In 2007, Professors John Cacioppo and Steve Cole discovered that feeling lonely changes people’s genes: it reduces their ability to fight off viruses and increases their risk of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, cancer, and the clogged arteries that can lead to heart attacks.
Then, between 2010 and 2013, Steve Cole worked with psychologist Barbara Fredrickson to look for the opposite effect. Together, they studied the genes of people who lived highly connected, hedonistic lives. And they also studied the genes of people who lived lives built around a sense of purpose.
What they found was surprising: living a hedonistic lifestyle had zero measurable effect on people’s genes. But the genes of people who lived purposeful lives showed improved antiviral response and lower risk of inflammatory diseases.
Three larger studies since then have also shown similar results.
Living in line with our purpose not only helps us feel freer and more focused and helps us to achieve more — living in line with our purpose also changes the way our genes express themselves, making us healthier and likely to live longer.
Living on purpose is good for us.
Would you like to reduce your risk of inflammatory diseases such as heart attacks, arthritis, and cancer? Would you like to feel freer, more focused, and achieve more? Are you living a purposeful life?
Adapted from The Churning, Inner Leadership: a framework and a set of tools for building inspiration in a time of change.
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