Book Review: Man's Search for Meaning

[Chett]

At the beginning of the summer I had a list of books I wanted to read, either because they were referred by others, or I read about them in another book. One of the books that was a must read was Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl. This title may seem unusual for a personal finance and fitness site, but as we've discussed before there is as much psychology in personal finance and physical fitness as there is habit, and practice.

First you need to become familiar with the author. Vickor Frankl was a world known psychologist and became forever changed as he endured and survived the Nazi concentration camps. Prior to his imprisonment he had begun working on studies regarding how people find meaning in life. Little did he know when he began the studies, he would have to utilize his finding in his own life during his hellish three year imprisonment in the concentration camps ran by Nazi Germany.

After being liberated in 1945 he published his findings and experiences in a book translated: Saying Yes to Life in Spite of Everything. (Which would later take shape into the current book Man's Search for Meaning.) I by no way want to compare the efforts to lose weight and gain financial freedom to the experiences of the holocaust and concentration camps, but there are lessons in Frankl's advice for anyone who feels hopeless in their current situation or is trying to move forward in life in spite of a difficult present or past.

Frankl contends that in any situation you find yourself in, the attitude to change is in a simple decision to do so. He recognized you cannot always immediately change the situation you are in (as he could not in the concentration camp) but you can still change yourself, your attitude and how you will use your experience in the future. He emphasizes "You can turn your tragedies into personal triumphs...... as long as you know 'for what'." In other words, anyone who has a "why" can overcome nearly any "how."

In America, more and more we seem to demand an effortless existence. Books titled The Four Hour Work Week are best sellers. Depression medication is prescribed at the first hint of "unhappiness." We want to be wealthy, healthy, and happy with little to no effort on our part, at least that's what we think we want. In Frankl's studies after he was freed from the concentration camps he observed:

"What man actually needs is not a tensionless state, but rater the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal, a freely chosen task. What he needs is not homeostasis, but a state where there is a polar field of tension. One pole is represented by meaning that is to be fulfilled, the other pole would then represent the man who must fulfill it. "

What Frankl is saying is getting what we want with no effort on our part, simply perpetuates "meaninglessness" to people, and usually the reason we want all of these things is to replace meaninglessness. Some struggles, work and effort, are essential to help us find meaning. It can help define us. In Man's Search for Meaning, Frankl highlights a study conducted by John Hopkin's University. The study surveyed 7948 students at 48 colleges. The survey was sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health. The purpose was to determine what college students really wanted more: Money or Meaning. They found only 16% of college students felt money was very important, while 78% of students said their first goal was finding purpose and meaning in their life.

According to Frankl and his research in logo therapy, we can discover meaning in our lives in three ways.

1. By creating a work or doing a deed.
2. By experiencing something or encountering someone
3. The attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering (When we are no longer able to change our situation, we must change ourselves. )

I write this post to encourage you to read his book. Most of the book deals with Frankl's struggle to find meaning, and help others find meaning in life while imprisoned in Auschwitz, and other concentration camps. How people were able to remain encouraged and actually have hope in those situations is amazing to me. I know none of us in our life times will ever face circumstances as terrible as he explains in his book. But Frankl's advice is for those who are in their own "prison." His encouragement is for those who feel trapped, without hope and meaning. If you get a chance read Man's Search for Meaning. The lessons he learned during his life can help you in yours.

In case your interested, here are some great passages from the book.