The Meaning Of Life According To Viktor Frankl

The meaning of life, according to Viktor Frankl, lies in finding a purpose and taking responsibility for ourselves and other people. By having a clear “why” we can face all the “how” questions in life. Only by feeling free and secure in the goal that motivates us will we be able to make the world a better place.

That said, we know that there is no doubt as complicated as what “the meaning of life” is. Such questions sometimes have philosophical, transcendental, and moral nuances, so often we stick to classic sayings such as “be happy and make others happy,” “be content,” “do good.”

But many ask the question and feel a deep existential vacuum. What is the meaning of life for me if all I do is work. If all my days are the same. And if I do not find meaning in something around me? Against the background of this very common situation, the famous neurologist, psychiatrist and founder of logotherapy, Viktor Frankl, gave an answer that invites constructive reflection.

Humans have no duty to define the meaning of life, in universal terms. Each of us will do it our way, starting with ourselves. We start with our potential and experiences, and discover ourselves every day.

Furthermore, the meaning of life can not only differ from one person to another. We may even have a new purpose in life at every step of our lives. The most important thing is that each goal gives us the satisfaction and encouragement to get up in the morning and fight for what we want.

The meaning of life according to Viktor Frankl

Viktor Frankl published “Man’s Search for Meaning” in 1945. It inspired millions of people to identify their attitude to life. Frankl lived through the horrors of the Holocaust, a prisoner of Auschwitz and Dachau. He overcame it stoically and it laid the groundwork for a very personal type of therapy, logo therapy.

The loss of his family also made it clear to him that his purpose in this world was simply to help others find their own purpose in life. However, there were three very specific points to it:

• Work day by day with motivation
• Live from a love perspective
• Have courage at all times in adversity

Let us see below how this can help us find our purpose in life.

Live with decision

We have all seen it before: people who handle very tough relationships with positivity and motivation. How do they do it? We all share the same biological structures, but what sets us apart from these people is their determination. To be determined to achieve something. Overcoming all obstacles and fighting for what we want, wherever small, will help us clarify our purpose in every step of our lives.

“Everything can be taken from a man, except one thing: the last of human freedoms – to choose his position in a given set of relationships, to choose his own way.”

-Viktor Frankl-

Even if you suffer, you have your purpose clear and you will find strength

Viktor Frankl explained in his book “Man’s Search for Meaning” that there is nothing worse than perceiving that our suffering is useless. But if you can find an intention, you will not just endure your suffering; you will see it as a challenge.

Change your attitude to find a higher meaning in life

Sometimes life is not fair. Sometimes we work to exhaustion. We invest all our time, energy, emotions and heart. But fate only gives us setbacks. Every dream we have falls apart. Going back is more than logical and understandable, but when it does, we have two options.

• First, to assume that we cannot change what is happening to us and be a prisoner of circumstances.
• Secondly, to accept that we cannot change what has happened to us, but that we can change our attitude towards it.

Therefore, we need to adopt a stronger, more resilient and more positive attitude if we want to find a more hopeful, higher meaning in life.

The meaning of life is not asked, it is felt

All the answers to our questions in life do not come from outside. Books will not explain what our own meaning to life is, nor will our family or friends. In fact, all our needs, passions, and existential goals are within us. And they will change over time as we mature and grow.

In conclusion, nothing is as important as understanding the freedom and responsibility of defining our own goals. The meaning of life, according to Viktor Frankl, centers on the fact that every second of every day is a chance to make a decision, a decision that determines whether we will be exposed to circumstances like a puppet in the hands of fate, or whether we will act with true dignity and listen to our true selves.