Learning from Viktor Frankl

Summary: Learning from Viktor Frankl and applying past knowledge

• Retired business people realized they can share their life experiences. They could have lived self-actualized all their lives if only they knew that they could and knew how. We, as successful business men in the Alephsynergy group, are sharing competencies gained from experiences accumulated from a long struggle toward success.

• A great deal can be gained from the knowledge of Victor Frankl
• Be self-actualized – the right knowledge is key
• Use exercises to practice competencies of self-actualization

Viktor Frankl lived self-actualized and intrinsically motivated while he was in the concentration camps under adverse circumstances. He strived to act at the highest level of the Maslow Pyramid in all circumstances! The right knowledge is the key to continuously live self-actualized. How to do this, identify personal growth areas and then find the right sources of knowledge Interventions– Explorations – Discoveries – Engagements.

You are born self-actualized. You have the intrinsic drive to observe and imitate roll models; sometimes we imitate the wrong things as well. As a child we wanted to communicate with the world, at times the way we used to communicate were not the best of methods and we were helped or disciplined by our parents and shown a more appropriate way. We explored and discovered through experience.

Choose how you allow yourself to be motivated by being very picky when it comes to the different sources of knowledge you choose to learn from and the ways you receive input – books, people and television ext.

Through knowledge, Viktor controlled his brain to operate at the highest Maslow Pyramid level while he was deprived of all basic needs. Learn how to interact with the African bush from someone who knows, else you will be scared, make mistakes and maybe even become dinner! The same principles apply in life – who will you learn from to better your career, to build your business, to learn more on a certain topic. People with bush craft know what to eat how to find direction, which animals to learn from, which dangerous animals to avoid and how to always have fun the veldt. Without knowledge, the bush is scary. The lions roar and you think you are prey!

Viktor Frankl could be self-actualized and intrinsically motivated while he was in the concentration camps under adverse circumstances. He had knowledge, he chose to apply this knowledge and make self-actualized choices based on his prior experiences.

Learning from Victor Frankl and how he chose to live self actualized

Viktor Frankl

"Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible."

Viktor Frankl (Man’s search for meaning)

When Viktor Frankl arrived in the Second World War concentration camps, he had knowledge and experience. He was a trained psychologist, very young, but he had knowledge and he put that knowledge to good use. He used his knowledge and experience and lived self-actualized from day one. Even though he had absolutely nothing, he was deprived of ALL basic needs (bottom of the Maslow Pyramid). Yet his mind was at the top of the Maslow Pyramid (self-actualized), and the bottom tiers of the Maslow Pyramid followed his mind. Here is a short summary of his life:

Frankl was born in Vienna. Frankl's interest for psychology surfaced early in his life. For the final exam (Matura) in high school he wrote a paper on the psychology of philosophical thinking. After he graduated from high school in 1923, he studied medicine at the University of Vienna and later specialized in neurology and psychiatry. From 1933 to 1937 he headed the so-called "Selbstmörderpavillon" (suicide pavilion) of the General Hospital in Vienna and from 1937 to 1940 he privately practiced psychiatry. From 1940 to 1942 he headed the neurological department of the Rothschild hospital (at this point of time this hospital was the only one left in Vienna where Jews were admitted).
In December 1941 he married Tilly Grosser. In autumn 1942 he, his wife and his parents were deported to the concentration camp of Theresienstadt. In 1944 he was transported to Auschwitz and later to Kaufering and Türkheim, two concentration camps adjunct to the KZ Dachau. He was liberated on April 27th 1945 by the US Army.
Frankl survived the Holocaust, but his wife, father and mother were murdered in concentration camps (among his immediate relatives, only his sister, who had immigrated to Australia, survived). It was due to his (and others') suffering in these camps that he came to the conclusion that even in the most absurd, painful and dehumanized situation, life has meaning and therefore even suffering is meaningful. This conclusion served as a strong basis of Frankl's later creation of logotherapy.

Source: Wikipedia – Viktor Frankl

Viktor Frankl realized early in the camps that he had to take responsibility. He made self-actualized choices, he did not succumb to the very harsh realities of camp life and he lived and based his choices on the knowledge he had, not the circumstances he was faced with at that specific moment. For example, when a guard would be out to get him he would not show his anger or frustration, he realized that would only get him a beating. He would look for ways to be of value to the guard and win him over. Thinking self-actualized not acting instinctive. One situation the guard would talk to Victor Frankl about his personal issues, Victor Frankl would just be a good listener, the guard trusted him and Victor Frankl won his favor. He took responsibility for the situation, thought it through and did not just react to the immediate stimulus of the situation; he would naturally respond self-actualized. 

Out of his experiences in the concentration camps he wrote a book, “Man’s search for meaning” and developed the field of study called logotherapy.

Being self-actualized is about knowledge…

Knowledge and insight is the key to self-actualization

Knowing and competencies come from experiences. Experiences come from actions you chose or your responses to situations choosing you.
What knowledge? Knowing or knowledge about things should know, will add the most value to your life today to achieve your goals. Knowledge is the source of self-actualization, grow in knowledge and insight and you will become more and more self-actualized. We imitate our role models, why? Because in our mind they do and act as we think is the way we would want to do and act. At different times in our life we need different chunks of competencies and knowledge to achieve our goals. Do you have goals for the next year, two years, where do you want to be in five years?

When we were babies, we had to learn how to use our hands. We imitated those around us and practiced and practiced. When you start your first job, you have a need for career building knowledge. You identify an individual with competencies, relationships or resources you think you require in life and you imitate the behavior of that individual. Simply choose the people and projects you participate in and are aligning yourself with what you enjoy doing.

We created a list of questions we like to run through every so often. You can find it at the end of this article. Create your own, or use ours, but set regular review dates for yourself. These reviews are to answer one question, “Have chosen my goals. Are my actions aligned with my goals? Am I reaching my goals?” If I am not, “What do I need in resources and actions to reach my goals?”
Identify the source of opportunity, resources and competencies or knowledge from which you think would have the most positive growth at this specific time in your life, use the Intervene - Explore – Discover – Engage process.

Having goals means you want to achieve something. Having something to achieve means, you need to have the ability to form relationships with people who have the resources, opportunities and knowledge for you to achieve that something. The hunt for the people with whom to relate in value exchanged for the resources, opportunities and knowledge with understanding leads to experiences. Experiences create the competencies, build the relationships, and give access to resources and opportunities which you require to achieve ever changing goals.

Continued exercises to personal self actualization

The next chapter is all about practical knowledge, exercises and questions. Before we go there though, take some time and think through the following and write the answers in your journal or on your computer, somewhere where you can come back to them a few months from now and measure your personal growth.

• In your work life what is the biggest thing bothering you right now?

• What will you enjoy doing for and with others if you do not have to earn money? Do that and earn money. You never have to work again.

• What would you like to change in your career?

• Do you see yourself working with the people you work with now five years from now?

• How are you doing your work in five years?

• If everything continues in your life as is, would you die happy with what will be on your gravestone? Will you reach your dreams or goals?

• What do you have planned for the next week or what did you do the past two weeks that was really cool?