Dr Patrick Hill of Carleton University in Canada says that setting a direction in life and resolving to achieve a goal helps you live longer, no matter when you do. It also influences healthy ageing and protects against premature death.

During the study, which involved 7,000 Americans aged 25-70, the mental and physical health of the volunteers was assessed.
Their goals in life were described based on whether they agreed with the statements:

• Some people wander aimlessly in life, but I am not one of those people,
• I live today and don't think much about the future,
• Sometimes I feel like I have done everything possible in my life.

After 14 years, the respondents were asked again. 9% of the respondents were no longer alive. The others felt more strongly about their sense of purpose in life. The most interesting and surprising thing was that this pattern applied to all age groups.

Dr Patrick Hill believes that setting goals in different areas of life has a positive impact on many levels. The above study focused on mortality, but many studies have shown that goals improve both mental and physical health, while the pursuit of goals organises our activities day by day, makes us more productive and motivates us to work on ourselves.