Man's Search For Meaning Book Summary And Quotes

We do a lot to be happy and successful in life. Books are the best option for this goal. So today in this post I am going to share some important points from Victor Frankly’s Man’s Search for a Meaning book.

Table Of Content:

Man’s Search For Meaning Short Summary :

At the time of World War 2, Author victor Frankly was kept as a prisoner in under concentration camp. This concentration camp is the worst place for prisoners and prisoners used to prefer committing suicide to go inside that concentration camp.

Because those camp prisoners were tortured like hell. they were asked to do a difficult task and that camp place was very cold and dirty. many illnesses and diseases used to occur. and the prisoners were given very little food and thin dresses.

Many prisoners die because of hunger and disease. And remaining who were able to survive but weren’t capable of doing any work were thrown into gas chambers.

All this used to do with people who were fit while going inside the camp and the ones who were not fit since the start. they were directly thrown to the gas chamber so that can die there.

At the time of war, many camps were opened where millions of people were killed. The author was also in this camp. Where he has spent three difficult and worst years of his life. This year he lost his entire family, and everyone died.

He faced many tortures of hunger and illness. people who were brought along with the author to that camp, amongst them almost all died but still after all the author was able to survive. even after facing so many difficulties be able to search for hope.

He learned the actual meaning of life, and happiness and also learned various life lessons. which impacted millions of people through his book. today I will share some life lessons and happiness lessons from the author’s classic book. Books have sold more than 10 million copies.

Here Are 3 Main Points Of Man’s Search For Meaning Book :

1) Strong Reason And Goal :

As a Profession, Victor was a Doctor. so he helps many people in that camp who were sick. usually, many people used to die in front of him, but one patient incident made him think. That patient was going through Typhus.

Typhus usually occurs during war times and famines. when that patient came to meet the author. he told him that last night he saw a weird dream. In that dream, I hear a voice. that voice told me that I can ask anything and he will give an answer to that question.

Listening to this I asked that voice when I will able to come out of this difficult situation and problems. when I will be able to go to my home and can celebrate festivals with my family? when this war and my trouble end? And that voice replied: you will be out from all this by the 30th you’ll be free from all this.

That patient had dreamed all this at the end of Feb. and March month had started. hence while telling about this incident with victor the patient had a smile on his face. he had hoped that yes he will be out from all this before or by the 30th. and that voice was real.

But as the 30th of march was nearing war was increasing with full force and his chances of getting out from such difficult situations were getting weak and finally, it was over.

After this, he got sick on the 29th of march and fainted on the 30th and 31st of March. He died after that. the reason was typhus but only the author and a few of his close people knew the actual reason for his death. The reason was the lost hope, he gave up.

He wasn’t getting the reason for his survival. his why was not strong. hence he gave up and lost his life. even other doctors confirmed that they had realized that most of people died between Christmas & new year. and the reason for this was, that most people expected that at the end of the year, Everything will be good in his life.

From all these difficulties or problems and be able to celebrate the new year with their families but as Christmas arrived they realized that they will never be able to go from the camp. and with this, they all lost their strength, courage, and hope. and finally lost their lives.

In the same situation, the author was able to survive in that difficult situation for three years. because he has some goals. which he wanted to finish after getting out of that camp. he wanted to live because he wanted to complete his half-written book. which he had started before getting inside the camp.

He wanted to meet his wife because at that time he wasn’t sure whether she is alive or not. and because of all these strong Reasons and goals he was able to survive in that difficult situation. and that too without losing hope.

Similarly, other survivors just like the author able to survive because they all had strong Reasons and goals. And because of that, they were all able to survive in that difficult situation. hence the thing you must learn from this.

So, if you can face a difficult situation in your life you need to have strong why’s. whatever thing you want to achieve. your why should be clear and strong for that.

If you want to score well then you must know why. Do you want to score well? if you want to get up early. why do you want to get up? everything must have a very strong Why? because if you will not have a strong why and if you do not have a clear goal then you will not be able to do anything.

For example :

Suppose if you think that I need to get up early in the morning. To go on a walk then there are high chances that you may not get up early.

But think about other situations, if you do not get up early. then any criminal will come and shoot you, then there is a high chance that you get up on time or you will not sleep the whole night. similarly, you must have a strong why and reason to complete your goals.

2) We Give Meanings :

Sometimes we give small moments a lot of negative meanings. Then the price which in turn gives us a lot of problems. which isn’t good maximum times. Buddhism has a central theme which is known as Emptiness.

Which teaches everything is empty and that we give meaning to everything by ourselves. Meaning all situations and circumstances which happen are neutral and you as per your accordance give meaning to it, whether you make it negative or positive.

For example :

Suppose you are driving a car. suddenly another car overtakes you with speed. now it’s your choice whether you will give that situation a negative meaning by thinking that person is trying to act smart.

Or by giving positive meaning and think about your benefit and thinking maybe that person is going through some medical emergency that’s why maybe he is driving so fast. so, it’s your choice, you give meaning to situations and incidents and can deal with them.

So, instead of taking things negatively, take positively and stay happy. yes, maybe you were right that the driver was trying to act smart. but if you stay negative nothing will happen to that driver, the only thing which will happen is you will spoil your mood.

Hence try to stay positive. no matter how bad the situation is. trying to give positive meaning to situations. trust me that thing will keep you healthy mentally and physically and also keeps you happy and this is the best thing to make any worst situation a better one.

3) React And Respond :

In some bad situations, we start reacting, by putting stress. we start hurting mentally and physically. Sometimes we also hurt other people. in these situations, we should not react to that. The author is explaining to us this thing, who has faced such worst and difficulties for three years.

Where he could die at any time, and he did not have enough food and clothes. He was not getting the support of a family friend. Then in such a situation, he responded positively to the negative situation. Because he had learned the true meaning of life and the meaning of happiness.

Similarly, why can’t we stay positive and handle the situation without being negative? Yes, understand sometimes it’s not easy. sometimes we take years, months or weeks to get out of any negative situation and to become positive.

But I say why torture yourself even for some hours? why stay sad for one day in your precious life? just because something bad happened to you as per your thinking. we should learn to respond to situations instead of reacting just like the author.

And try to change the situation in the best possible way. find out a reason so that you can stay happy and you can find out that one reason to stay happy in any situation. because this kind of attitude will give you huge success.

Your choice of how you would like to respond and react to any situation and circumstances. and this is the thing that always stays in your hand. This is amazing knowledge.

I have shared from The Man’s Search for Meaning book by victor frankly. you must read this book for sure it’s really amazing. I have shared its link below. So, buy now! And find the actual meaning of life.