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Suffering, meaning and purpose

Viktor Frankl: Man's search for meaning

find meaning/purpose in suffering

  • Why am I doing what I'm doing?
  • What is my higher purpose?
    • You already belong to God's plan
    • to the universe which existed before you were born

Deep talks with Lemond

Meaning vs purpose

Meaning: looking back - making sense of the world as it happened/is happening

Purpose - aspiring to what's ahead

Purpose vs goals

  • goals: intentions that can be accomplished
    • eg: graduating
  • purpose
    • intentionality, life aim
    • always in front of you
    • being a caring father
    • tells you what goals you should be pursuing next
      • [[Progress#Picking goals]]

Suffering & meaning

Viktor E. Frankl - Man's Search for Meaning Audiobook

  • Viktor Frankl: suffering ceases to be suffering the moment it finds meaning
  • reframe: old man: 2 years after death of wife
    • what if you had died first and your wife had survived?
    • that would be awful

Last update: 2023-04-24