Preface


Have you ever worked in a job that you really didn t like? Or even if you were satisfied with your job ”say, because it paid well or seemed secure ”you still didn t feel fulfilled by the work that you were doing? More broadly, have you ever wondered if there was more to life than what you were experiencing? Have you ever felt like bad things just happened to you, challenging situations that were out of your control? If you answered yes to any of these questions, or even asked yourself such questions before now, you should know that you are not alone. Not at all. And, importantly, you should know that, because we re all human, it is totally natural to ask ourselves such fundamental questions about the way we work and live.

This book deals with the human quest for meaning and, therefore, was written with you in mind. It is grounded firmly in the philosophy and approach of the world-renowned psychiatrist , Viktor Frankl, author of the classic bestseller, Man s Search for Meaning (named one of the ten most influential books in America by the Library of Congress). Frankl, a survivor of the Nazi concentration camps during World War II, is the founder of Logotherapy, a meaning-centered and humanistic approach to psychotherapy. His ideas and experiences related to the search for meaning have significantly influenced people around the world. In this book, you will find a conceptual foundation, as well as practical guidance, for examining your own questions about meaning in your work and everyday life.

The goal of this book, moreover, is to bring meaning to work ”that is, to do for the domain of work what Frankl, as a psychiatrist, was able to do for psychotherapy. Because I am defining the notion of work very broadly, the message in this book applies to a very broad audience as well. In fact, it applies to volunteers as well as to paid workers; to people working in all sectors and industries; to retirees; to individuals beginning a job search or career; and to those in transition. And, because this book demonstrates how Frankl s principles actually work in a generic context, its message can be applied to everyday living too. In this regard, besides introducing you to Frankl s core ideas about life, the book is filled with examples, stories, exercises, and practical tools that can help guide you on your path to finding meaning at work and in your personal life.

It was in a meeting with Frankl at his home in Vienna, Austria, in August 1996, when I first proposed the idea of writing a book that would apply his core principles and approach explicitly to work and the workplace, to the world of business. Frankl was more than encouraging when, in his typically direct and passionate style, he leaned across his desk, grabbed my arm, and said: Alex, yours is the book that needs to be written! As you can imagine, I felt that Frankl s words had been branded into the core of my being, and I was determined, from that moment forward, to make this book idea a reality. And so it is.

My fascination with Frankl and his work, like so many other people s, is longstanding. Yes, I feel blessed that I was given the opportunity to meet with him in person and seek his counsel. This said, Frankl s influence on my work and personal life go back almost forty years. I have spent many of these years studying his groundbreaking work in existential analysis, Logotherapy, and the search for meaning, and have applied his principles in many different work environments and situations. As a mental health professional, my reliance on the power of Frankl s ideas has evolved and expanded over time. In this regard, I have employed (and tested ) various elements of his philosophy and approach within a wide variety of organizational settings, as well as having worked closely with many individuals in the throes of an existential dilemma either at work or in their personal lives. During this time, of course, I also reflected seriously on my own life journey and found myself , on numerous occasions, relying on and benefiting from Frankl s wisdom. You ll find some of my own meaning-focused challenges and opportunities described in this book.

It is important to underscore that Viktor Frankl, throughout his life, practiced what he preached. This, I must say from personal experience, is not always easy to do.

There is a saying in the academic world suggesting that we teach in order to learn, that is, we don t know what we don t know until we try to teach it. The same thing can be said about writing a book. In many respects, writing a book is the easy part. The really hard part, I must confess, comes when we try to do what we write about. Frankl was able to do both; he lived and worked with meaning all of his life. I can only try to follow his lead and hope that, by writing the book that needs to be written, I have also learned how to live and work with meaning.

I also must say that the same thing applies to you. After you read this book, I challenge you not to put it out of sight, out of mind. No, please don t do that, because I ve distilled some core principles from Frankl s voluminous body of work that deserve more of your attention than a simple read-through will provide. After reading this book, I would like you to live it by practicing the exercises, reviewing the concepts and cases (as many times as might be necessary for you), and adopting the core principles in your daily work and life. Only in this way will this book be more than another book in your library. Only in this way will this book help you find true meaning in your work and life. And only in this way will the message that Frankl branded in my soul, ” Alex, yours is the book that needs to be written! ”have the kind of meaning that he intended.

Alex Pattakos Santa Fe, New Mexico USA August 2004

Acknowledgements

If ever a book was more a process than a product, then this must be it. And throughout the process many people contributed , in many meaningful ways, to bringing the final product into being. So many, in fact, that I cannot begin to name them all. Yet, some people were especially important in this project ”coming to my aid at critical moments in the process ”and therefore I would like for them to know how thankful I am for their involvement.

Elaine, my wife and business partner, who stood by me through thick and thin, and who helped to keep the flame burning so that this book would get to see the light of day. No words could thank you enough; thanks for being you and for the many, many ways that you contributed to this book.

The Frankl family, who believed in and supported this book project from the beginning. I am forever grateful.

Steve Piersanti, publisher, and Jeevan Sivasubramaniam, managing editor, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, for not giving up on me or this book over so many years, and for ensuring that it was the best product possible.

The entire team at Berrett-Koehler Publishers for believing that the search for meaning at work is more than a book.

All my fellow Berrett-Koehler authors, who share a common outlook on creating a world that works for all ; individually and collectively, thanks for making a difference.

Janet Thomas, who worked hard to turn my ideas into prose and who contributed a writing perspective and expertise that will never be forgotten.

The various reviewers of my manuscript, at different stages, who not only helped to improve the final product but also taught me a lot about myself in the process.

Patti Havenga-Coetzer, friend and colleague, who always keeps Viktor Frankl s spirit alive and well in her heart.

Jeffrey Zeig, for helping to ensure that Viktor Frankl s legacy lives forever.

My clients and students over the years, who helped me, by sharing their thoughts and experiences, to express and practice the ideas that are now in this book.

Finally, I want to thank all my other friends , colleagues, and extended family for their encouragement of my work, even if they didn t quite understand what I was doing when I told them that I was on a search for meaning.




Prisoners of Our Thoughts
Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankls Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work
ISBN: 1605095249
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 35

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