The Longevity Project

What if your personality could predict your longevity? The Longevity Project reveals surprising ways behaviors, relationships, and habits shape how long we live.

1. Conscientiousness Leads to a Longer Life

Conscientiousness, marked by organization, responsibility, and dependability, is a strong predictor of living longer. This trait benefits children and adults alike. Kids who are diligent tend to maintain careful habits into adulthood, which positively impacts their health and relationships.

Research linked to the Terman Study showed that conscientious people avoid risks naturally. They are less likely to smoke, abuse substances, or engage in reckless driving, ensuring their health remains intact. On a biological level, conscientious individuals may experience steadier serotonin levels, which help regulate mood and decision-making. Good relationships further reinforce these behaviors, creating a positive cycle of health and happiness.

For instance, Patricia, one of Terman's subjects, consistently displayed conscientious behavior. She avoided risky activities, nurtured her relationships, and lived into her nineties. Similarly, James, another participant, developed conscientious habits later in life and reaped the same longevity benefits.

Examples

• Avoiding risky behaviors like smoking and drinking drove longer life expectancy.
• Higher serotonin levels in careful individuals encouraged mood stability.
• A supportive circle of friends contributed to their overall well-being.

2. Cheerfulness Doesn’t Always Correlate with Longevity

We often equate cheerfulness with happiness and well-being, but the Terman Study discovered otherwise. Cheerful kids grew into adults more likely to smoke, drink, and engage in risky hobbies, which shortened their lifespans.

Paul, a Terman participant, was described as an optimistic and carefree child. Yet his lighthearted nature didn’t translate into a longer life. Cheerfulness can lead to underestimating risks, causing people to adopt unhealthier habits. Conversely, a fulfilling lifestyle rich in meaningful activity delivers genuine happiness and health benefits.

True happiness often results from positive lifestyle choices. Activities like exercising, improving relationships, and pursuing one’s goals naturally bring fulfillment and longevity. Simply put, living well isn’t about short bursts of laughter but about creating a sustainable, satisfying life.

Examples

• Cheerful children frequently adopted riskier behaviors as adults.
• Paul’s lighthearted attitude failed to extend his life expectancy.
• Building strong relationships and meaningful careers proved more beneficial.

3. Divorce in Childhood Impacts Longevity

A divorced home creates challenges that extend into adulthood, leading to reduced life expectancy. The Terman Study found children of divorced parents typically lived five years less than those from intact families. This is the most significant social factor predicting early death.

Divorce increases stress and unhealthy behaviors among children, such as smoking or heavy drinking, and often influences their own marriages negatively. For example, Donna's parents divorced when she was ten. This life change led to a series of difficulties — smoking, a fractured career, a failed marriage, and poor social connections that contributed to her passing at 59.

However, resilience offers a solution. Developing the ability to navigate daunting circumstances allows children of divorced parents to overcome the odds. Satisfaction with life, achievements, and personal potential can help counteract the negative effects of an early family split.

Examples

• Children from divorced families lived, on average, five years less.
• Donna’s difficult life trajectory highlights the long-term effects of divorce.
• Resilient individuals survived personal struggles and enjoyed longer lives.

4. Marriage Boosts Men’s Longevity

Marriage can be transformative for a man’s health, with married men outliving their single and divorced peers. The Terman Study found that marriage could extend men’s lives by decades, while divorce significantly increased mortality risk.

A wife often acts as a support system during emergencies and promotes healthier behaviors. For instance, men who stayed married lived well into their seventies, whereas divorced counterparts often didn’t make it past seventy. Interestingly, remarrying didn’t restore the benefits of a first marriage due to persistent stress and harmful habits following divorce.

Women’s lifespans, however, weren't greatly influenced by marriage. Unless a marriage was particularly fulfilling, the impact on a woman’s life expectancy was negligible. Single or divorced women with strong social networks fared just as well in terms of longevity.

Examples

• Married men consistently outlived their single or remarried peers.
• Supportive wives encouraged healthy habits in their husbands.
• For women, happiness and social activity mattered more than marital status.

5. Religion and Social Ties Overlap

Religious devotion is often thought to extend life, yet its benefits arise more from social interaction than spiritual practices. Connections fostered through religious communities can have profound health effects.

For instance, Linda deeply involved herself in church life and lived a long life, while Donna, who distanced herself from religion, faced isolation and lived a shorter life. John, a nonreligious participant, still benefited from long life due to strong non-religious social bonds.

Meaningful social connections emerged as the more significant factor. Active relationships created emotional support, improving overall health. Merely feeling connected wasn’t enough — people needed real, dependable friendships to protect their longevity.

Examples

• Linda’s strong religious involvement supported her emotional well-being.
• John lived long due to his many close, meaningful connections outside religion.
• Donna’s withdrawal from social life contributed to her early death.

6. Resilience Is Key to Overcoming Challenges

Building resilience helps people navigate life’s emotional or circumstantial hardships while ensuring they thrive. Resilience, particularly developed in early adulthood, significantly affects life expectancy.

Children from challenging situations, like divorce or neglect, often encountered difficulties unless they practiced adapting and growing emotionally. Those who maintained ambition, stayed focused on achievement, and overcame life’s setbacks lived healthier and longer lives.

A Terman participant who exhibited resilience was able to overcome a tumultuous childhood and develop a thriving family and career, which ultimately supported a longer, contented life.

Examples

• Resilience helped overcome stressors like parental divorce.
• Focus on personal ambitions improved emotional health.
• Participants with resilience often lived years longer than peers.

7. Diverse Paths Can Lead to Longevity

Paths to a long life vary greatly, highlighting the uniqueness of each journey. While there’s no “right” formula to living longer, some common features stand out, like meaningful work, close relationships, and fulfilling passions.

The high road, as demonstrated by Patricia, involved careful planning, conscientious habits, and enduring marriages. Others, like Emma, thrived through nontraditional means, focusing on careers and close friendships without ever marrying, yet still achieving great happiness and longevity.

Embracing individuality while practicing perseverance, purpose, and strong relationships can help anyone forge their unique, rewarding path.

Examples

• Patricia followed the high road to live into her nineties.
• Emma’s career-driven, independent life showed another viable path.
• Both relied on supportive and meaningful relationships.

8. Strong Social Bonds Trump Quantity

The Terman Study found that having genuine relationships far outweighed having a large social circle. Many participants thrived despite fewer friendships, as long as the connections were meaningful and dependable.

Trust and reliability in these bonds provided emotional support during challenging times and contributed to mental and physical health. Facebook “friends” or coworkers may feel socially significant, but depth in these bonds defines true lifelong health benefits.

The authors stressed focusing on developing two or three close, trusted relationships to ensure emotional well-being.

Examples

• Reliant, intimate social ties proved more beneficial than broad networks.
• Emotional support from trusted friends buffered against life stressors.
• Participants with authentic relationships lived longer, healthier lives.

9. Purpose Drives Longer Life

The authors found that a sense of purpose motivates people toward achievement and satisfaction. Having a goal or reason to rise each morning inspires healthier behaviors and a fulfilling existence.

Participants who actively pursued careers, hobbies, or community involvement thrived both physically and emotionally. Purposeful living created higher resilience, better moods, and enhanced health.

This was evident in Emma, who devoted her life to career and personal passions, and John, whose strong sense of purpose within his friendships ensured a long and happy life.

Examples

• Career satisfaction provided participants with life goals.
• Personal interests and hobbies made life more meaningful.
• Participants who felt purposeful lived longer and happier.

Takeaways

1. Develop resilience by focusing on growth and emotional adaptation after hardships.
2. Build deep, meaningful relationships and prioritize quality over quantity.
3. Find purpose and set goals in your work, hobbies, or passions to bring meaning to daily life.