Have you ever asked yourself what the meaning of life is, what you live for, and what gives everything you do significance? Or perhaps, have you ever felt lost, unsure of your purpose in life?
I came across “Man’s Search for Meaning” in my early twenties when I was struggling to find a concrete definition of “life’s purpose” for myself. At that time, I was in search of a book that could answer these questions. However, I’m naturally inclined toward science and logic and didn’t want to read something overly abstract, theoretical, or heavily laden with religious or spiritual elements.
Then I found “Man’s Search for Meaning” – a book written by a psychologist, based on his memoirs, to extract insights for application in therapy. It also carries a profound philosophical underpinning. Since then, “Man’s Search for Meaning” has become one of the books I always recommend to anyone on a journey to discover the meaning of life.
“Man’s Search for Meaning” is divided into two parts. Part 1 recounts Frankl’s experiences when he was taken to a Nazi concentration camp, stripped of everything, forced into continuous labor, deprived of the most basic necessities, uncertain about the fate of loved ones, and living under the constant threat of death.
Part 2 discusses a psychological method that he researched based on the meaning of life, which he called “logotherapy.” The fundamental premise of this research is the belief that the primary human drive is the desire to find meaning in life.
Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.
"The 4-Hour Workweek" by Timothy Ferriss is a book that has gained significant popularity for its ideas and strategies on optimizing life and work to achieve time and financial freedom. If you're someone who often delves into productivity or business-related books, you've likely come across this book.
