The Will to Meaning

Key Concepts and Strategies

In "The Will to Meaning," Viktor Frankl develops the ideas of logotherapy, which focuses on the search for life's meaning as the primary driving force of humans. Key concepts include:
1.Freedom of will: Frankl asserts that individuals always have the freedom to choose, even in the most challenging circumstances, and can choose their attitude towards a situation.
2.The will to meaning: The search for meaning is the primary motivation in life, and this meaning can be found in work, love, or even suffering.
3.Meaning of life: Frankl emphasizes that the meaning of life is unique to each person and can change depending on circumstances.
4.Transcendence: The ability of individuals to go beyond themselves and their needs for a higher purpose or another person.
5.Existential vacuum: Frankl describes a state where individuals feel emptiness and meaninglessness, often related to a lack of purpose or direction in life. Logotherapy strategies include helping patients find personal meaning through dialogue and self-discovery, as well as using paradoxical intention and dereflection to overcome fears and obsessive states.