Why Purpose Matters

A clear sense of purpose in life is invaluable. Viktor Frankl, an eminent psychiatrist and World War II concentration camp survivor, emphasized how a sense of purpose can help individuals navigate even the most difficult and demoralizing of circumstances. His horrendous description of life in Nazi Auschwitz in his 1946 book Man’s Search for Meaning illustrated the truth of Neitzsche’s statement: “He who has a 'why' to live for, can bear with almost any 'how'.” According to Frankl, “There is nothing in the world . . . that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions as the knowledge that there is a meaning in one’s life.” 

The immeasurable impact of having a purpose, a “why”, that Frankl and others experienced, has continued to drive contemporary research on purpose. Martin Seligman, the most prominent figure in positive psychology, emphasizes that a sense of meaning and purpose is a central component of a person’s well-being and happiness (Seligman, 2002). Considerable research indicates that a stronger sense of purpose is associated with higher overall well-being, optimism, happiness, gratitude, compassion, physical health, life satisfaction, resilience to addictive behavior and reduced risk for emotional problems such as stress, depression, and anxiety (Bonebright et al., 2000; Hill & Turiano, 2014; Malin et al., 2017; Park et al., 2010; Song et al., 2018; Steger et al., 2008; Steger et al., 2009; Freeland, 2019; Zhang et al., 2018).   

Articulating purpose is important for everyone, but it can be particularly helpful to emerging adults as it assists them to navigate obstacles to their development, build a sense of self-efficacy, and guide them in forming their identity (Burrow, 2010; Burrow, 2011; DeWitz et al., 2009). Research also indicates that writing about personal goals increases academic performance (Morisano et al., 2010; Schippers et al., 2015, 2019; Schippers, 2017; Schippers, 2018; Travers et al., 2015). Purpose increases positive life trends, lowers negative effects of hardship, and feeds into having a healthy sense of life satisfaction (Summer et al., 2015). The beautiful thing is that the benefits of purpose aren’t isolated to individuals, rather they are collective. One person working to increase their purpose shares positive ripple effects with those around them (Barsade, 2002; Quinn, 2005; Quinn & Quinn, 2009). 

In his book, “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less”, Greg McKeown writes about how having a defined purpose and focusing on the quintessentials helps us direct our energy to get the most out of life. Research supports McKeown (see Figure 1), in that those who cultivate a sense of purpose are better able to allocate and direct their resources to achieve their goals (Hill et al., 2018).

Purpose not only helps you live happier, it helps you live longer (Boyle et al., 2009; Hill & Turiano, 2014; Krause, 2009). A stronger sense of purpose is associated with better immune functioning, better cardiovascular functioning, reduced Alzheimer's risk, reduced risk of stroke, and slower decline of cognitive functioning (Boyle et.al., 2022; Cohen et al., 2016; Kim et al., 2013; Hill et.al., 2018). Purpose has also been shown to increase the likelihood of individuals using preventative health measures in addition to engagement with self regulation, and focusing on healthy behaviors (Kang et al., 2019; Kim et al., 2014). Indeed, the wide variety of positive health outcomes associated with purpose are proving it to be a cost-effective instrument of intervention (Wilson et al., 2019). Why and how purpose leads to so many positive outcomes is still being studied, but it’s fascinating that having a stronger sense of purpose helps you to "live long and prosper"!