Lessons From an 80-Year Harvard Study
Relationships are the secret to a long, happy life
In our modern capitalist world, we’re often told that success lies in more — more money, more status, more stuff. But an extraordinary 80-year-long study conducted by Harvard researchers turns that assumption on its head. The Harvard Study of Adult Development,1 which followed 724 people over eight decades, has revealed that social relationships — not fame, money, or even career success — are the true key to a happy and healthy life.
So, what did they find? It turns out that the quality of a person’s relationships at age 50 was the best predictor of their health and happiness at age 80. Those with strong, fulfilling relationships lived longer, happier lives, regardless of wealth or social status​. People with close social ties had lower levels of stress, less mental decline, and fewer chronic illnesses​. In contrast, loneliness proved to be as harmful to health as smoking or alcoholism.2 Let that sink in for a moment.
Interestingly, the relationships didn’t need to be smooth sailing. Couples who bickered but felt they could count on each other in tough times still experienced the same health benefits as those in more harmonious relationships​. It turns out that feeling supported and connected matters far more than always seeing eye-to-eye.
The Dunedin Study in New Zealand, which has followed over 1,000 people since birth, echoes similar findings.3 Those with better social and emotional connections, not the most affluent, reported the highest satisfaction across their lives. Like the Harvard study, Dunedin researchers found that material wealth had little impact on long-term well-being. Once basic needs were met, more money didn’t increase health or happiness​.
On a personal level, this resonates with me deeply. I come from a family of ambitious visionaries — always striving to grow and build. Yet, despite their outward success, I’ve seen firsthand that there’s never quite ‘enough.’ The satisfaction of a new venture quickly fades, and the next pursuit begins — an endless cycle of wanting more. Meanwhile, it’s the small, shared moments, like laughter over dinner or leaning on each other in tough times, that create lasting joy.
In a world that often pushes us to chase the next promotion or bigger pay cheque, the Harvard study reminds us of what truly matters. By investing in our relationships, whether with family, friends, or even acquaintances, we can find the secret to a long and fulfilling life.
Relationships, it turns out, are the ultimate investment.
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The Harvard Study of Adult Development.
www.adultdevelopmentstudy.org
Good genes are nice, but joy is better: Harvard study, almost 80 years old, has proved that embracing community helps us live longer, and be happier.
www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/04/over-nearly-80-years-harvard-study-has-been-showing-how-to-live-a-healthy-and-happy-life/
Work out daily? OK, but how socially fit are you? Book by Harvard Study of Adult Development director details what research says about value of relationships to physical, mental health.
www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/02/work-out-daily-ok-but-how-socially-fit-are-you/
What's love got to do with it? Social functioning, perceived health, and daily happiness in married octogenarians.
www.doi.org/10.1037/a0019087
Security of attachment to spouses in late life: Concurrent and prospective links with cognitive and emotional wellbeing.
www.doi.org/10.1177/2167702614541
Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study.
www.dunedinstudy.otago.ac.nz