“The achievement of one goal should be the starting point of another.”
Alexander Graham Bell
What happens when someone doesn’t have a goal for life’s second (or third) chapter? Research from the National Institutes of Health suggests that retirees without a sense of purpose or direction often experience significant declines in both mental and physical health. The study points out that “having a purpose in life has been associated with a range of positive health outcomes, including a lower risk of mortality, reduced cognitive decline, and improved mental health.” When you stop having goals and a reason to push forward, your health and overall well-being take a severe hit.
This research underscores the idea that goal-setting isn’t just about achieving professional or personal success; it’s about sustaining a meaningful, healthy life at every stage. When we stop setting goals, we lose the momentum that keeps us going. The mind and body need that sense of purpose to thrive, and everything else follows when it’s taken away.
I believe this applies at every stage of life. If you don’t have a purpose, you can’t have goals; if you don’t have goals, you are merely existing. The pursuit of goals is a lot like the practice of meditation, you are always beginning again.
What is the goal you are pursuing today? Is your next one teed up?
