Browsing on the internet I’ve found that a lot of people think of the meaning of life as some kind of esoteric concept. Does my life have meaning? What is “the” meaning of it all?
Frankl defines meaning in very concrete terms. There exists for every individual, at every moment, a possibility for doing something meaningful.
Nothing at all can take meaning away from life, not death and dying, not suffering, not lack of success or lack of pleasure.
Where then, does meaning come from?
Frankl writes: “The requirement that values be actualized – a requirement that radiates from the world of values into the lives of men – thus becomes a concrete demand for every single hour and a personal summons to every single person…” (p. 105)
There is often more clarity about what is required of you in a situation where you are suffering or when you are failing to succeed, than it is when you are doing something creative. It is often easier in those situations to assess what kind of action or attitude is valuable.
Not only does meaning signify a concrete task. Meaning signifies a demand.
“Until he learns what constitutes the singularity and uniqueness of his own existence, he cannot experience the fulfillment of his life task as something binding upon him.” (p. 105)
Although our tendency is to shy away from words like ‘binding,’ and similarly words like ‘demand’ or ‘obligation’ because they seemingly detract from our freedom, for Frankl it is the epitome of your freedom.
The unique configuration of events that converge in a particular moment to create a concrete task designed specifically for you indicates that there is something significant about your doing it. You are irreplaceable. No one can do this but you, and therefore you must do it.
A task you feel bound to do, performed with a sense of commitment and responsibility confers meaning to your life. (The Doctor and the Soul, p. 102-107)