The Three Books That Changed My Life
One of the most widely read and popular books of all time. Mostly set from the authors time in a German Nazi concentration camp, having lost his family and subjected to the horrors not just that he had to experience, but also those that other prisoners did who came to Frankl for strength. Why did this book change my life? Why did the prisoners come to Viktor when he was having to endure the same immeasurable struggles? This book taught me that you can maintain hope and love despite the most imaginable horrors that life can bring. And through that hope you can be an inspiration to others.
Frankl found that no matter what any human can take from you, even your freedom, they can’t take away three things and in these three things is where we find meaning.
Deeds and actions
Our value system
Through suffering
Perhaps an example of all three helps to show why his words have resonated with me. Without freedom, how did Frankl have deeds and actions? It was through the very fact that his hope and meaning, which in turn lead other prisoners to come to him – his actions were his helping others! Nazi soldiers tried to take away everything from him, but they could deprive him of his mindset. No one can. And that holds true for you.
Value-system is a word that gets used a good deal, but what is an example? That is simple. Love. Despite any hardship, you can find solace and meaning the fact that you love someone and people have loved you. I will personally note that on rough days I turn to the permanence of love as my guiding way through the day. I have blogged about in a post that went viral, I think because I believe so absolutely that love is permanent (most of my posts don't go viral I can assure you) and that others resonated and found optimism with this belief.
Finally through suffering. I’ll cover this immediately below, as it is the theme of book number 2, but I think it’s important to know that we often ask “what is our purpose for our lives and where should we find meaning” but Frankl beautifully reverses this. We are not here to answer the question philosophically or universally for others. We are here entirely to create our own answer. I love that. Suffering, among other things like love and actions, is providing us the opportunity to answer life’s meaning for ourselves.
If there was ever a book written for my belief system, it is is Ryan’s Holiday’s best-selling book ‘The Obstacle is The Way.’ The title of the book is drawn from a quote from the personal writings of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
In the simplest terms, what defines us and a life well lived is in turning obstacles into opportunities. We can use injustices done to us to better ourselves and live a more meaningful and happy life. It’s all within our power. If you are wronged, and you will be, use that as fuel to better your life. Getting through the struggle will always make you stronger when you emerge.
This book will make you cry, but also made me realize every day matters. Life is the blink of an eye and we are here to live it, not waste it. Written by neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi while he was battling stage IV metastatic cancer and finished by his wife after he passed away. It was posthumously published. His words are moving, profound, and at times incredibly poetic. My takeaways were many but one thing that really comes to mind is time is the only commodity that matters. You can print money. You can’t print time. Wake up every day lucky to be alive and with intention. Write your intention down. Today I will read, exercise, and introduce myself to a stranger. Then do it. Because we may not have tomorrow.