The meaning of life according to Viktor Frankl

The meaning of life according to Viktor Frankl is finding a purpose, in assuming a responsibility for ourselves and for the human being himself. Thus, by having a clear “why” we will be able to face all the “how”; Only by feeling free and secure in the objective that motivates us will we be able to generate changes to create a much nobler reality.

We know it, we are all clear that There is no question as complicated as trying to define what is for us what we call “meaning of life”. Such a question sometimes encompasses philosophical, transcendental and even moral nuances, which is why we very often stay with the usual classic labels, namely “be happy and make others happy», «feel satisfied», «do good»etc.

However, There are many who, when trying to answer this question, experience a deep existential emptiness.. What is the meaning of life for me if all I do is work, if all my days are the same and if I don’t really find meaning in anything around me? Faced with this very common situation, the famous neurologist, psychiatrist and founder of logotherapy, Viktor Frankl, used to give a quite accurate answer that should invite us to adequate reflection.

Human beings have no obligation to define the meaning of life in universal terms. Each of us will do it in our own way, starting from ourselves, from our potential and experiences, discovering ourselves in our daily lives. It’s more, The meaning of life not only differs from one person to another, but we ourselves will have a vital purpose at each stage of our existence.

The important thing is that each goal gives us satisfaction and encouragement to get up in the morning and fight for what we want.

Have you lost the direction of your life and don’t see meaning in anything?

There are a number of signs that indicate you might be struggling to see the meaning of your life. Sometimes you may think “what’s the point of it all?”, but in other cases, these feelings may be less obvious:

You may feel like nothing you do matters. You may have stopped caring about the outcome of events. Things that used to bring you joy may ring hollow or seem empty. You may feel a sense of hopelessness. You may feel that none of your efforts will help you achieve your goals and aspirations.

There are many different reasons why you may feel like your life is meaningless:

You’re going through a stressful or difficult time that makes you question the meaning of everything you do. You don’t feel fulfilled in your work, school, relationships, or hobbies. It may seem like your accomplishments don’t really matter or don’t have much impact. You feel unsure about what you should do with your life. You have difficulty setting goals because you are not sure what you really want. You probably have a mood disorder, such as major depressive disorder, dysthymia, or bipolar disorder.

The meaning of life for Viktor Frankl

Viktor Frankl published “Man’s Search for Meaning” in 1945, a book that inspired millions of people to assume a very firm attitude: the attitude of yes to life. Frankl, as we already know, experienced firsthand the horrors of the Holocaust by being another prisoner in Auschwitz and Dachau, an experience that he overcame in a stoic way and that later allowed him to lay the foundations for a very personal type of therapy, that of which we know as logotherapy.

Likewise, something that was very clear to him after surviving those years and the loss of his family is that His personal purpose in this world was not going to be other than helping others find their own meaning in life., to choose your path. On the other hand, as he explained in his work, he carried out this objective starting from three very specific points: work day by day with motivation, live from the sphere of love and have courage in every moment to face adversity.

As a principle of logoteria, Frankl proposed that it is possible to give meaning to existence through the achievement of three types of values, namely: creation values, experience values, and attitude values. Creation values ​​are related to what we do, the intensity with which we dedicate ourselves to a task and the personal commitment we put into it and its completion. Experience values ​​are those emotions, experiences and significant moments that we receive from our interaction with the world and with other human beings. Finally, attitudinal values ​​are positions on life that are developed in the face of the possibility of facing adversity; they are the maturation of our ability to deal with suffering and overcome it.

In this research carried out by the Universidad del Norte (Colombia) logotherapy or also called Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy is used for the study of a clinical case. The highlights are three basic anthropological dimensions proposed by Viktor Frankl and that make this school a way of intervention based on meaning. The first of them is the biological or somatic, constituted by the body. The second, the psychic, is composed of the psychodynamic characteristics of the human being. And the third and last, the spiritual, which transcends the previous ones.

Let’s see below what dimensions each of us should work on to find our own vital goals.

Live decisively

We’ve all seen it at some point. There are people who, even in the most complex circumstances, remain firm., positive and motivated no matter how dark their reality may be. How do they do that? What material are your cells, your tendons, your heart or your arteries made of? In reality, we all share the same biological structures, but what differentiates us from those people is their decision.

Being determined to achieve something, to overcome any obstacle and to fight for what we want at every moment, no matter how small, will help us be clear about our vital purposes at every stage of our life.

Even if you suffer, have a clear purpose: you will find strength

Viktor Frankl explained in his book “Man’s Search for Meaning” that there is nothing worse than realizing that our suffering is of no use, that pain is nothing more than the echo of hopelessness.

However, If we are able to find a purpose, suffering will not only be bearable, but will become a challenge. In this way, and before giving up and seeing pain as meaningless, let us combine strengths to see in it a purpose, a vital purpose with which to feed motivation, resistance…

Change your attitude to find a higher meaning in life

Sometimes life is not fair. Sometimes we strive to the point of exhaustion, we invest time, energy, emotions and a piece of our own heart… and yet, destiny brings us an ironic setback and every effort, every dream is disintegrated. Falling down in these cases is more than logical and understandable. Now, when this happens we have two options.

The first is to assume that we cannot change what happens to us, that we are prisoners of circumstances and that there is nothing we can do. The second option (and the recommended one) is to accept that, indeed, We cannot change what has happened to us, but we can change our attitude towards those circumstances.

Therefore, we must be able to apply a stronger, more resilient and positive attitude in order to find a more hopeful, higher meaning in life.

The meaning of life is not asked, it is felt

All the answers to our vital doubts are not outside. Books will not explain to us what our own meaning in life is, nor do our family or friends have any right to dictate our purposes to us. Actually, all our needs, passions and existential goals are within usand what is even more interesting, they will change over time as we mature, as we grow as human beings.

Thus, nothing is as important as assuming our own freedom and personal responsibility to define our goals, those that we will make our own even in the worst circumstances. As Viktor Frankl himself explained, c Every day and at every moment we have the opportunity to make a decisiona decision that will determine: whether to remain subject to one’s own circumstances, like a toy in the hands of destiny, or act with authentic dignity, listening to our true self.

Let’s think about the latter, let’s work on our personal freedom with courage, with determination.

Thus, by having a clear “why” we will be able to face all the “how”; Only by feeling free and secure in the objective that motivates us will we be able to generate changes to create a much nobler reality.