BMI.

So perhaps it's not about injecting yourself with GLP-1 agonists (unless you are medically advised to do so), but instead looking into what makes you want to stay alive and continue to engage with it actively.

Purpose as a Shield for Cognitive Health

One of the most promising areas of our research links purpose to cognitive resilience. Studies show that people with higher purpose scores perform better on tests of memory, verbal fluency, and executive function (Gudmundsdottir, 2024). It is not hard to see the linkage. When people are purpose-driven they often seek out mentally stimulating activities and engage with others in society, which builds cognitive reserve (Lewis, 2024). Also, when we have a purpose for our lives, we can better buffer stress, contributing to a slower decline (Pfund, 2024).

What I find most interesting is the recent finding that people with purpose even age slower biologically. Recent studies show that people with higher purpose scores show reduced epigenetic aging, which is indicative of slower cellular aging.

Phase of Life and Purpose

Reflecting on your own life, you may realize how your purpose has changed throughout life stages. When are young, we pursue education or career goals. When we form families, they often become the center of our lives, and we may strive for professional recognition, financial affluence, and personal growth.

After retirement, we often experience significant challenges to finding purpose, because the purpose we had before fades away. We are also no longer living in societies in which elders are widely respected, and their wisdom used to educate the young. This is why I would advocate for “purpose planning," alongside financial retirement planning, if you are in an age range where this becomes relevant.

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Purpose Planning: Some Simple Steps

How can you cultivate purpose and enhance your longevity? Here are some ideas:

• Find your Ikigai. Ikigai is a Japanese concept that roughly translates to a “reason for being." It's basically the Venn diagram overlap between what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs (and, at earlier ages, what you can be paid).
• Find (ongoing) community. Human connections that are situational (co-workers, parents of other children) may not always translate into longer-term community. Find a group of people who are your peers and with whom you have built trust, shared interest, and affection (aka your chosen mishpokhe) over the years.
• Search beyond goals that are phase of life-specific. If the current purpose of life is your children, your profession, or amassing wealth and security, be aware that they may not continue to be as relevant as you age. Search for sources of purpose that can motivate you across different life stages.
• Be the change. The world always needs more support and kindness, so start volunteering. Start now. See where the world needs your skills and your support. As a bonus, you will also build connections with people who are aligned with your values.
• Stay engaged. Above all, just be active in your community and your life. Purpose often emerges in interactions with others and the world, not sitting in isolation.

The longevity industry, in which I work, is a multi-billion-dollar industry, selling different products and services to help you live longer, and many are effective for your physical and mental health. But the one critical contributor to health-span and lifespan that nobody can sell you (other than perhaps some religious establishments) is a sense of purpose. That is free, and yours to shape in your own image.