Businessman Peter Barton is at the top of the world.
Until he didn’t.
Barton lived a life that everyone dreamed of, took the good care of himself, and a good wife and father with his family.
And then on a deadly day, his world is broken:
A diagnosis of cancer in the terminal.
The work became insignificant, other experiences stopped holding meaning; He tried to pick up the pieces while mourning the future that he could not live. She will never see her children grow up or grow old with her husband.
Barton shares these thoughts and experiences with a fully offensive book called Not missing, And a verse always stopped me.
One day, Peter’s body was broken, surrendered to cancer, his head ached and his spirit was less than ever. Defeated, he told his supporting wife:
“I just don’t see the point.”
He replied, “So look for one.”
Point search became a point.
Barton was given a sentence in life, and chose to “find the point of life” by writing a book that his children could read. A book that other people can read and study the meaning in their own lives.
I think of “Point Searching has been a point” while changing another of my favorite books, inspired by a recent phase to my friend Bretty McKay’s Arts of masculinity Podcast.
The human search for meaning
Victor Frankl is a survivor Holocaust, psychotherapist, and creator of a type of therapy called “logotherapy.”
After surviving the dreadful Auschwitz and other concentration camps, he wrote the first draft for his book, The human search for meaning, in nine days.
He still plans to publish it anonymously, but in the last second he is convinced to attach his name to add some gravity to his safety story.
It has since sold 16+ million copies and translates into 50+ languages.
The school of Frankl’s thinking, logotherapy, was built around the idea that “the meaning of life is to find the meaning of life for each individual person. He often refers to Nietzsche’s famous saying:
“He who has a reason to live can bring about how.”
Throughout this book, Frankl explained his thoughts and refinement in life as he watched thousands of people who were killed or killed.
Most noteworthy in this short book is Frankl’s ability to find meaning and hope for mankind amidst one of the worst of human cruelty.
The second half of the book dives deeper into the “logotherapy,” encouraging us to find our own specific “meaning”.
“The meaning of life is different from man to man, from sun -day and from time to time.
> What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general but rather the definitive meaning of a person’s life for a moment. “
You may not be diagnosed with cancer in the terminal, or suffer from a concentration camp.
But maybe a point in your life where you ask, “Why is hell doing what I’m doing?”
We can imagine asking questions means something is wrong with us. That we do not live at the moment. We need help.
Frankl feels different. He thinks asking this question is critical and healthy:
“The greatest work for any person is to find meaning in his life.”
What if having an uncomfortable conversation with yourself is really part of the process?
What if you ask that question?
Your “big why”
We talked a lot about “What are you so big?” Here at Nerd Fitness Rebellion.
If we think of it logically, we try to force ourselves to do things We are not wired (or required) to do.
Of course We do not want to burn too much calories, get up early to exercise, and avoid filling our face with comfort foods.
It requires much effort, we need to feel hungry, we need to change our behavior. And our brains don’t want to do any of that!
It can’t be the “meaning of life” kind of thing … but it’s a really strong reminder for helping us stay constant when life gives us anything but consistency:
- Why do we get up at 5:00 and walk -walk when it’s cold outside?
- Why do we say yes to salads and lean proteins when cookies and donuts exist?
- Why do we sweat (gross) and choose weights (uncomfortable)?
- Why do we force ourselves to breathe and run 5k or say yes to a yoga class where we feel deeply self -deprecating?
We talk a lot about Our coaching clients and members of NF community:
Having a constant reminder of Why We do this often become a thing that keeps us in bad moments after the motivation is tired:
Maybe we want to break the cycle of developing an unhealthy food relationship we learned from our parents.
Maybe we want our children to see that we can be a strong mother, who is okay to sweat and push ourselves.
Maybe we want to be our own better when we look in the mirror, or we know we always feel Then A workout than we felt BeforeA exercise?
This week’s challenge is to ask yourself why you are here:
- Why are you willing to go through uncomfortable thoughts and feelings with change?
- Why are you ready to try to figure out a new skill, or adjust how you eat?
- Why are you ready to get up early and spend less time on your couch?
Your factors will continue to deepen. Continue to ask “why,” and see what will come out.
Write it down.
Put it on a post-it note and glue one in your fridge, bathroom glass, car dashboard.
-Steve
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