Your Health Improves<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nYes, living with a strong sense of purpose will affect both your mental and physical health. Your body and mind will thank you, trust us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Think of it this way: when you\u2019re living a life where you\u2019re just not happy or where you don\u2019t fit, your mental health starts to suffer. Things like stress, anxiety, and depression can set in quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aside from the mental side of things, your cardiovascular system is impacted as well. Harvard took it upon themselves to prove this and found there\u2019s a link between those who reported living with purpose and those who didn\u2019t. The link? The risk of cardiovascular death was a whopping 20% lower. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Data from ten <\/em>different studies that took a look at 136,000 people revealed this: those who lived with a strong sense of purpose were at a dramatically lower risk of developing dangerous and deadly conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, and coronary artery disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn 2014, The Lancet published a study that revealed that people who were over 65 years old and had a sense of purpose were likely to live longer. To put it in a nutshell, having a purpose makes your brain and body stronger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Numerous studies have also found an association between being goal-driven and fending off diseases, like Alzheimer’s and dementia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your Confidence and Self-Esteem Increase<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBy now, you may be familiar with the concept that we\u2019re products of what we experience. Our personalities, our attitudes, and our perception of ourselves are shaped by what we go through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Living aimlessly and just going through the motions? That falls on the negative side of a life well lived. That negativity can lead to self-doubt, uncertainty, and low self-esteem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a purpose, however, your self-esteem is likely to thrive<\/em>. When you wake up in the morning with a drive, know exactly what you want to do, and can confidently conduct yourself when dealing with people, your attitude dramatically changes. What once was a poor self-esteem and too many insecurities packed into one negative attitude is now rehabilitated. Before you know it, your confidence increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\nYou Engage in More Positive Behaviors<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWho is more likely to have healthier coping strategies and defense mechanisms in the face of stress and hardships– someone who is led by a powerful sense of purpose and meaning or someone who lives a pointless life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The answer is easy. Having purpose means that you have a greater sense of meaning in life, which is a strong motive to take better care of yourself and others. In fact, goal-driven people are known to engage more in positive things such as less drinking, less smoking, and more beneficial behaviors, like more exercise and meditation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You Gain Clarity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhen you have something that makes you excited to get up in the morning, you\u2019ll be surprised to find you gain clarity. You\u2019ll be able to tell more clearly what is important and what isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oftentimes, we get caught up in going through the motions and blindly following others\u2019 directions and comparisons; allowing them to dictate how we\u2019re supposed to live our lives. But having a purpose does more than make you feel happy and fulfilled. You\u2019re able to clear the cobwebs of what you truly don\u2019t care about to make room for what\u2019s truly significant. What\u2019s equally important is that you\u2019re able to tell what contributes to your long-term life plan and what doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Life Has More Direction<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nYou\u2019re not wasting your time pursuing a degree you\u2019re no longer interested in. You\u2019re not dragging yourself out of bed for a job you don\u2019t love anymore. With a purpose, you know what you\u2019re working for and why<\/em>. Whether you have achieved that purpose already or whether you are currently pursuing it, your path is a lot clearer.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNow, you have all the tools and direction you need in order to live a life with the highest meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Passion and Excitement Are the New Norm<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAnother incredible, highly appealing benefit of being guided by goals and a purpose is that unparalleled excitement and satisfaction you gain from them. Whenever you think about your purpose, you\u2019ll feel a burst of energy and a passion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s why people with a strong sense of purpose often speak about being excited every single day. When they go to sleep, they\u2019re planning for what\u2019s to come. When morning comes around, they\u2019re excited about what\u2019s going to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your source of joy isn\u2019t limited to the weekend finally coming around. And you won\u2019t dread Mondays anymore. Yes, everyone enjoys vacations and time off. But the rest of life will seem pretty good, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019re More Resilient<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhen life knocks you down, you\u2019re able to get back up. That\u2019s another amazing thing that happens. Because life is bursting with meaning, passion, and satisfaction, you\u2019re more equipped than ever to reappraise situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the ups and downs of life and its many challenges are <\/em>difficult, those who lead a life with a strong sense of objective handle them better. See, a purpose is more or less an emotional and psychological buffer. So even though you may have a bad day, a problem at work, or a personal issue, you still maintain satisfaction with the life you have overall.<\/p>\n\n\n\nYour Time Management Will Improve<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s a fun bonus! A nice sense of purpose will improve your time management skills. It\u2019s all about the destination. You know what you want and there is no point in dragging your feet along the way if you\u2019re actually excited about getting there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Plus, having a purpose that makes the road ahead clear makes it easier to figure out which steps you need to take and when. For example, if your purpose in life is to become an entrepreneur, then you know you need to have a product, an investor, a partner, a name, et cetera, and you\u2019re able to create a plan accordingly, without wasting time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n