A sense of purpose

 If you are doing something you love, it is not work. A simple truth, but not understood by many. People look at those who work 60 to 90 hours a week and shake their heads and wonder what is wrong with these people. Let me say that there is nothing wrong unless they are working to avoid but most people who work long hours work because they love what they do, and they do not consider what they do work.

During my time writing this blog, I have found that when I talk to people who are thinking of retiring, they are concerned about how much money they will have to fund their retirement. This is a useful fear to have and one that should be seriously considered, but not when one is close to retirement. This issue should be looked at and resolved with a plan at least 15 to 20 years prior to retirement. Being concerned about this with only a few years to go before retirement is too late. However, when I work or talk to people who have recently retired the answer switches to how to find a purpose.

A recent study done by AgeWave found that 92% percent of retirees agree that finding purpose is key to a successful retirement, while 93% of those surveyed believed it’s important to feel useful in retirement and 87% agreed that being useful actually “makes them feel youthful.”

Studies have found that people are happier when they possess a sense of purpose and those with the highest sense of purpose live significantly longer than those with a lower sense of purpose and it doesn’t matter how rich or poor people are, or what gender they are, what race they are or their education level. The studies also show that purposeful people have stronger immune systems, can handle stress better and can recover from surgery quicker.

Purpose comes in many different shapes and sizes and most retirees have more than one. Your chosen purpose does not need to be grandiose; it only needs to be something meaningful to you. For example, your purpose could be getting in shape by exercising. People who started exercising later in life were more likely to retain cognitive abilities, even if not having exercised before

You can find purpose from taking care of a garden, providing eldercare, taking care of a cat, going back to school, learning how to fly fish starting a new business or doing volunteer work.

Living your purpose strengthens your sense of self; it gives you a way to explain who you are to other people.