The Meaning Difference

Can You Deal with Life’s “Crises”?

Faced with an economic crisis, a housing crisis, a healthcare crisis, a global warming crisis, and a “war on terror” that appears to have no end in sight, it’s no wonder that Americans are becoming increasingly stressed out!  To be sure, life in the 21st Century is much more complex and complicated than what I had imagined when I was growing up.  By the time we reached that magical year, “2000,” I visualized and assumed that we all would be living in a utopian world much like “The Jetsons,” the popular animated television show of the 1960s (by the way, a live-action adaptation of The Jetsons, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Warner Brothers, is set for release in 2009!).

Alright, so the future is here and what I had imagined as a child--that is, my utopian, “Jetson-like,” heaven on earth vision--did not come to pass.  And, yes, we live in uncertain, volatile, fragile, and undoubtedly, stressful times.  But life goes on, does it not?  Why is it, however, that some people appear to have an easier time dealing with complex and challenging situations than others?  And why do some people seem more capable of coping with stress, life challenges, and even “crises” outside of their control, than others?  One could say that through our various life experiences and from the investments we make in our own personal growth and development, our repertoire of coping skills can and usually does change over time.  In other words, when we invest in ourselves­-through, for instance, such things as training, counseling, and various methods of self-discovery--the return, we figure, is going to be a renewed effectiveness in dealing with life’s situations and, ideally, a more healthy and fulfilling life.

Naturally, this sounds pretty good.  I’m afraid, however, that good intentions are not enough to get us through the myriad of life transitions that we all must face.  Let me propose further that it’s simply not enough to have a repertoire of coping skills (or, put differently, a “toolbox” filled with coping mechanisms) at our disposal, no matter how much we may have “paid” for them, when confronting life’s formidable challenges and when dealing with stress.  There is actually something more fundamental that, ultimately, must precede the use of such mechanisms if we really want to build and sustain our “coping” and stress management capabilities.

I was blessed to have as a mentor, the world-renown psychiatrist, Dr. Viktor Frankl, whose personal story of finding a reason to live in the most horrendous of circumstances­Nazi concentration camps­has inspired millions of people all around the world.  In my book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts (which I wrote at Dr. Frankl’s personal urging), you’ll find his philosophy and therapeutic approach applied to life and work in the 21st Century.  In this regard, here is an important passage from my book that relates directly to building one’s capacity for dealing with stress even under unimaginable conditions; it describes Frankl’s thoughts upon his arrival at Auschwitz:

Unless there was a 100% guarantee that I will be killed here on the spot, and I will never survive this concentration camp last part of my life, unless there is any guarantee, I’m responsible for living from now on in a way that I may make use of the slightest chance of survival, ignoring the great danger surrounding me in also all of the following camps I had been sent.  This, as it were, a coping, not mechanism, but a coping maxim I adopted, I espoused, at that moment.
(Emphasis Added)

In Frankl’s case, had he not adopted his coping beliefs upon his arrival at Auschwitz, he might not have been able to sustain his optimistic and passionate view about his chances of survival. Importantly, by choosing his fundamental attitude, which he called his “coping maxim,” the coping mechanisms in his psychiatrist tool kit then became more meaningful and effective, not only for himself but also for his fellow prisoners, who were trying against the odds to survive the inescapable horrors of the Nazi death camps.

What lessons, we should all ask ourselves, can we learn from Dr. Frankl’s experience?  Think about difficult situations in your own life or work in which your attitude played a defining role in how well you were able to cope.  Think about the coping mechanisms that were at your disposal.  Did you choose to use them?  Why or why not?  How effective were you in coping with the situation and the stresses that may have been associated with it?  Now ask yourself a more fundamental question: What guides your coping skills?  In other words, what principle or principles underlie your decision-making during crises and in complex, challenging, and stressful situations?

Now ponder the times when you observed people who were guided by their coping skills in difficult decision-making situations.  I am sure that you can identify cases of extraordinary resolve by your family members, friends, and co-workers during times of hardship­personal or occupational.  Although these situations may not have been as catastrophic as that experienced by Viktor Frankl, they may still have been formidable and highly stressful, and perhaps even inescapable, challenges to overcome or survive. 

• What can you learn from these people and how will you “grow” from their experiences? 
• As a result, what principle or principles will underlie and guide your decision-making in complex, challenging, and stressful situations, including crises, now and in the future? 
• What is your coping maxim?

All the best,
Alex

Alex Pattakos, Ph.D.
author, Prisoners of Our Thoughts
founder, Center for Meaning
Learn more

NEW EDITION: Prisoners of Our Thoughts
New edition of Prisoners of Our Thoughts in paperback, Audiobook CD, and digital download formats! Learn more

Buy a copy at Amazon.com

International Bestseller! PRISONERS OF OUR THOUGHTS is included in the national Top-10 bestseller list for nonfiction books by EL PERIÓDICO, a national newspaper of Spain

Finding Meaning in the Financial Crisis

You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to uncover clues that our country is going through difficult times.  Most recently, the unfolding drama on Wall Street looks like a scene from “Extreme Makeover” and does little to instill public, let alone investor, confidence in our financial and regulatory institutions.   Fuel prices, which skyrocketed over the summer, continue to create both pain and panic at the pump.  The cost of groceries is also rising at an alarming rate, making it more difficult than ever for families to put food on the table.  We’re now all too familiar with the mortgage meltdown, with the housing and credit crises, with bank closings, as well as with the steady loss of jobs, including the all-too-frequent draconian job cuts, in corporate America.  The U.S. economy, according to many observers, is derailing and on the brink of a recession.  And to complicate matters further, the political landscape, domestically and internationally, and the global economy are uncertain and volatile.  To say the least, we are living in a highly stressful environment.  And within this environment, more and more people are facing formidable challenges in their personal and work lives as they struggle to make ends meet.

It is probably fair to say that most children in America today have never witnessed such hard times, let alone have had to experience this kind of situation before.  And although we may hate to admit it, our children (o.k., many parents too!) have become spoiled, for lack of a better term, by what they now “expect” from life in the contemporary era.  Increasing societal affluence has brought with it more choices, especially in the material realm (for example, think about the constantly-changing trends in fashion and the continuous barrage of technological “gadgets” that apparently one cannot live without these days!), most of which carry a high price tag not only in financial but also in emotional terms for American parents and their families.  Indeed, the disturbing implications of both the “paradox of choice” and what is now being called “affluenza,” a new disease-like phenomenon of epidemic proportions, have become so ubiquitous in society today that you can even find books with titles bearing these exact words in your local bookstore and library!

It is against--and in response to--this increasingly complex backdrop, with its pervasive symptoms, that Americans, both individually and collectively, now find themselves looking for answers.

Many of you may remember the words uttered not too long ago by former U.S. Senator and economist, Phil Gramm, who downplayed the idea that the nation was in a financial recession; instead, he “diagnosed” the situation as a “mental recession,” likening the country’s (and its citizen’s) ills to what we all know as mental depression.  In this regard, Gramm provocatively said that “We have sort of become a nation of whiners,…complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline.”  Although I don’t happen to agree with Senator Gramm’s diagnosis, I do believe that Americans, like all people, must consciously and deliberately resist the human tendency to become “prisoners of their thoughts.”  Only in this way may we increase our capacity to cope effectively and creatively with whatever comes our way in life--from the smallest disappointments to the most formidable of life’s challenges.  And this includes our capacity, as individuals and as a nation, to deal with the current financial crisis.

In this regard, I learned not many years ago from Thomas Moore, psychotherapist and author of the bestselling book, Care of Our Soul, that our most soulful times are when we are “out of balance,” not when we are in balance!  In other words, it is when we are facing formidable challenges and when we are dealing with crises, that we are most likely to do some really deep “soul-searching.”  And it is during these especially difficult times when our will to meaning, that is, our authentic commitment to meaningful values and goals, comes into sharp focus and we are prompted to make key choices about what really matters to us and in our lives. 

Even our choice of attitude, I should add, is put to the test!  We must remember that, although we may not be totally free from the various conditions or situations that confront us, we always can choose how we respond to them, at the very least through our choice of attitude.  This means (no pun intended) more than having the “audacity of hope”--for hope, by itself, is not a strategy.  Importantly, it requires that we assume personal (and collective) responsibility for exercising this ultimate freedom by taking action, albeit through a positive mindset focused on the power of intention, rather than resorting to a “poor me” attitude and a “victim” mentality.  Perhaps this is what Phil Gramm really meant, to afford him the benefit of the doubt, by his insensitive-sounding diagnosis!

I also want to underscore that one of the real powers of positive thinking and what the world-renown psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl, referred to as “true optimism,” is that it is good for your physical, mental, and spiritual health!  As I describe in my book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts, this intrinsic “power” (a true form of “empowerment”) not only helped Dr. Frankl survive the horrors of the Nazi death camps but also provided a meaningful platform for creative expression and action that he used throughout his life.  By “releasing” himself from a self-imposed thought prison, Frankl was able to open up possibilities for creative action while maintaining a positive vision of the future.  This, in no way, is intended to marginalize or minimize his concentration camp ordeal. 

“Each of us has his own inner concentration camp…we must deal with, with forgiveness and patience¾as full human beings, as we are and what we will become.”¾Viktor Frankl, M.D., Ph.D.

On the contrary, among the many lessons to be learned from Viktor Frankl’s life and legacy is one of hope and possibility.  Dr. Frankl saw the human condition at its worst, and human beings behaving in ways intolerable to the imagination.  He also saw human beings rising to heights of compassion and caring in ways that can only be described as miraculous acts of unselfishness and transcendence.  Indeed, there is something in us that can rise above and beyond everything that we think possible.  Our instinct for meaning, in our personal lives and in our work, is ours right now, at this very moment.  As long as we are not prisoners of our thoughts.

Sometimes it is only when we enter a state of “creative destruction” that the keys to our liberation from our inner concentration camp become visible to us.  Just like we can only recognize “light” by knowing “darkness,” we can only move ourselves (and help others to do the same) towards the light by moving away from darkness.  By the same token, acknowledging the existence of despair is the first step towards meaning and “enlightenment.”  Again, without sounding like I’m trying to marginalize or minimize the significance of the current financial crisis, including the human suffering that it leaves in its wake, the inherent darkness that it brings also provides a platform for taking creative action towards the light of opportunity.

People’s lives will undoubtedly change and be changed.  The existential question, however, remains: is it change that you (and we) can believe in?  Coping with, surviving, and thriving through such times are not only about finances per se.  We also need to remain cognizant of the emotional, and, yes, spiritual, sides of the equation.  As odd as it may sound, there is always something positive that may result from, or at least be associated with, something negative.  Think about it.  As one door closes, another one opens (If, of course, we are “open” to such possibilities and are willing to take responsibility for walking through the door.).  As one door closes, we are given an opportunity to learn even more about ourselves, including our true, core values, than we might have thought was possible (If, of course, we really want to learn and grow from our life experiences.).  As one door closes, we are also challenged to find creative solutions to our plight in ways that may even surprise us (If, of course, we choose not be become or remain a victim of our circumstances.)!

Finding “meaning” in the financial crisis, to be sure, is much easier said than done.  Let’s face it, it’s hard work!  And it often requires making sacrifices; sacrifices that we don’t really want to make.  Who really wants to take a family “staycation,” that is, a vacation spent at home, rather than going away to some exciting vacation spot?  At first blush, it doesn’t sound very appealing, does it?  However, besides creating an opportunity to save money and thereby place less strain on the family’s budget, what else does this creative idea promise?  Well, families who have chosen the staycation route have made a commitment, conscious or not, to spread the “sacrifice” by holding all family members, parents and children alike, responsible for making it happen, as well as for making it happen for the benefit of everyone.  It’s no longer just the parents who must sacrifice something for the sake of living in a postmodern world where the “paradox of choice” and “affluenza” run rampant.  Moreover, going on staycation has actually brought family members together in authentic and meaningful ways.  And I suspect that when the family eventually does plan for a getaway “vacation,” it will be valued more highly and result in an even more memorable and, again, meaningful, experience!  Now start your creative engines and explore other ways in which you can find meaning in the financial crisis, regardless of your personal circumstances!  And how can this new-found meaning guide you in a positive way through the abyss?

On a more macro level, of course, the possibilities for finding “meaning” in the financial crisis are also unlimited.  In this connection, think about how various societal ills, at all levels, may actually benefit from the forces of “creative destruction” that we are witnessing in today’s world.  I know that it sounds a bit far-fetched and perhaps insensitive, but stay with me for a moment.  Have you ever known somebody who appeared to live her or his life on “cruise control” or “auto-pilot?”  You know, unaware of what really mattered?  What was really important to them and to those around them?  And then they faced a major, maybe even life-threatening, crisis--effectively, a life “wake-up call?”  More often than not, these people would describe such an experience as transformative for them.  On both personal and collective levels, the “meaning” of the financial crisis also holds the promise of being a transformative experience.  But it can only be so if, and this is a BIG if, we do not allow ourselves to become “prisoners of our thoughts!”  Like Viktor Frankl, I sincerely believe in the power and resiliency of human beings and the human spirit.  Yes, my dear Watson, there is a financial crisis but you will get through it!

With meaning,
Dr. Alex Pattakos
author, Prisoners of Our Thoughts
Learn more

NEW EDITIONS: Prisoners of Our Thoughts
New edition of Prisoners of Our Thoughts in paperback, Audiobook CD, and digital download formats! Learn more

Buy a copy at Amazon.com

International Bestseller! PRISONERS OF OUR THOUGHTS is included in the national Top-10 bestseller list for nonfiction books by EL PERIÓDICO, a national newspaper of Spain!

REALIZE YOUR WILL TO MEANING

Welcome "home" to the PRISONERS OF OUR THOUGHTS conversation series!  As part of The Meaning Difference Blog, we want to devote space (and time) to a discussion of each of the meaning-centered principles described in my book, PRISONERS OF OUR THOUGHTS.  In an earlier post, we introduced you to the first of Viktor Frankl’s principles, "Exercise the Freedom to Choose Your Attitude"  If you missed the post, I think you will benefit from reviewing it (even would like or need a refresher) as we move on to the second principle:

PRINCIPLE 2: REALIZE YOUR WILL TO MEANING---commit authentically to meaningful values and goals that only you can actualize and fulfill.

Unlike Sigmund Freud’s belief that as human beings we are driven by what he called the Pleasure Principle, known also as the "will to pleasure," and unlike Alfred Adler’s belief that, because human beings are born with feelings of inferiority, we are therefore driven by an innate need to strive for superiority over others (and our environment), know also as the "will for power," Frankl considers our main concern as people to be fulfilling a meaning and actualizing values---what he refers to as the will to meaning.  This primary, intrinsic motivation, in Viktor Frankl's view of human beings, stands in stark contrast to both those of Freud and Adler, who effectively reduce human behavior simply to the gratification and satisfaction of drives and instincts (a kind of "Who Moved My Cheese?" approach). 

In Prisoners of Our Thoughts, I cite a number of business examples we all recognize for each of these principles:

· Will to Pleasure – Tyco CEO Dennis Kozlowski’s $2 Million birthday bash that he threw for his wife at company expense.

· Will to Power – Ken Lay (Enron) and Bernie Ebbers (Worldcom).

· Will to Meaning - Those CEOs, who although they may also want (or seek) pleasure and authority, demonstrate that the primary motivation for their existence is neither.  Bill Hewlett and David Packard demonstrated Frankl’s will to meaning principle, building Hewlett-Packard from a one-car garage into one of the world’s most admired success stories.  It was a particular set of meaningful values, known as "The HP Way" that guided them in identifying and meeting their objectives, in working with one another, and in dealing with customers, shareholders, employees and others.

Besides these and other examples in my book, of course, there are many others that could be mentioned.  In this regard, I'm sure that you can identify illustrations of each of these principles from your own experience.  And let's not forget the examples that, especially of the will to pleasure and the will to power, that are "exposed" by the mass media.  The recent revelations of the sexual escapades of elected officials, such as former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, underscore that both of these principles continue to trump the will to meaning among those responsible for managing the public's business!

"A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life. He knows the ‘why’ for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any ‘how’.”
--- Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

PUTTING MEANING INTO THIS CONVERSATION...
I'd really like know what you've experienced...and observed in your work and everyday life in regards to these different motivational forces.  Recall a situation in your personal or work life where you were challenged to examine your commitment to meaningful values or goals.  This may even be your current situation.  Perhaps it was or is a relationship or a job assignment that isn’t lining up with your personal values.  Perhaps you were or are just unhappy with the work you are doing.

Consider these questions…
· How did you first recognize this challenge?  What were the first signs?

· What, if anything, did you do? What would you like to do?

· How do you ensure that you remain committed to meaningful values and goals, thereby realizing your will to meaning in your life and work (or in your workplace)?

I invite you to share your thoughts and experiences.  I  look forward to learning about how you have recognized and continue to realize your will to meaning.

Alex

Alex Pattakos, Ph.D.
author, Prisoners of Our Thoughts
founder, Center for Meaning
Learn more

NEW EDITION: Prisoners of Our Thoughts
New edition of Prisoners of Our Thoughts in paperback, Audiobook CD, and digital download formats! Learn more

Buy a copy at Amazon.com

International Bestseller! PRISONERS OF OUR THOUGHTS is included in the national Top-10 bestseller list for nonfiction books by EL PERIÓDICO, a national newspaper of Spain!

FEELING RICH

I was struck the other day by a front-page article that I read in The New York Times (August 5, 2007), entitled "The Millionaires Who Don't Feel Rich."  The article focused on people living in Silicon Valley who are called "working-class millionaires"--members of the digital elite who find themselves toiling in the "Silicon Valley salt mines" because, as one person interviewed described, "a few million doesn't go as far as it used to."  And even though these folks obviously are among the fortunate few who don't have to worry about living from paycheck to paycheck, they still don't think of themselves as particularly fortunate.  The article points out that this is partly the case because they are surrounded by people with more wealth than they have!  My, my, I feel sorry for these poor (no pun intended) souls, don't you?!

One person interviewed, who estimated his "net worth" at $10 million, actually made the following observation (over a glass of pinot noir at an upscale wine bar no less!): "You're nobody here at $10 million."  Indeed, if you ask me, this is a sad commentary on the state of humanity in Silicon Valley.

Is real "net worth" simply a function of money?  And how much money is "enough," any way?  What happens when our desire to keep up with the Jones becomes an obsession--or a kind of addictive behavior--that we seem unable or unwilling to control?  Listen to how one of the people interviewed in the above-mentioned article described what looks like a marathon without a finish line: "Here, the top 1 percent chases the top one-tenth of 1 percent, and the top one-tenth of 1 percent chases the top one-one-hundredth of 1 percent.  You try not to get caught up in it, but it's hard not to."

The Will to Money? Or Will to Meaning?
If anything sounds like a manifestation of the "will to money" at work, this must be it, don't you think?  In my book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts, I point out that Viktor Frankl viewed the will to money as a primitive form of the will to power.  I also underscore that when people are replaced by money as the primary force behind decision-making, we have no choice but to become aware of the implications and do something about it.  In this regard, by refusing to be held a "prisoner of our thoughts," we can bring meaning out of the shadows of our lives and into the light.  Our lives will then mean something and our "net worth" will no longer be held captive soley by a dollar figure.

Remember, our will to meaning, not our will to pleasure or our will to power (including its primitive form, the will to money), is what illuminates our lives with true freedom.  Remember also the Greek hero, Sisyphus, who was ordered by the gods to push a big rock uphill only to see it slip out of his hands in the last moment.  The will to money, like running a "marathon without a finish line," also becomes an endless--and joyless--undertaking if not kept in check.  To keep this motivational force in check, however, requires that we go inward, not "out there" where both the will to pleasure and will to power have their genesis.  No, the path to realizing your will to meaning runs in the other direction and is not easy to follow if we choose--yes, choose--to be held  "prisoners of our thoughts."  Listen carefully to the following lyrics of Rodney Crowell from his song, "Time to Go Inward":

It's time to go inward, take a look at myself.
Time to make the most of the time I've got left.
Prison bars imagined are no less solid steel.

I suggest that it is time for the "working-class millionaires" of Silicon Valley to go inward and discover the seeds of meaning that may help them feel truly "rich."  Perhaps there is something more important to them then money, power, or pleasure per se.  Perhaps, by not choosing to be held prisoners of their thoughts, they will be able to redefine their notion of net worth and begin to make life/work decisions that are based on meaning-centered principles--things that truly matter to them.

What about YOU?
Think about your own life experiences.  Do you know, or have you ever known, anyone (this may even be yourself) who "felt rich" without the fortune of monetary wealth?  Why do you think that this is/was so?  What kinds of "things" do you have in your "portfolio" and assessment of net worth that you would consider priceless?  Now, ask yourself: Do you feel "rich" as a result?

All the best,
Alex

Alex Pattakos, Ph.D.
author, Prisoners of Our Thoughts
founder, Center for Meaning
Learn more

Read the entire article:
The Millionaires Who Don't Feel Rich
The New York Times (August 5, 2007)

NEW EDITION: Prisoners of Our Thoughts
New edition of Prisoners of Our Thoughts in paperback, Audiobook CD, and digital download formats!  Prisoners of Our Thoughts applies Viktor Frankl's philosophy and therapeutic approach to life and work in the 21st century, detailing seven principles for increasing your capacity to deal with life-work challenges, finding meaning in your daily life and work, and achieving your highest potential.  Among other changes, this new edition includes a new chapter on how readers of the hardcover edition have put the seven meaning-centered principles into action, both in their everyday lives and even in extreme situations such as in Indonesia after the tsunami (where several aid agencies adopted the book as part of their training and relief programs) and in post-Katrina New Orleans.

Buy a copy at Amazon.com

LEADERSHIP and MEANINGFUL INNOVATION

I would guess that most of us see the need for change in almost any direction we look, but how do we begin? What's needed? What does it ask of us?

Here are a few thoughts...

There needs to be a purpose that drives (or pulls) change so that it adds value. This often comes from the vision or mission. However, even a compelling vision or strategy may not be enough if we do not learn and grow from the change that accompanies it. Change for change's sake will not necessarily allow us to achieve our personal or collective aims. Reflect for a moment on the following assertion: you can change without growing but you can't grow without changing. Truly meaningful change must involve some kind of development. Since organizational development cannot occur without personal development, leaders at all levels must be willing to embark on a path of self-discovery - especially if they want to lead their organizations through transformation effectively and with integrity.

Why is our ability to engage in transformational thinking important?
What can we do about it?

Elaine Dundon, in her book, The Seeds of Innovation, demonstrates that core
competencies (knowledge, skills, attitudes) in transformational thinking form the baseline for effective innovation to occur. Dundon underscores that without (a) seeking greater awareness of ourselves and others, (b) igniting and sustaining personal passion, and (c) taking meaningful action (referred to collectively as the seeds of transformational thinking), the corollary seeds of creative and strategic thinking cannot take root and flourish. As a consequence, there can be no innovation harvest no matter how creative the ideas being considered or how 'on strategy' these ideas may be. Those leading innovation in any organization must continuously develop and employ their transformational thinking capabilities to fully realize the return on innovation that everyone expects and deserves.

Recently, I recorded a Moments of Insight Series at the Global Dialogue Center audio learning program. It includes six mini-podcasts related to Discovering Deeper Meaning in different aspects of work and life. Although, each episode has a meaning-focused message with ideas for applying its principles, I highlighted the one on Meaningful Innovation below. It offers additional perspective and specific recommendations to help you put meaning-full innovation into practice in your organization.

1 - In Search of Meaning
2 - Living a More Meaningful Life
3 - Meaning in Your Work
4 - Meaningful Innovation *  Listen in now
5 - Meaning in Politics
6 - Meaningful Sustainability

A few closing thoughts...
When we miss the meaning in our work life, we miss the life in our work. And when we miss the life in our work, we can't help but become a "prisoner of our thoughts", confined, as Viktor Frankl would say, within our own inner concentration camp. Sadly, by doing so, we effectively lock ourselves away, albeit unconsciously, from the prospects of realizing our capacity for authentic leadership and meaningful innovation.

How are you realizing your capacity for authentic leadership and meaningful innovation?

I hope you'll write to share your story.

All the best,
Alex

Alex Pattakos, Ph.D.
author, Prisoners of Our Thoughts
founder, Center for Meaning
Learn more

NEW EDITION: Prisoners of Our Thoughts
New edition of Prisoners of Our Thoughts in paperback, Audiobook CD, and digital download formats!  Prisoners of Our Thoughts applies Viktor Frankl's philosophy and therapeutic approach to life and work in the 21st century, detailing seven principles for increasing your capacity to deal with life-work challenges, finding meaning in your daily life and work, and achieving your highest potential.  Among other changes, this new edition includes a new chapter on how readers of the hardcover edition have put the seven meaning-centered principles into action, both in their everyday lives and even in extreme situations such as in Indonesia after the tsunami (where several aid agencies adopted the book as part of their training and relief programs) and in post-Katrina New Orleans.

Buy a copy at Amazon.com

Reflections on MEANINGFUL VALUES

Some years ago, I wrote an article in the Journal for Quality and Participation called "Reflections of a (re)evolutionary."  It is interesting to look back on life and work to see where you were, what has changed , and also what has stayed the same.  In this article I wrote:

Time and experience certainly tend to influence what seems worth having and doing.  In my case, however, these influences have been tempered by the fact that I have maintained over my adult life a set of core values or principles to guide my thoughts and actions.  In effect, these values, which have manifested themselves in different ways over the years, comprise the foundation of my character and emanate from the essence of my very being--my soul, if you will.  It is as if my growth and learning have spiraled higher and higher over time above the very same point.  With the experience of being able to view oneself from a distance, I can now "see" more clearly the contours of my life's journey, with all of its zigs and zags, in some orderly fashion.

This said, my "worth ethic" has always centered on the notion of service, especially public service.  More than 20 years ago, I was committing to causes greater than myself.  To be of service to others, especially to those less fortunate than I, became a "calling";  and the opportunity to challenge the status quo, no matter how much conflict was involved, became a quest worth doing.  From participating in the anti-war effort with SDS [Students for A Democratic Society] during the Vietnam era to helping to fight the "war on poverty" in the inner cities and rural areas of America, my notion of "worthiness" revolved more around the "doing" or experiencing of something of value than it did the "having."  Driven by a core value in which self-fulfillment was always more important than material success, I found myself submerged deeply in what Professor Peter Vaill has termed the "permanent whitewater" of change.  Indeed, I eventually learned, oftentimes the hard way, that you can change without growing but you cannot grow without changing.

Since writing this piece, I recognize that the "permanent whitewater" of change has been ever present.  One reaffirming experience that has deepened the meaning of this earlier message, came when my book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts, was published. It started what has become a MEANING MINISTRY that is reaching out across the world, one meaning-full experience and opportunity at a time.  As I have written often here, it is a book based on the wisdom of my mentor and teacher, Dr. Viktor Frankl, world renown psychiatrist, holocaust survivor and author of the classic, Man's Search for Meaning. Again, I realize that much has changed in this discovery of deeper meaning and purpose in my life through my connection to his meaning-focused message and legacy, and much has stayed the same. Over the years, I have been able to reaffirm over and over again, like I wrote in the above-mentioned article, that my growth and learning have spiraled higher and higher over time above the very same point. From this vantage point, I believe that it is the authentic commitment to meaningful values and goals (i.e., will to meaning) that has enabled me to navigate, as well as discover the seeds of meaning within, the permanent whitewater of change around me. Who knows, perhaps this is what is meant by the notion of the "path to enlightenment!"

As I travel the world, carrying my message of meaning to and for others, I find myself reflecting upon and learning about my own life in meaningful ways as well. In Prisoners of Our Thoughts, I quote something from Viktor Frankl that is relevant to this very point: "I wish to stress that the true meaning of life is to be discovered in the world rather than within man or his own psyche, as though it were a closed system." [Page 25, Emphasis Added]  Put differently, there is a humanistic concept advanced in South Africa called "UBUNTU" in the Zulu language. UBUNTU can be translated roughly into English as "A person is only a person through other persons."  As I also write in Prisoners of Our Thoughts, UBUNTU is not about relationships per se; rather, it is about human-ness and how only human beings can truly establish the human-ness of others (that is, our human-ness can only be truly expressed as a "reflection" of others). Insofar as Viktor Frankl's humanistic (and existential) philosophy is concerned, we must be able to extend beyond ourselves (Principle #7) so that we can fulfill or realize more of ourselves. 

Reflecting on my article in the Journal for Quality and Participation, this is what I meant by having a "set of core values or principles to guide my thoughts and actions."  In the midst of the permanent whitewater that surrounds us all, ultimately, it is our will to meaning that guides us through the labyrinth of life and enables our growth and learning to light the way.  And while this may not appear to be a "revolutionary" concept, because it happens continuously over our life times, it is "(re)evolutionary!"

So, now, ask yourself...
As you walk the labyrinth that is your life, what set of core values or principles guide your thoughts and actions?  Furthermore, how are you applying the concept of UBUNTU so that you can fulfill and realize more of yourself?

All the best,
Alex

Alex Pattakos, Ph.D.
author, Prisoners of Our Thoughts
founder, Center for Meaning
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NEW EDITION: Prisoners of Our Thoughts
New edition of Prisoners of Our Thoughts in paperback, Audiobook CD, and digital download formats!  Prisoners of Our Thoughts applies Viktor Frankl's philosophy and therapeutic approach to life and work in the 21st century, detailing seven principles for increasing your capacity to deal with life-work challenges, finding meaning in your daily life and work, and achieving your highest potential.  Among other changes, this new edition includes a new chapter on how readers of the hardcover edition have put the seven meaning-centered principles into action, both in their everyday lives and even in extreme situations such as in Indonesia after the tsunami (where several aid agencies adopted the book as part of their training and relief programs) and in post-Katrina New Orleans.

Buy a copy at Amazon.com

AN INCONCEIVABLE TRUTH: The Lost Generation of Palestine

I’m writing this post in Lisboa (Lisbon), Portugal, where I continue to share the meaning-centered message described in my book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts.

Legend has it that the City of Lisboa was discovered by the Greek, Ulysses, and the ancient Castelo de São Jorge, which sits at the very top of the highest hill in Lisboa has a tower named after him.  The “Tower of Ulysses” houses the Periscope, an optical system invented by Leonardo Da Vinci in the 16th Century and the only one in Portugal, giving a 360 degree view of the City.  The oldest remains found here date back to the 6th Century BC, where evidence of the Phoenicians, Romans, and Moslems abound.

Taken from the Moors and absorbed into Portuguese territory in 1147, Lisboa was proclaimed capitol of the kingdom in 1252.  It became the first European trading port for importing merchandise from the newly-discovered Atlantic islands, the shores of Africa, the Americas and Asia, and became a site for the converging of these respective cultures and faith-based traditions.

As you can imagine, being here--in an environment where there is so much evidence of the rich history and convergence of diverse cultures and faiths--is truly enlightening and, yes, meaningful.  Such an experience, however, also serves to bring other aspects of the human condition into sharper focus, including shedding light on the “existential divide” that still casts its long shadow on life in the postmodern era.  It is as if one is able to look at life through Da Vinci’s Periscope from high atop the Tower of Ulysses!

In this regard, I was struck in a very profound way by an article that I read in the Times Digest (a publication service of The New York Times that is distributed to business travelers here), entitled “Palestinians Fear a Generation of Nihilists.”  The worried parents call them the lost generation of Palestine and “its most radical, most accepting of violence and most despairing.”  These are the children of the second intifada that began in 2000.  The article underscores that this generation is growing up in a territory riven by infighting, seared by violence, occupied by Israel, largely cut off from the world and segmented by barriers and checkpoints.  They are young people who have no hope in either the present or the future.  “We never see anything good in our lives,” exclaims one of the youth interviewed in the article.

Like my mentor, Dr. Viktor Frankl, I firmly believe that the primary intrinsic motivation of all human beings is the search for meaning.  Yet, by allowing societal conditions to exist (and persist) that result in a "generation of nihilists," we are creating much more than a manifestation of collateral damage or other contemporary political-speak.  By robbing people (in this case an entire generation of human beings) of their very human-ness, that is, their inherent capacity to search for meaning, civilized society is effectively plotting its own demise whether it "knows" it or not.  In my view, nihilism on such a broad scale is a lost cause, no matter what the original intent.  And insofar as the lost generation of Palestine is concerned, we all should pay heed to Jimmy Carter’s new book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, and seek a peaceful, authentic resolution that will help to restore hope to the youth who's cry for meaning can be heard loud and clear in Lisboa and around the world.  And from my elevated perch on the Tower of Ulysses, I can see that we will only be able to find common ground by going to a higher ground.    

I would be interested to hear your thoughts and feelings on this matter.  Besides the current situation in Palestine...

What do you think about my argument that we can not afford to produce a "generation of nihilists?"  Do you agree?

All the best,
Alex

Alex Pattakos, Ph.D.
author, Prisoners of Our Thoughts
founder, Center for Meaning
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Buy a copy of PRISONERS OF OUR THOUGHTS:
Viktor Frankl's Principles at Work
by Alex Pattakos, Ph.D.

Pictures of Lisboa, Portugal

RETIRING RETIREMENT: Freedom, Independence and Meaning-FULL WORK

re-tire-ment (ri-tīr-ment) v.: 
withdrawal from one's position or occupation or from active working life

I remember a  Canadian campaign some years back that was called Freedom 55. It promised not only financial independence beginning at 55, but also the lure of freedom to do whatever you would want for the rest of your life. With the average life-span increasing for both men and women, I remember wondering what this kind of "freedom" would ultimately mean for such young retirees. What would they do with --- and for --- the rest of their lives in retirement?

When the first of America's 79 million baby boomers reach age 62 in 2008, it appears they are going to change the meaning of the word "retirement." Recent surveys by AARP demonstrate that most older workers --- nearly 70% --- want to continue working. They know what they want from work at this time in their lives. They put a high value on meaning-full work that keeps them actively engaged in life:

• 86% say that staying in the workforce keeps them healthy and active.
• Nearly 60% feel that their jobs contribute to society or help people.
• Less than one-third say they look forward to full retirement a great deal.

"Boomers are going to redefine what we think of as aging. We'll reject the term 'aging' or 'elderly.' Many boomers want less responsibility; they've done the management thing. They're looking for more meaningful work, to hone their skills, to still contribute — but to have flexible work options. ...When you go beyond the financial aspects, you see the issues of wanting to feel connected to the workplace and that there's still a lot more to be offered in skill, knowledge, and expertise..."
                     --- Deborah Russell, AARP director of economic security

This is still another validation that our search for meaning is not about only finding a higher purpose or a true calling as I share in my book. It's about finding meaning in every moment, every day. It's our personal responsibility to discover that meaning and it is clear that many "boomers" are taking this on as a personal mission.

I find this an exciting prospect at this time of turmoil in the world! Why? Because in my own experience, I've found that people who take the time to find meaning are happier---they're more joyful, more passionate, and more fulfilled. They are more resilient to the stresses of life. And, in effect, they become the "light" for others.

Regardless of your age, there is much to learn from this example of the ongoing search for meaning in our lives. Consider this question...

What are you doing in your life and work--and what are you doing (or intend to do) in your "retirement"--to discover meaning that will help you be more joyful, more passionate, more fulfilled, so you can be a light for others?

All the best,
Alex 

Alex Pattakos, Ph.D.
author, Prisoners of Our Thoughts
founder, Center for Meaning
Learn more

Buy a copy of PRISONERS OF OUR THOUGHTS:
Viktor Frankl's Principles at Work
by Alex Pattakos, Ph.D.

MEANING IN EDUCATION: No Person Left Behind

The search for meaning has been called a "megatrend" of the 21st century. This should not be surprising since the drive to look for and discover meaning in life, including our work life, is effectively built into our DNA--in fact, it helps to define our "human-ness."  It was the world-renown psychiatrist, Dr. Viktor Frankl, who argued that the search for meaning is the "primary intrinsic motivation of all human beings."  So, it's now time to ask ourselves: what are the implications of this meaning-centered megatrend for education? 

This is a question I’ve been thinking about myself as I prepare to do a keynote presentation at the Calgary City Teachers’ Convention Association in a few weeks.

In my book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts, written at Frankl's personal urging, it shows how, by discovering "The Meaning Difference," each and every one of us holds the keys to unlocking our inner mental prison. In other words, we do not have to be prisoners of our thoughts, if we do not want to be! Our common search for meaning can help turn life's challenges into beacons of hope, no matter what our personal circumstances are or where we work. When it comes to education, we must recognize that being "prisoners of our thoughts" adversely impacts our roles and responsibilities as teachers, students, staff, and parents in spite of our best intentions.

Viktor Frankl’s lessons affirm that by committing authentically to meaningful values and goals, both inside and outside of the classroom, educators at all levels will be able to realize their full potential as catalysts for continuous learning and development. It also is clear that it is teachers who must lead the way in the pursuit of meaning---not only by discovering the deeper meaning in their own work and personal lives---but also by inspiring others, especially students, to do the same.

Today we live in a world of many formidable challenges. At the same time, there is a call for hope and a cry for meaning that can be heard loud and clear. Only by meaningfully engaging students, parents, teachers, staff, and the community-at-large in the continuous learning and development process will we be able to turn hope into reality and co-create a better world for all.

In the ongoing Viktor Frankl Personal Responsibility Dialogue online at the Global Dialogue Center (see link below), people all over the world have been sharing their experiences and observations. Many of their stories demonstrate how each of us has something meaning-full to contribute. Below are two examples that illustrate how we can discover deeper meaning in education in ways that may not be so obvious --- one is a businessman's personal story of developing young entrepreneurs and the other is an observation someone made of a student’s innovative idea that is making a difference:

“While I am working to set up my own business, I’m also helping students learn entrepreneurial skills. We need more projects in schools that introduce students to entrepreneurial ideas and thinking at an earlier age then most of us learned. They need to learn how we all achieve more by working together.”

“I was touched by the actions of a high school student. When he realized that all the left over food was being thrown away by his lunchroom, he found a way for the food to be saved for hungry people in our community.”

As you can see, if we work together to co-create an environment where every student, parent, teacher, staff member and member of the community recognizes they have a meaning-full role to play in making the world a better place for all people, it will ensure no person is left behind.

In what ways are you seeing meaning in education emerge in new ways?

How do you think we can ensure no person is left behind?

All the best,
Alex 

Alex Pattakos, Ph.D.
author, Prisoners of Our Thoughts
founder, Center for Meaning
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Put your mark on history...share your perspective on PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

WHAT MATTERS IN LIFE? The Search for Meaning

I received a meaningful comment from Joe Raasch in response to my message, Discovering the JOY in any season. I wanted to share both Joe's comment and my response to him with all of you. As we move into a new year, our exchange offers all of us an opportunity for a new level of discovery of deeper meaning in our lives and work. It also opens the way for a broader dialogue.

JOE RAASCH COMMENT...
Dr. Alex, I just finished a second read of your book. It is becoming clear to me that our society doesn't possess bad intention and not want to find meaning. We just forgot how. Much the same in our search for joy during the holiday season. I celebrate Christmas and see the extended commercialism that some try to use to get that joy. We want it, we just forgot how to find it.

MY RESPONSE TO JOE...
Dear Joe,
Thank you for letting me know that you've read my book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts, a second time!  And thanks for posting your insightful comment on my meaning blog.  I agree with you that our society doesn't "possess bad intention and not want to find meaning."  As you astutely point out, somewhere along our path we seem to forget how to realize our will to meaning.  And since you've read my book twice, I suspect that now you can see why it was written primarily as a practical, "how-to," guidebook on the search for meaning.  Indeed, I am blessed to have been able to stand on the shoulders of my mentor, Dr. Viktor Frankl, whose life and legacy will forever bring light to darkness by underscoring what really matters in life--the search for meaning.

Remembering "how" to do something, however, is not sufficient cause to bring about authentic and sustainable change.  We must first acknowledge and embrace the "why" of what we intend to accomplish, and this includes our "want to find meaning."  And it is our personal (and collective) responsibility to remember "why" the search for meaning is so important, much in the same way that it is our personal (and collective) responsibility to remember "why" the search for joy (and discovering the deeper "meaning" of joy) during the holiday season is so important. 

To be sure, in a world that is so fast-changing and increasingly complex, it is both more difficult to remember what really matters in life and easier to abdicate our personal responsibility for doing so.  We can always find something or someone else to "blame" for our circumstances and therefore rationalize our attitude or behavior, can't we?!  To truly look within ourselves  and to cut across the grain of something like "extended commercialism" are not especially easy, let alone desirable, paths to follow in the postmodern era even if we supposedly "know how." 

In the late 19th Century, the German psychologist, Dr. Hermann Ebbinghaus, a pioneer in the field of human memory (although studies of memory can be traced to the Greek poet, Simonides, in 477 BC), introduced what he called the "Law of the Forgetting Curve."  In effect, all human beings are prone to forget and unless they actively do something to alter the forgetting curve, the dual challenge of retention and recall quickly becomes formidable.  In fact, studies have demonstrated that the "average" person is bound to forget about 75% of whatever material is presented to her or him within the first 24 hours and over 90% over the course of only 30 days, unless something is done to retain the information in one's consciousness!  So, Joe, you can see that we all have our work cut out for us!  Whether we are seeking to alter the forgetting curve of "how" to find meaning and/or joy (during the holiday season or not), or we are looking to alter the forgetting curve of "why" we need to find meaning (and authentic joy) in our lives, the onus of responsibility falls again upon us.

We must more than "want" something in order not to forget about it.  In fact, if we really know what we "want," that is, we "know" the deeper meaning behind the intention, according to Dr. Frankl, we are more likely to achieve our intention by "forgetting" about it!  In Chapter 10 of my book, I try to illustrate how this logotherapeutic principle actually works.  Although it may seem counter-intuitive to some, our search for joy during the Holiday season--or at any other time in our lives--is not something that we can pursue; rather, it is something that ensues by "extending beyond oneself."  If this doesn't make sense, it may be time for a third reading of Prisoners of Our Thoughts!

Let me know what you think and thanks again for sharing!

What thoughts do you have to add to this dialogue?  Hope you let me know.

...and to all of you, Happy New Year!

All the best,
Alex 

Alex Pattakos, Ph.D.
author, Prisoners of Our Thoughts
founder, Center for Meaning
Learn more