Must-Read: The Importance of Hobbies

Whenever people ask us for some job advice, we end up giving them our standard information when it comes to that. Figure out what you love doing in your off hours when no one is paying you, your favorite , and then figure out a way to get paid to do that. It may not always be easy, and the money may not always be huge or make you a rich person, but it will certainly make you a happier person in the long run.

It’s good advice. But the thing that we apparently didn’t know when we were giving it was that there’s another important reason to really figure out what your favorite is: It can add years to your life. So says the folks over at Men’s Fitness, at least. Here’s some information about a great new study:

The scientists asked more than 6,000 adults questions that gauged whether or not they felt like their life had direction. The people who reported a greater purpose had a 15 percent lower risk of death during the 14-year followup than those who reported that they aimlessly wandered through life.

What?s more, the researchers found that maintaining a strong purpose was just as beneficial for younger people as it was for older ones. That?s why it?s important to establish a direction in life as early as possible, they say.

While the researchers need to conduct future studies to determine exactly why having a purpose may add years to your life, Susan Biali, M.D., a life coach and author of Live a Life You Love, believes it may have something to do with your brain. When we pursue something that we love and we follow through with it, it makes us feel good, she says. ?That releases chemicals in your brain which are known to boost your immune system, keep your heart healthy, and decrease stress hormones.?

And so head on over to the link above to check out the other bits of information they have about this groundbreaking study. And then start finding the thing that makes you happy and start adding some extra years to your life.