Viktor Emil Frankl was born on March 26, 1905, in Vienna, Austria. A Holocaust survivor, he became a pioneering psychiatrist and neurologist, founding logotherapy, which focuses on finding meaning in life. His career highlights include authoring over 30 books, with “Man’s Search for Meaning” (1946) selling millions and influencing existential psychology. Frankl received numerous awards, such as the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art. His quotes, drawn from books, interviews, and lectures, offer profound wisdom on human resilience and purpose. In this article, we present 15 of his insightful quotes about life, sourced from his works and public statements, to inspire reflection on living with meaning.
15 Viktor E. Frankl Quotes
1. “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” (Book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” 1946)
2. “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” (Book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” 1946)
3. “Live as if you were living already for the second time and as if you had acted the first time as wrongly as you are about to act now!” (Book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” 1946)
4. “The meaning of life is to give life meaning.” (Interview, Various Sources, n.d.)
5. “Challenging the meaning of life is the truest expression of the state of being human.” (Book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” 1946)
6. “What is to give light must endure burning.” (Book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” 1946)
7. “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” (Book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” 1946)
8. “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.” (Book, “The Doctor and the Soul,” 1946)
9. “A human being is not one thing among others; things determine each other, but man is ultimately self-determining.” (Book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” 1946)
10. “A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life.” (Book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” 1946)
11. “Happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue.” (Book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” 1946)
12. “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.” (Book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” 1946)
13. “The more one forgets himself—by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love—the more human he is.” (Book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” 1946)
14. “Don’t aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it.” (Interview, Various Sources, n.d.)
15. “Life is a task. The religious man differs from the apparently irreligious man only by experiencing his existence not as a task but as a calling.” (Book, “The Doctor and the Soul,” 1946)
Viktor E. Frankl’s quotes reveal a deep reverence for the human spirit, emphasizing that life’s meaning emerges through choices, suffering, and responsibility. They reflect his journey from Holocaust survivor to philosopher, highlighting resilience and the pursuit of purpose as central to existence. In a world of uncertainty, his words remind us that we can find light in darkness. We invite you to share your favorite quote or how Frankl’s wisdom has impacted you in the comments below.