“Our greatest freedom is the freedom to choose our attitude.” – Viktor E. Frankl

Choosing Our Attitude

Over the weekend, my classmate Dicky and I reminisced about our time at the Madras School of Social Work, where we pursued our Master’s in Social Work, specializing in medical and psychiatric social work. We recalled our long bus rides and walks to the United States Information Service (USIS) Library, now known as the American Center. It was there that we stumbled upon a book that profoundly shaped our thinking—Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning.

Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, emphasized a powerful truth: our outlook on life is not determined by our circumstances but by how we interpret and respond to them. Even in suffering, we can find meaning—just as he did while enduring the horrors of concentration camps. He believed that even in the most difficult situations, human beings retain the freedom to choose their response.

Our Perceptions

Frankl’s famous analogy of two men looking out of their prison windows—one seeing stars and the other mud—illustrates the power of perception:

• The one who sees the stars chooses hope, meaning, and possibility, focusing on what uplifts and inspires.
• The one who sees the mud is stuck in despair, negativity, and suffering, focusing only on what is dark and discouraging.

This quote serves as a reminder that our mindset shapes our reality. We can either choose to look up and find purpose or remain trapped in misery. Frankl himself survived the concentration camps by finding meaning in his suffering, believing he had to live to share his message with the world.

The Purpose of Life

I recall a defining moment in my own life, decades ago, when I was just beginning my journey as an entrepreneur. Financial struggles weighed me down, leaving me emotionally drained. Desperate for clarity, I shared my frustrations with a dear friend, Dr. Nat, who patiently listened.

In the midst of that conversation, I remembered Frankl’s teachings and suddenly blurted out, “I think the purpose of my life is to help people learn and share—and I believe one day, I will be exceptionally successful.”

Dr. Nat laughed and said, “That’s a great way to choose your attitude going forward!” That moment stayed with me. It was the turning point where I chose to see the stars instead of the mud.

The Search for Meaning in Life

Frankl’s core message is simple yet profound: in every situation, we have a choice—to focus on the stars (hope, growth, and meaning) or the mud (negativity, suffering, and despair).

His book introduced Logotherapy, a psychological approach that asserts that the primary drive of human beings is the search for meaning in life, rather than pleasure (as Freud proposed) or power (as Adler suggested).

We can find meaning in life in many ways:

• Work or achievement – Finding purpose in what we do
• Love and relationships – Deeply connecting with others
• Suffering – Responding to pain with strength and resilience

Frankl’s central idea is that even in the worst situations, we have the power to choose our attitude. When we discover meaning in life, we can overcome the emptiness that sometimes engulfs us.

Life Is Meaningful

Logotherapy teaches us that life holds meaning under all circumstances, and it is our responsibility to discover and fulfill that meaning. Frankl’s insights offer a powerful framework for overcoming suffering, finding purpose, and leading a fulfilling life.

The analogy of the stars and the mud perfectly illustrates this: our perception determines whether we see beauty and hope or darkness and despair. This idea is central to Logotherapy, which emphasizes that meaning is not inherent in events but is created by how we choose to perceive and respond to them.

By reframing hardships, we can transform suffering into growth. This shift in perception is not just about enduring life’s challenges; it is about actively choosing a positive response that helps us grow and thrive.

As Frankl famously said: “He who has a ‘why’ to live can bear almost any ‘how’.”

Embracing Gratitude and Human Connection

We must be grateful—grateful for the gift of life, for the opportunities it presents, and for the people who support us along the way. True friends listen without judgment, serve as sounding boards, and remind us to choose hope over despair.

Let us strive to find meaning in our lives, embracing the power of gratitude, human connections, and the freedom to choose our attitude in all that we do.

I’d love to hear your thoughts—What are some of the ways you’ve found meaning in difficult times? How do you choose to see the stars instead of the mud? Share your insights in the comments, and let’s explore them in future issues!