In One Man's Search for Meaning, Dr. Frankl demonstrates how the "meaning of life" affects a person's motivation and willpower. Frankl's main argument is a prisoner's struggle to find purpose for his suffering in a concentration camp. However, this idea can be applied to everyday situations experienced by the average person. A man can endure any level of suffering, as long as he has a reason to do so. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The author defines the “meaning of life” as a “‘why’ of one’s existence.” If a man finds a reason to accept his suffering, he will be much more successful in it. A person who knows “why” they should endure it will be much better equipped to continue and succeed. Unnecessary suffering of any kind is almost unbearable for anyone. Long after Dr. Frankl was released from concentration camps and resumed his practice, an elderly man was admitted into his care. The man had lost his wife and could not overcome the grief he felt. This man did not understand why he had to try to cope with this tragedy. He didn't understand the value of putting up with this. The doctor began to chat with him. He guided the conversation toward the idea that, had he died first, the man's wife would have been struck by a similar depression. Arriving at this, Dr. Frankl offers the man a conclusion: "He has been spared such suffering, and it is you who have spared him this... At the cost that you must now survive and mourn it." This realization gave the gentleman a reason to have to endure this. He was saving, so to speak, his wife's happiness. Without a purpose for his struggles, he was in despair. He saw no advantage in his predicament, nor any glimmer of hope. Once he found his reason, he was reassured by this fact. The idea that his difficulties now seemed noble rather than pitiful was reason enough for him to accept his task. Frankl himself found purpose in his suffering, even within Auschwitz and other camps. He remembers a time when walking hurt so much he was in tears, and his thoughts were focused solely on surviving the rest of the week. He was dismayed by the current difficulties that followed him day after day. To try to distract himself, he imagines giving a lecture on the psychology of concentration camps. He imagined a future beyond the camp. This method worked for him: his pain became a tool he could use in the future. When he imagined a future for himself, and therefore a goal to achieve, Dr. Frankl could feel hope for what was beyond his "temporary existence." For, as he declares, "the prisoner who had lost confidence in the future... was doomed." This person would begin to quickly succumb to physical and mental decadence. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay "Man's Search for Meaning" provides numerous examples of the effects of purpose on an individual's personal record. Without meaning, life becomes futile and unimportant. Whether it is a life or death scenario, or the more commonly felt feeling of losing a loved one, meaning provides the impetus for perseverance. A man can endure any level of suffering, as long as he has a reason to continue..