As he slowly opened his eyes, the blinding light disoriented him. He felt battered and bruised, as if he had been pummeled with a baseball bat. Strangely, he couldn’t sense or move his arms and legs; he was paralyzed from the neck down. Doctors and his wife rushed to his side. He had been in a coma following a high-speed head-on collision with another car that had veered into his lane. He wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and had been violently thrown against the windshield.
The doctor delivered grim news. “You’ve been in a severe accident, with extensive damage to your spine, neck vertebrae, vision, and critical areas of your brain responsible for balance. I’m sorry to say that you’re paralyzed from the neck down and may have lost sight in one eye.”
I’m sure the doctor was well founded in his medical training and had seen many of these cases before. But the doctor didn’t know my father. My father is, without a doubt, one of the most tenacious individuals I’ve ever known. While his stubbornness could be challenging, it stemmed from an unyielding will to live—a quality that becomes most apparent in situations like this, where one’s very existence is put to the test.
He refused to accept his fate. His determination burned bright; he envisioned regaining his mobility, skiing in the mountains, and riding his beloved horses through the forests.
In the following days, something miraculous unfolded. He gradually began to regain his mobility. In less than two weeks, he had enough strength in his arms to remove all the tubes and wires and make an escape from the hospital—albeit crawling. While this may not be advisable for others, it was his way of rejecting the role of a patient and the confines of a hospital. He never wanted that.
Skiing, running, horseback riding, music, and art, along with the vibrant social interactions they brought, were his passions. These were the sources of profound meaning in his life and fueled an unwavering desire to live and savor every moment. They motivated him each morning and propelled him through countless activities and experiences.
His goal was to return to skiing, running, horseback riding, playing music, and creating art. Initially, he struggled to walk, experienced seasickness, and couldn’t maintain balance when running or on the back of a horse or a bicycle. But he fought relentlessly. He ran through the dunes, falling many times and returning home muddy and bruised. He joined ski training for paraplegics, learning to ski while seated, using poles with skis in each hand to maintain balance. He adapted to a new way of orienting himself based on trees, compensating for his impaired balance. Although it was a mental challenge and a significant setback for a seasoned ski instructor, he persevered. With time, he skied skillfully on regular skis, despite his lack of balance and impaired vision. He continued to play music and create art, even though some tasks remained beyond his reach. Unfortunately, seasickness prevented him from returning to horseback riding, and flying was no longer possible due to the same ailment.
His sense of purpose and unwavering will to live miraculously breathed new life into him, granting him many more years of life with the highest quality of living.
What is the meaning of life to you? Why do you rise from your bed each morning? What brings you joy, energy, and the desire for more? In my opinion, these may be some of the most crucial questions to grapple with. After all, why would we strive for a healthy and long life if we fail to find purpose and enjoyment in it?
Okinawans refer to this as “ikigai”, their meaning of life and the reason to get up in the morning. Like in some of the other longest-lived populations in the world, a strong sense of life’s purpose appears to be a key driver of healthy longevity.
Numerous scientific studies have delved into the correlation between having a strong sense of purpose or meaning in life and achieving healthy longevity. While ongoing research continues to shed light on this connection, a substantial body of evidence suggests that individuals with a heightened sense of purpose tend to enjoy longer, healthier lives. They exhibit a reduced risk of various diseases, including heart attacks, Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, depression, and anxiety. Moreover, they demonstrate greater resilience when faced with life’s challenges and are more likely to make health-conscious lifestyle choices, such as maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in regular exercise, and avoiding risky behaviors.
If you’re unsure of your own answers to these questions, I wholeheartedly encourage you to seek them. If you already possess a clear sense of it, I urge you to actively connect these personal revelations to the changes you would like to make in your lifestyle. Doing so will infuse your journey with purpose, making it easier to navigate the significant and subtle shifts required to adopt healthier habits for a better, healthier, and longer life.
I wish purpose and meaning will guide your life’s journey.
Ulrik Eriksen
Founder & CEO of Longevity Institute