Pillar #4
Purpose
The Japanese call it ikigai, the Costa Ricans call it plan de vida. Knowing why you wake up each morning adds up to 7 years to your life.
The Evidence
The Ikigai Studies
The Ohsaki Study followed over 43,000 Japanese adults and found that individuals who reported having no sense of ikigai (life purpose) faced significantly increased risks of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and death from external causes.
The Japan Collaborative Cohort Study of over 73,000 people confirmed that those reporting ikigai had a decreased risk of all-cause mortality, with men also showing reduced cardiovascular mortality risk.
Meta-Analyses
A 2016 meta-analysis of 10 prospective studies (over 136,000 participants) found that a higher sense of purpose was associated with a 17% reduced risk of all-cause mortality and a 17% reduced risk of cardiovascular events. A 2022 study further confirmed that people with the highest sense of purpose had dramatically lower mortality (15.2%) compared to those with the lowest (36.5%).
Purpose Protects the Brain
Having ikigai was associated with a 31% lower risk of functional disability and a 36% lower risk of dementia among Japanese older adults over a three-year period. Purpose provides direction, combats depression and anxiety, and indirectly promotes healthier habits like exercise and better nutrition.
What This Means for Stilbaai
- Monthly “Ikigai Discovery” workshops to help residents find their purpose
- Meaningful volunteer roles for retirees — mentoring, teaching heritage, sharing skills
- Turn retirement into a purpose engine, not an empty calendar
Scientific References
Sense of Life Worth Living (Ikigai) and Mortality in Japan: Ohsaki Study
Sone T, et al. (2008). Psychosomatic Medicine.
Read on PubMed →Association Between Purpose in Life and Mortality: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Cohen R, Bavishi C, Rozanski A. (2016). Psychosomatic Medicine.
Read on PubMed →