The Good Life
By: Chris Ramsburg, CPCU, Principal & Commercial Risk Advisor
About a year ago, The Wall Street Journal published an interview with Dr. Robert Waldinger, which led me to watch his TED Talk. Waldinger is the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which has been ongoing for 85 years. It originally tracked 724 men and now includes more than 1,300 of their male and female descendants across three generations.
Participants complete a comprehensive questionnaire every 2 years, authorize the disclosure of medical records every 5 years, and agree to a face-to-face interview every 15 years. The questions cover various aspects of their lives, including family, employment, mental and physical health, views on life, politics, and religion. This data provides a detailed picture of their lives over time.
Meaningful work, a sense of purpose, and lifelong learning are crucial for a fulfilling life.
Here are my seven key insights from the book:
1. Good relationships are essential for happiness. Building and maintaining positive connections is as important as good nutrition, exercise, sleep, and avoiding bad habits such as smoking.
2. Quality Over Quantity in Relationships. Having people in your life with whom you can share deeply, beyond superficial conversations, is essential.
3. Social Connections Matter. These can take many forms. For example, my wife Lynn and I are part of a life group through our church, where we share our blessings and adversities with fellow believers.
4. Happiness Is More Than Pleasure. Meaningful work, a sense of purpose, and lifelong learning are crucial for a fulfilling life.
5. Material Wealth and Professional Success Aren’t the Keys to Happiness. The story of the three bricklayers illustrates this: One focuses on the task, another on the outcome, and the third on the larger purpose.
6. Aging can be a time of growth and fulfillment. Focusing on what you can still do, rather than what you cannot do, can give you a greater sense of meaning and purpose
In summary, good relationships are vital for our health and happiness—period!
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