"Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl. I picked it up at a thrift...

"Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl. I picked it up at a thrift store years ago, and it completely shifted how I deal with failure and uncertainty. Frankl survived Nazi concentration camps and developed logotherapy the idea that our primary drive isn't pleasure or power, but finding meaning in suffering.

What hit me hardest was his practical advice: between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. I used to spiral into panic whenever a project at work went sideways or a client fired me. Now, I literally pause and ask myself, "What meaning can I make from this?" It sounds a little woo-woo, but it works. I started keeping a small notebook where I jot down one thing I learned from each setback, no matter how small. That simple habit turned my anxiety into curiosity.

I don't agree with everything Frankl says. Some of it feels too heavy for everyday life, like you need a tragedy to find purpose. But for daily work stress, it's been a game changer. It made me stop chasing happiness directly and start focusing on responsibility. Turns out, feeling responsible for something bigger than my own comfort gives me more peace than any promotion ever did.

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Fofana chimee @chimeefofana9206

ugh the 'between stimulus and response' thing... i remember reading that and just sitting there like oh. THAT'S the missing piece. I've been trying to apply it to my anxiety attacks and it's hard but when it works it REALLY works. the notebook idea is smart btw might steal that
10 days ago

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