A 27-Year Study Says 1 Thing Is Key to Happiness and Longevity in Work and Life

In today’s world, work and life are intertwined beyond separability. We’d love to work longer, more productively, with more passion, and live that way too. Which is why a study published in May 2019 caught my eye.

The study was published by a team of University of Michigan researchers. The team analyzed data from the 27-year-old Health and Retirement Study (a U.S.-based, nationally representative well-being study) and found that one thing led to people living longer.

That one thing is inescapably interwoven with happiness, fulfillment, and maximum productivity at work.

Working and living with a sense of purpose and meaning.

The researchers found that those who had meaning and a sense of purpose (as measured by answers to questions from well-being self-assessments) lived longer lives than those who'd self-reported little to no sense of purpose and meaning.

Other University of Michigan research (2010) clearly shows that working with a sense of purpose and meaning leads to far greater engagement, motivation, productivity, and retention.

Purpose is the profound “Why?” Having it creates a sense of mission to do something worthy. It’s your significant “yet-to-do” in life. Purpose integrates who you are with what you do. It inspires us to renew our commitments and stretch further to manifest it, which is why having a sense of purpose in your work is so powerful.

So the case for working and living with a sense of purpose is crystal clear. But how to enable that?

One word: introspection.

In my book Make It Matter, I shared a set of introspective questions, the answers to which can help you identify your work and life purpose. I’ll share a selection of those questions here. To unlock your purpose, consider each of the following:

1. What are your superpowers?

Don’t be modest. You know what you’re really good at. How can you leverage that strength, like a superhero, to do good for the world? When you choose to use that strength towards a purpose, something bigger than yourself, it elevates to superpower status.

2. What are your values and beliefs?

What do you most strongly believe in--to the extent it helps guide your everyday actions? Staying true to those non-negotiable values is one of the simplest, most direct ways I encourage people to work and live with a sense of purpose.

And when people at work see you unswervingly living your values, even in times of adversity, it’s downright inspiring.

3. What would you do for free?

Pay attention to what you’re doing when you lose track of time. What do you daydream about? Those things you get absorbed in can be signals of something you were meant to do and that if you pursued further would bring profound meaning.

4. What have been your happiest moments?

What were you specifically doing in those moments and what about them brought you such joy? Look for themes. The common threads can provide clues as to what your purpose might be.

5. What have you learned from career misfires and triumphs?

Wrong turns in your career, while also being valuable learning experiences, help you bring the contrasting triumphs into focus. Reflect on what was happening during both misfires that brought pain and victories that brought joy. Who were you in those times? What did you excel or flounder at? Clues to your purpose lie within.

6. What deed needs doing?

What is your cause? What problem needs solving? What does the world need that you're well suited to provide? Note the higher-order, bigger-than-you, nature of each of these questions. Our purpose often feeds something greater than ourselves.

7. What would co-workers miss if you weren't there?

This speaks to those inspiring, magnetic characteristics you have that others are drawn to and well-served by. What would be missed could be telltale signs of what you can perpetuate and accentuate in service of your purpose.

8. What would people say you were meant to do?

What characteristic would others feel compelled to speak about in your absence? What have others said about your talents? Have you ever heard the phrase, “Wow, you could be a ______”? Still more clues on the path to purpose.

So be purposeful about discovering, articulating, and living and working with purpose. Lots of things will be longer (and deeper)--your work, life, happiness, and fulfillment. 

By Scott Mautz is a keynote speaker and the author of Find the Fire and Make It Matter.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
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Isn't life very strange

 We're destined to die, the day has been already decided by God, the day we're born.

Sad, we don't when, where and how?

Some people are alive and talking, the next moment, they're dead, how lucky they're to have such a quick and peaceful death.

How many of you are aware, that after one dies, hearing is the last sense one loses, I read somewhere that one can hear for 10 minutes after one dies !

I keep wondering often, for what purpose God created each one of us? Think to be useful to other mankind. 

How often when one is alive,  people talk very nice about the person in front of them. 

The moment comes one needs help, then one knows who are their true relatives / friends in times of need. 

Everyone should be aware that for everyone good times and bad times will come. One needs people during difficult times, especially when one dies. The people who are your true friends and relatives you'll come to know at this time.

For me, I prefer to be there when one needs me in times of sorrow than when one is celebrating. You may be wondering, why I am a bit philosophical today. It s because, I lost my eldest brother-in-law yesterday, of course, he was 87, had a quick and peaceful death. For his last rites, as per Hindu tradition, the son has to perform. Sadly, due to pandemic conditions in India and lock-down in many States, flights aren't coming from the Middle-east. My husband, the youngest brother for my brother-in-law did the last rites today, as till last night the son said, he'll try to come, so made many arrangements. Then had to do lots of cancellations, and as we can't keep the body long, my husband had the honour to do the last rites for his eldest brother, who was a decade older than him.

Why, I mentioned that we come to know who are true friends and relatives, as we're staying in a  senior citizens home, the management refused to let the son come in first. So, my husband, requested his niece who has a palatial house with 4 bedrooms, to accommodate her maternal aunt and cousin for 12 days. She agreed to do so, when my husband asked. Later on, gave the excuse of pandemic and said she can't allow them in. Though, she  used to call him, my best mama / maternal uncle, but how people change or show their true colours in times of need. 

Though, I was keeping aloof from all, but when it comes to need, I never shirk from my responsibilities. Been spending time with my co-sister-in-law, so that she knows that someone she can bank on now. It is also because, she is alone, with a helper and unlike most people, she hasn't shed any tears. So, we're worried, with her emotions all kept within, she'ld not explode suddenly. My cousin, though she cried after her son died due to corona, being a Dr., still was very emotional, wasn't eating or sleeping for more than 2 weeks and dies of a massive heart attack on the 10th day after her son's death.

Life is very strange, as we don't know what can happen the next moment. Now, as both hubby and self are getting old, I stopped depriving him of whatever he wants to eat. Though, he is a diabetic, I let him eat sweets, including chocolates, but keeping a track on his sugar levels. Only thing, I tell him to restrict is, the extra salt that he adds, due to his heart condition.

I've come to the conclusion, as long as life is there, enjoy it to the utmost, doing what gives you happiness. Above all, learn to live for yourself, don't be bothered about what others talk, as long as your conscience says what you're doing is right. Be happy, when something bothers you, blurt it out to someone you trust fully, as then your heart will feel better. Trust in God and self. BE POSITIVE. BE HAPPY.

I wish all good health and loads of happiness. Enjoy life when you've it, doing good makes you happier.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

Message from White Eagle, Hopi indigenous

The decision to fall into the hole or go through the portal is up to you.

 If you repent of the problem and consume the news 24 hours a day, with little energy, nervous all the time, with pessimism, you will fall into the hole.  But if you take this opportunity to look at yourself, rethink life and death, take care of yourself and others, you will cross the portal.

 Take care of your homes, take care of your body.  Connect with your spiritual House.

 When you are taking care of yourselves, you are taking care of everything else.  Do not lose the spiritual dimension of this crisis, have the eagle aspect, that from above, and see the whole;  see more broadly.

 There is a social demand in this crisis, but there is also a spiritual demand.  The two go hand in hand.  Without the social dimension, we fall into fanaticism.  But without the spiritual dimension, we fall into pessimism and lack of meaning.

 You were prepared to go through this crisis.  Take your toolbox and use all the tools available to you.

 Learn about resistance of the indigenous and African peoples: we have always been and continue to be exterminated.  But we still haven't stopped singing, dancing, lighting a fire and having fun.  Don't feel guilty about being happy during this difficult time.

 You do not help at all being sad and without energy.  You help if good things emanate from the Universe now.  It is through joy that one resists.  Also, when the storm passes, each of you will be very important in the reconstruction of this new world.

 You need to be well and strong.  And, for that, there is no other way than to maintain a beautiful, happy and bright vibration.  This has nothing to do with alienation.

 This is a resistance strategy.  In shamanism, there is a rite of passage called the quest for vision.  You spend a few days alone in the forest, without water, without food, without protection.  When you cross this portal, you get a new vision of the world, because you have faced your fears, your difficulties ...

 This is what is asked of you:

 Allow yourself to take advantage of this time to perform your vision seeking rituals.  What world do you want to build for you?  For now, this is what you can do: serenity in the storm.  Calm down, pray every day.  Establish a routine to meet the sacred every day.

 Good things emanate;  what you emanate now is the most important thing.  And sing, dance, resist through art, joy, faith and love. "

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement