Posted on August 05, 2025
As our population ages, we read a lot about how to live longer, healthier lives. The literature abounds with books, articles and other resources offering information on what it takes to be healthy as we grow older. A common recommendation is to have a “sense of purpose” or lead a “purpose-driven life.”
Why is this important? The connection between purpose and health may not be obvious. It becomes more understandable when we consider that people who feel a sense of purpose are more apt to take care of themselves so they can continue pursuing their objectives. Lower stress levels have been observed in those who have a sense of purpose, reducing the risk of anxiety, depression, weight gain, headaches, digestive problems, muscle tension, heart disease, high blood pressure, sleep issues, and problems with memory and concentration.
So what is it? Some health recommendations are concrete, such as those in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans with its specific exercise recommendations for people of various ages. Others can leave us scratching our heads as to what they mean and how to comply. I consider a “sense of purpose” to be one of these.
I wasn’t sure what to think when I first encountered this concept. It brought to mind Mother Teresa as well as a former client who was pursuing a childhood dream of becoming a nurse. Is this what it takes to have a sense of purpose? I wondered.
After quite a bit of reading, I now understand this is not the case.
What I’ve learned
• Some people do have a lifelong desire to do something particular with their lives, but most do not. More often a sense of purpose evolves over time.
• “Purpose” involves an intention to achieve a personally meaningful long-term goal. It’s often other-focused, something beyond ourselves that can improve the lives of others. It provides the motivation to take the actions that move us toward our goal.
• Because goals change and the focus of our attention changes, our sense of purpose can be expected to change over time. It might not be the same during a working career and after retirement or while we are raising children and after they are grown.
How to find one
• A frequent recommendation is to zero in on your strengths and how they could be used to bring meaning to your life and help others.
• Look back on your life, even as far back as childhood, to reflect on what has interested and affected you. What personal values do you notice?
• A Harvard Health article suggests thinking about obstacles you have overcome in your life to find ways of helping others who are going through the same thing.
How not to find one
• It occurs to me that a true sense of purpose is not one that serves another person’s objective unless our objectives are in close alignment. It’s easy, in my experience, to be drawn in to someone else’s agenda when they flatter you by telling you how good you would be at something they want you to do.
• Remember: The skills others observe in you do not belong to them. Apply your skills to something that means more to you. Ask yourself: “Is this right for me?”
The Greater Good Science Center at Berkeley gives examples of purpose from around the world.
In our goal-oriented culture, a lot of hard work and striving go on. We can be very driven, which has much to recommend it but can also lead to stress, exhaustion and burnout. So that our sense of purpose does not lead us down this path, I suggest taking a look at the closely-related Japanese concept of ikigai (which, I believe, is pronounced “ee-kee-guy,” not, fortunately, “icky guy”).
In her book, Yukari Mitsuhashi explains that ikigai involves bringing joy into everyday life by paying attention to each moment that leads toward a goal and noticing the impact of our actions, no matter how small, on others. Pursuing something that brings us joy adds to the sustainability of our efforts.
A sense of purpose is not just for older folks. The boys’ school my sons attended chose as its symbol the sextant. This nautical navigation tool was considered appropriate to the orienting purpose of education: “For it is only by ‘finding ourselves,’ by discovering our capacities and aptitudes, that we can be of service to the community.”
Similarly, the Center for Purposeful Work at Bates College aims to help students “discover the joy and power that arise from aligning who they are with what they do.”
So it’s never too early – or too late – to uncover a sense of purpose. What’s yours?