My Guiding Principles I Learned from the Book Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

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Like what I said from my last post "Book Review: Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, this book is one of my Favorite book so far. Frankl's views about life and suffering has impacted me a lot and guide me on "how will I live my life".

So in this post I will present to you "My Guiding Principles I Learned from the Book Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl"

1- Delusion of Reprieve.
” The condemned man, immediately before his execution, gets the illusion that he might be reprieved at the very last minute."

Have you experienced a difficult situation or being in danger? In that situation, did you wish for someone to save you?

We all experience fears, discouragement, depression, anxiety and etc. When we feel that we can't handle it anymore, we tend to think that there is someone who's going to save us from all these miseries.

Reading this book I realized the "Power of Hope". Hoping is different from wishing. Hoping is believing that whatever suffering you have right now, it will end soon. Hoping is looking at the positive side of the situation that despite the troubles that block your path to happiness, everything will be fine.

For example, these suicidal depressed people, are they still hoping that everything will be fine again?
No. They stop believing anymore that someone will pass by in their dark hole and will save them. They lost the hope that everything will get better.

So everyday in my life I'm doing my best to give hope to people. It maybe in my words or in my deeds and also most importantly in my prayers too!

2- "Self-preservation is always the priority. Anything with no connection to it is less important, even sex".

In the concentration camp, the prisoners done everything to survive. They were in a life and death battle doing all their might to preserve their lives. Even harming someone weaker for the sake of survival.

It's our instinct to always protect ourselves. Why? Is it merely because to avoid the pain? Or maybe we're afraid to die? Well, I believe it's more than that. We always prioritized self-preservation because we have our own things we want to accomplish in our life. For people with a purpose and meaning with their lives they maybe afraid to die.

3- "Your values and dignity will be threatened when you are in a world which doesn't recognize human value and human dignity anymore".

I know all of us had come across the question "Who Am I?" It's very hard to be yourself when you are surrounded by people who are opposed to your ideals.

"What is right is right and what is wrong is wrong in whatever situation."

Thus, I learned from this excerpt that our moral rules shouldn't be changed just because other people don't practice it. Our values and dignity should not be threatened just only because we're already in the 21st century.

4- "It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us".

I remember when I was still studying in college, I was very excited to graduate to fulfill my dreams and to live the kind of life that I always imagine.

After graduation, reality hit me. It was hard finding a stable job, my expectations never happen. The plans I had in my mind was very different with the present. That was depressing, but I overcame that by accepting that everything needs hard work.

"Why I have to wait for an opportunity when I can make one?"

I'll tell you life will continue to exist even if you don't. Opportunity will not wait for you until the time you'ready.

So, If I were you I will start the work and use the time that I still have. Don't ask what life can offer you instead ask yourself what can you offer to life.

5- "The meaning of life differs from man to man, and from moment to moment. Thus it is impossible to define the meaning of life in a general way".

We wake up everyday for different reasons. We have different things that we give value.

In this excerpt I learned RESPECT. Our differences doesn't show our value as a person. We do have equal rights to practice our belief and to pursue our different ideals. As we reach for our goals, we might meet someone who has different ideals than our own. Instead of criticizing it, make that as a learning opportunity to open your horizon on the other side of the world.

We are different from each other, but diversity is a gift! Diversities give color to a group, it gives different possibilities to our shared goals. If we learn to RESPECT everyone, surely this journey of ours will be colorful and fun.

6- "Sometimes man may be required simply to accept fate, to bear his cross".

Suffering is inevitable, although we can do things to stop it but there are kind of sufferings worth having.
Aiming a bigger goal can be full of obstacles that sometimes you lose your motivation and forgotten why you started. Why? Because it's just so tiring.

But one thing I learned the hard way is that there are really things in this world that can't be solve by our minds and our actions. Instead it can only be solved by time. It's like a storm that you have to wait and endure until it ends.

You can choose to suffer or not. According to Frankl, there are worthy sufferings. You just have to bear it. And the good thing is the "resiliency" you will develop after the storm.

Frankl presented this to his book:

7- "He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how,” - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

8- "A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life. He knows the “why” for his existence, and will be able to bear almost "how".

Our existence is not our choice. Our existence is a privilege given to us that some failed to have. This is a gift, a blessing!
Now the question is, "how will you put to use your existence?"

Along with this privilege is our responsibility to make a contribution for a better community. If you are struggling with a sense of purpose, then look beyond yourself. There are many people suffering, who can't handle it anymore. Use this privilege to help someone lead a better life, use your passion, use what you are great at. Instead of asking of "what is your purpose" work for it or make one.

These are only some of the lessons I learned in the book. We may experience unfortunate circumstances in our life. It is so tiring to be strong in the middle of uncertainties. But if our life has meaning and purpose, all these suffering will be worthy at the end.

References:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/reading-between-the-headlines/201307/the-power-hope
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logotherapy