According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 1920 the average life expectancy was 54. Today, it is 78. So, what is the secret?
The Longevity Project, a book based on an 8 decade long study at Stanford University, found that “conscientious people” tend to live longer. A conscientious person is more likely to obey rules, seek healthy relationships, and avoid risky situations.
“Most people who live to an old age do so not because they have beaten cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease; rather, the long-lived have mostly avoided serious ailments altogether,” said authors Howard S. Friedman and Leslie R. Martin.