Podcast Transcript | Ep. 45

Man's Search for Meaning

Man's Search for Meaning | Ep. 45

[00:00:00] Hello and welcome to Order Within Navigating a world of endless chaos and crisis, many of us are experiencing inner turmoil, insecurity, anxiety, fears, and isolation. These feelings are only being amplified by news cycles. Social media and never ending political madness. How do we find our way out of the chaos?

[00:00:24] How do we find strength within ourselves? How do we find meaning in a world driven by materialism? These questions and many more I aim to answer on the show. My goal is to be a trusted guide on your journey to selfhood. May you find what you seek. Hello and welcome everyone. I'm your host, Brandon Ward. Back with another episode of order within. Episode number 45 today. Today's episode is going to cover man's search for meaning. It's going to be based on the book. Called the same thing, man. Search for meaning by Viktor Frankl. He was a psychotherapist that lived during Nazi Germany.

[00:01:14] And was imprisoned in. Multiple Nazi camps. He wrote a book. His book is based on his experiences. In those Nazi concentration camps and then the therapy that he did post. Nazi concentration camps. And what he learned. During that time. Of his captivity.

[00:01:41] It's a very powerful book. I read it a long time ago. Probably eight years ago now. And it's stuck with me for a very long time, just because of the meaning and the depth of suffering that so many went through during that time, but still managed to survive and push forward. And turn all that suffering into meaningful purpose and service like Victor has done.

[00:02:06] And his life. And so this topic is meaningful to me because a lot of my story has been written with suffering and struggle. And I think many of us have that. I think many people who go out into the world and wish to serve. Are inspired to do so by their own suffering and struggle that they've felt with life.

[00:02:28] So the ability to turn our suffering and pain into purposeful service is. Something that all of us can do. It's learning how to reframe the way we think about things. And. Looking at the depth of our suffering and what it can teach us. The wisdom in those experience, because there always is. But if we don't have the frame of mind to see them as such or see the lessons inherent in those experiences, then we will never learn them. And then we will disregard them. And what we do is we throw out.

[00:03:04] All the value, the learning and growth that comes with suffering and struggling. So in today's episode, we're going to cover the book. We're going to talk about his Victor Frankel's book and his therapy logo therapy. We're going to talk about why meaning matters. We're going to look at what we can do to find meaning in our lives.

[00:03:24] We're going to look at other prominent thinkers who have focused on meaning, and then we're going to conclude the episode. So Victor Frankel's book, it's broken up into two parts. The first part is describes his experience in concentration camps while the second part discusses his theory of logo therapy.

[00:03:45] Bronco's life and his experiences in Nazi concentration camps and how this led him to develop the theory of logotherapy. So he argues that the S the sense of purpose and meaning is what separates those who survive the concentration camps from those who did not. So the ability of those captors captives.

[00:04:04] Not the capitalism, sorry. The captives, the ones that were in the camps to find meaning and purpose. During that time, enabled them to survive or push through the suffering. Now. Obviously people didn't make it that had that still because there were things that were happening outside of their control.

[00:04:22] But Frankel's point was. Those that had meaning we're able to withstand the great level of suffering and the brutal conditions that happened during that time. And the first part of that book is really revealing because you realize how terrible these concentration camps were, how brutal it was. They were terrible conditions, lack of food, shelter, medical care.

[00:04:47] The physical and psychological abuse that they. Had to incur by the guards. The re. He recounts the deaths of many of his fellow prisoners, including his own brother and parents. And the constant fear of being sent to the gas chambers or subjected to other forms of torture and execution. So imagine being in that situation, going through those things,

[00:05:10] And seeing all the people that you love and care about being tortured, put to death sent away. People that you're making relationships with and building relationships during these times are just dying in front of you all. Going through this incredible amount of suffering. But despite the overwhelming suffering despair of these camps.

[00:05:29] He observed that some prisoners were able to maintain a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives. He writes about the importance of having a reason to live, whether it be a loved one, waiting for you outside the camp. Uh, desire to continue working on a project or simply the belief that one's life had has value.

[00:05:46] So it can be someone that we care about. It could be our creator. It could be our children. It could be our partner. It could be the work that we're doing, but something, something has to matter to us. Nihilism is a dangerous place to be because it makes us feel and believe that our life doesn't matter. And we have no value to provide the world, which is not true.

[00:06:05] But if we believe it to be true, it becomes true. And that's what we experienced. And it's the distinction between those two camps. Not trying to be facetious here, but. Those two camps of thinking that can determine our ability to. Suffer through. Hard circumstances and survive. It's the ability to survive, suffering and manage it and deal with it.

[00:06:31] As what meaning allows us to do.

[00:06:34] He also talks about the psychological challenges that were faced by the prisoners in these camps, including the feelings of hopelessness, depression, and apathy. We I've talked about this before and previous episodes like learn helplessness as a prime example of that, where. We become apathetic.

[00:06:50] And don't put an effort. Believe we can't do anything. When we realized there's no point we have no impact or effect on what happens to us. So this is a prime example in these concentration camps, because you had no control over what was happening to you. There were so many circumstances outside of your control that naturally you would feel hopeless and depressed and apathetic.

[00:07:10] But he emphasizes the importance of finding ways to maintain a sense of humanity and dignity and even the most dehumanizing circumstances. Such as helping fellow prisoners or holding on to a sense of humor, finding lightness, finding the small moments. That we can. Find some gratitude for an experience joy around, even if it's a small piece of bread that we're sharing with a prisoner in that moment.

[00:07:34] Uh, a joke that we tell a remembrance of food. Like one thing that he talked about a lot was past memories, right? The experiences, things that they're going to do when they get out of the camp, they're looking at, what am I going to do when I get out for Victor, it was his wife. The memories of his wife and in his memoir during the time in camp, he discusses.

[00:07:57] The importance. And the meaning that she brought to him and how it kept him going. And it was his love for his wife and realizing that he had work to do outside of this outside of these camps, if he survives. Through the meaning that he discovered in this process. So it was his wife and the relationship to understanding meaning and how it impacts the work that he had been doing, because he was a psychotherapist before he went in.

[00:08:24] To the concentration camp. So he was a doctor prior. And so he went in and then went out, he got out. Survived and then went on and continue practicing. But the. That purpose was crucial. And he noticed the ones that did not have it suffered. They struggled. They didn't make it because they, there was nothing that they were driving towards or striving towards. So therefore they gave up easier. They were more apathetic. They were more hopeless because.

[00:08:52] They didn't find anything outside of camp that would be worth fighting for. So meaning is that thing that provides us the motivation, the reason to push through tough times too, because tough times are inevitable. They always come upon us. Life will always throw. Obstacles and challenges in our way. It's inevitable.

[00:09:11] It's how we navigate them and how we manage those obstacles, those challenges that define who we are, and that dictate the success we experience in life. And so Victor. It was his wife. He would, he had dreams about her. He would envision these beautiful moments, these experiences with her kissing, her dancing with her. He had dreams where she came and talked to him in his dreams. So she really drove him.

[00:09:36] During that time, but the crazy thing is once he got out, he learned. That his wife was sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp and she was murdered in a gas chamber. So he was using his wife as the main motivation to survive these concentration camps. And she was. Passed away. She wasn't even around, but she was still his reason even though.

[00:10:01] She wasn't on earth anymore. And it's interesting to me being the spiritual guy than I am, because I believe that that connection. And the afterlife. Eh, energy isn't destroyed, it's just transformed. And so therefore I believe that his wife was certainly with him during those times. Sharing those beautiful memories, having those dreams to give him the energy that he needed to.

[00:10:21] To push forward and share this wonderful message and learning that he did this, the meaning the power of meaning that it holds in our lives. And what it can do for us.

[00:10:31] But, so he talked about that losing, he, he, cause it wasn't just his wife, it was many other loved ones that he lost. During his time in the camps. And it was deeply, it was devastating. It's normal for us to be deeply saddened and depressed. When things like this happen.

[00:10:49] But it's still anchored to him, the power of meaning and purpose. It only validated how important it was because even though his wife was not there, when he was out, she was the reason really that, that got him through all of this.

[00:11:03] So that's the first part of the book. If you haven't read this book, it's a really touching. It's hard, but it's really touching. It's enlightening. To see the love and compassion that can exist within humans and suffering. And I think that's always what encourages me. Is that the innate good of humanity? I believe in that, I believe that we are innately good and then Otter desires to do good in the world and that we wish to be of service. And you really see it in this book, in this first part of this book during these really brutal times.

[00:11:31] That some people, how they would be there for one another and how they would lift one another spirits, regardless of how tough it was. But the second part of the book talks about logo therapy. And logo therapy is a form of existential therapy that focuses on helping individuals find meaning in life, by discovering and pursuing their unique sense of purpose and values.

[00:11:52] So this was Victor's form of therapy that he developed. It comes from logotherapy, comes from the word Greek, the Greek word logos, which means meaning. So meaning therapy. The approach emphasizes the importance of taking responsibilities for one's life and choices. Another core tenant to the teaching that I do in my coaching practice and all the content that I create.

[00:12:17] And. So many, the brilliant minds that I've learned from throughout history, the common thread is. Taking responsibility for our lives and our choices. And finding the sense of meaning and purpose in that and owning that regardless of how tough things may be. And he believed that humans have a natural desire to find meaning and purpose, and that this drive can be harnessed to overcome even the most difficult, challenging.

[00:12:42] Uh, situations. And I found that to be true in my life and very dark times. That desire to serve my faith. It pushed me through that small, still voice got me through because I knew there was more, I know there's more to life. I refuse to accept that life is just some. Random. Chaotic. Explosion that just happened to happen based on numbers, which.

[00:13:09] The funny thing is I absolutely believe in evolution. But I don't believe it's just some random thing that occurred, but anyway, that's a discussion for a different time. The point is we can get through some very hard times when we have the, when we're connected to meaning and purpose within our life. When we find that purpose in our life.

[00:13:27] He says the argue, and this is where he broke from traditional psychological thought at the time. He believes that the primary human drive is not pleasure or power as Freud and Adler believed, but the search for meaning in life. So logo therapy helps patients to identify and pursue their own unique sense of purpose, which can enable them to overcome psychological challenges and find fulfillment in life.

[00:13:51] And the world that we live in is riddled with psychological challenges and obstacles that we have to overcome and our ability to manage how we respond to those things and handle those setbacks and those challenges. Our, what will dictate and determine. Our experience and the level of success that we experienced.

[00:14:10] And the vision that we have for life and whether we will live true to that or not. So Freud and Adler were both pioneers of psychoanalytic theory, which emphasizes the role of the unconscious mind and past experiences in shaping an individual's behavior and personality Freud believed that the primary drive was the pursuit of pleasure or the avoidance of pain.

[00:14:31] While Adler believed that the primary drive. Was the pursuit of power or superiority. So domination basically. Which I don't. I think there are pieces of that, right? I think it depends on each of us. We can be driven by pleasure. We can be driven by power. We can also be driven by meaning and love.

[00:14:51] It really will depend upon the individual, but that's the power of humanity. The freedom that we have is we can pursue those things. But. Frankl was a breaking point in that he believed meaning was the primary driver. So in his therapy towards. Meaning, he believed the individuals have an inherent need to find meaning in their lives. And that need is a fundamental aspect of human nature.

[00:15:17] Rather than focusing on the past or the unconscious mind logo therapy emphasize the present moment and the search for meaning in the individual's current circumstances. So it would push them into the moment now to find that meeting, it would explore where they were now and it would look to uncover.

[00:15:33] The value, the purpose of suffering and what we can learn from those moments. It reframes pain and struggle into something that we can offer value to the world and learn from.

[00:15:46] He believed that individuals have the freedom to choose their attitude and response to any given situation, regardless of the circumstances, he emphasized the importance of personal responsibility and the ability to choose one's own path. That is so critical here because. Life. We'll throw us things will thrust us into situations that we may not have control over, but what we do have control over and we always have control over.

[00:16:10] Is our response.

[00:16:12] How we respond to circumstances to situations. Are what determine the path we live and the way we live and where we will go in life. You can put two different people in the same exact circumstances and those people, each person will respond differently and get out of that situation. Different things.

[00:16:33] Our perspective truly is everything. And that's the difference is we have power regardless of situations that we may find ourselves in. And that's the power that we hold that personal power and responsibility of choice. To navigate any situation, no matter what it may be. Consisting of. All right. So logotherapy is based on three core principles.

[00:16:54] Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most difficult ones. Our primary motivation in life is to find and fulfill our purpose or meaning. Personally that one, that second one, there has been something that's always pulled me forward. I think there's a lot of you that feel and resonate with that.

[00:17:10] That small, still voice inside of you pulling you forward. You may not know what it is. You may not understand it, but whatever reason it's always been there and it's been guiding you through life. I know it's in many of you. I think to me that is that call to purpose or meaning.

[00:17:24] And then the last principle is we have the freedom to choose our attitude and response to any given situation. Regardless of the circumstances. And then last one is really powerful. So regardless of the situation we can find meaning our primary motivation in life is to find meaning. And then finally we have freedom to choose our attitudes and responses to any situation, regardless of the circumstance, no matter what. So we always old power.

[00:17:52] We give away our power to other people. When we stay in anger, when we stay in hurt and we stay in sadness for longer than we need to negative emotions, fear, hurt, pain are great things. They're signals something's off. They're communicating to us that change is needed. We need to look. Where we are, we need to observe ourselves. We need to observe our environment.

[00:18:13] They're communicating to us. Something is up.

[00:18:17] We go awry when we live in those spaces, when we only live in fear, when we only live in sadness, they're communicating to us. They're not meant to be places that we stay within. So we have to work to reframe our minds and rewire our minds. To learn from those experiences and get back into more positive forward type.

[00:18:40] Ways of living. And that's the objective of a lot of this coaching and learning these tools is to allow us the ability. To navigate tough situations and to find our personal power so that we can find inner peace. And confidence and joy in life.

[00:18:56] Logotherapy has been used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, addiction, and post-traumatic stress disorder. So it's been very effective. And it's interesting to me, the thing that I love about sharing a lot of these different frameworks and ideologies is that's what they are.

[00:19:09] They're different perspectives on handling. The human dilemma. Which is. How do we manage our mind? How do we manage our thoughts? How do we find fulfillment? How do we find happiness? Joy, peace. These are all things that, that we are seeking in life to get the most out of life. All of us want these things.

[00:19:30] So how we navigate these things, how we handle these challenges are what determine the difference for us. But so that's the idea is we want to learn from all these different frameworks that could help us navigate that inner terrain, that existential aspect of life that we all have to manage.

[00:19:47] And these frameworks give us the potential to navigate and manage that aspect of ourselves, the inner world. In a way that makes sense to us. So that's why I share all these different practices and philosophies. There are some things that have worked really well for me, because it resonated a ton, some things that haven't, but I'm not the judge of that. You are the judge of that. I know that there is value in these things though, and that's why I share them.

[00:20:10] This specific teaching. Logotherapy has been very meaningful for me. So I'm sharing it, but again, it may not work for you or it may be the thing that you've been missing. So that's why we do it.

[00:20:21] All right. So let's look at. Why meaning matters. So the importance of finding meaning in life, and we've already talked a bit about, is when you have a sense of meaning and purpose in life. It can provide a sense of direction and fulfillment and satisfaction. It can help us navigate difficult circumstances and challenges, and it can find a deeper sense of connection with ourselves and others, the world that we're a part of. So meaning brings us closer to life. It bridges the gap.

[00:20:49] And that isolation that so many of us feel. And it gets rid of that nihilistic tendency that nothing matters because it does. And in our life. Does matter our lives do matter. It's just, we have to believe that I can tell you that endlessly. Through the rest of days, but unless you believe it, it won't matter. So our goal, our objective is to reframe and rewire our mind to believe those things to reprogram our mind, to operate in a way that is aligned with who we are and align with meaning and fulfillment.

[00:21:21] So meaning matters a ton to give us. That reason that. That fire in our belly to, to move through life and to stay consistent with life because life is a grind. Y'all it's just inevitable. And this is how we can navigate those tough situations.

[00:21:36] It also when we don't have meaning there's consequences for that. And a lack of meaning can lead to feelings of empathy. I'm sorry of emptiness. Of apathy of despair, of nihilism, of isolation, of hopelessness. All this stuff that can lead to serious mental health problems. Like we're experiencing now anxiety, depression, addiction, like that's the world we're living in. There are.

[00:22:05] Absurd levels of depression, anxiety, and addiction happening on our society. And it's like the world that we live in is primed for. These addictive cycles. And until we break it and until we. Reclaim our world. We're going to continue to struggle. It's just, it's suffering. It creates unnecessary suffering in our lives. When we do this, when we lack meaning in our life, it creates a lot of these problems. I think there's a lot of these issues that we face today that are rooted in.

[00:22:37] Our lack of meaning in our lives. It also helps us to stay motivated and find that joy in getting through the hard things, because honestly, A lot of stuff that we have to do in life, building businesses. Growing companies doing new things, learning things. A lot of it can suck. It can be hard. So the meaning our purpose can allow us to lean into that.

[00:23:00] And find more strength in. Learning to suffer, learning to navigate that suffering gracefully. It can give us the ability to suffer gracefully and embrace it. As opposed to trying to avoid it.

[00:23:15] And then finally here. Research has consistently shown the individuals who report a sense of meaning and purpose in life tend to have a better mental health and physical health outcomes than those who do not. This may be. This is most likely calls because they have a sense of purpose and direction, which can provide individuals with a greater sense of control and agency over their lives, and then help them develop resilience in the face of adversity.

[00:23:43] The beautiful thing about the time we live in too, is that research shows us is that's. What's awesome. Is that. Optimism versus pessimism. The way we view the world, we can look at these things. Now we have data that shows us this isn't just goo stuff. It's validated by modern research and science. That being optimistic, having meaning having purpose in our life actually helps us live more meaningful lives, healthier lives and longer lives. It's.

[00:24:11] Nuts. So all the things point to us. Doing this and needing this in our life for good reasons. To help us fulfill. The things that we. Want to do with our life and time on earth.

[00:24:25] All right. So what can we do to find meaning in our life? So there's some practical tips that we can do to find that meaning and purpose. And so one of them is always something that I recommend is pursuing hobbies or interests. Engaging in those activities that bring joy and fulfillment can help you develop a sense of purpose and direction in your life.

[00:24:43] I always like to think back to things that I did when I was a kid that maybe I didn't do as an adult or things that I've wanted to do for a very long time, but I haven't allowed myself to do explore those things. Have fun with it. Pursue hobbies and interests be a kid again. It's great. As an adult, if you working and you have a job and you're doing these things, you now have flexible income.

[00:25:03] You most likely don't have to ask somebody permission to do something that you want to do or pursue something that you're interested in as adults. We can do that ourselves. So lean into that have fun. Pursue these hobbies or interests that you may have had for a long time to see what could come from it because you never know what could.

[00:25:19] Come out of that effort. In that movement. Another thing you can do is to volunteer or engage in community service. Helping others can always provide us with a sense of connection and purpose. And so helping them feel like they are making a difference. In the world that they're living in, that you live in, especially if you're serving your, if you're offering community service, connecting with other people, helping other people can help us feel better. Honestly, serving other people is selfishly one of my favorite things to do because it feels really damn good.

[00:25:47] So when I help people, there's absolutely a salvage mode of motivation. It feels good. I love it. And I like to do it. I love helping my brothers and sisters of life. And it's selfishly motivating to me. So this is true here too. Volunteer and engage in your community to learn and maybe discover something that you didn't realize.

[00:26:07] It could be a path for you to find more meaning your life.

[00:26:11] Spirituality and religion exploring those paths, trying different ones. If you grew up atheist. Explore different religions explore different spiritualities if you grew up very religious explore alternative religions. Open your mind to the possibilities. Think about the way that. Our creator in the universe could be communicating with each of us. There are an infinite number of ways that life communicates with us.

[00:26:36] It's incredible wisdom and love.

[00:26:39] All of life offers containers for us to live by and learn from. So explore spirituality or religions to find some meaning in there. There may be something that resonates or speaks to you specifically. Cultivating the strong relationships with other people in your family and your community, your friends can also give you that sense of belonging and purpose families and incredible way to develop a purpose to.

[00:27:01] I would encourage many young men. I was on the fence for years about whether I would have a family or not finding the right partners, obviously a key piece of that. But if you are on the fence about it, if you're considering whether you would want to or not, I would encourage you to be open to having a family, at least one kid, because it really it's hard work.

[00:27:21] But it does change you. It changes you as a person. There's no way to go back to who you were before. And it's just, it brings so much meaning and fulfillment, even though it's the hardest thing, one of the hardest things I've ever done. So VAR in my life is raising a young child. But man, it's so fulfilling and purposeful.

[00:27:37] And then last is going to be identifying your personal values and passion. So looking at yourself, reflecting journaling, thinking about the things that really matter to you, what matters to you? Why. What is something that you can't let go of? What are things that you think about all the time? What upsets you?

[00:27:54] Explore these things. What triggers you? What are you hurt by look into this stuff and explore your own values and passions. There may be. Uh, power in there. That you're not seeing yet. And you're not recognizing because you haven't taken the time. To reflect on it and consider what it means to you. So spend the time with yourself to explore what matters to you.

[00:28:19] Reflect on yourself. Take some introspective work and journal journaling is, will be. If you don't do it could be possibly the best practice you pick up. And it's the easiest thing to do because it just requires pencil and paper and you can have it with you, or you can just use your phone, which may make it even easier.

[00:28:39] So those are some ways that we can. Cultivate and find meaning. In our lives. And, but lastly here though, Look to those challenging and adverse moments in your life as well. What did you learn in those moments? What could you share with others that you wish you knew at the time? Our own struggles and pain are an incredible way to find value and meaning in our lives. And so having that.

[00:29:05] Could be a great way. To offer that to others. There could be a very powerful service in there. So as an example, The coaching practice that I'm built, that I'm building. Is based on so much of my own suffering, the pain and isolation and darkness that I experienced for years of my life. And the struggles that I went through to build myself back together, to heal myself.

[00:29:32] It was. Horrible. And I wish that I had. I wish someone handed me a guide for earth. That's like, here you go, man. And these are the things that you need. If you want to be happy and fulfilled. It took me over a decade, reading, researching, and applying these things to find tools that finally worked for me. So now I have meaning and purpose in all that suffering it. Wasn't just needless.

[00:29:53] And has value and meaning now because I'm learning from it and I'm sharing what I've gained during those times with others who are also seeking to do meaningful work in their lives and overcome a lot of that internal Stripe that they may be struggling with.

[00:30:06] Dig deep in there. Y'all, there's a lot of good stuff within you. That's the power of it, right in your own suffering. You never know what could be held within you there.

[00:30:19] All right, the next section here. It's focused on other prominent thinkers. That share the relevance. Of meaning. Or similar ideas to that. One of those individuals is Martin Seligman.

[00:30:35] Uh, psychologist and researcher who has written extensively on positive psychology. And the importance of cultivating a sense of meaning and purpose in life. I've spoken about Martin's work and past episodes. I've done an episode on learned helplessness and learned optimism. He talks about both of those things in his work as a psychologist.

[00:30:53] And the importance of finding meaning and framing our life. Around meaning and having a more optimistic perspective that's based in meaning. Positive psychology is one of the most. Innovative. And advancements in modern science and research. And it's fascinating because it's truly the science of change and how we grow and evolve as humans. It's incredible that we have access to this information now. So he's.

[00:31:19] Tied into this space. Carl Young is another one. Who really is the. The father of psychological meaning in a lot of ways, he's a prominent Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who believed in the sense. Of meaning and purpose is essential for psychological health and wellbeing. He has influenced many modern psychological thinkers today.

[00:31:43] He was a real break from Freud and the neuroticism that Freud focused on. Young was very much about arc types. The shadow self. Meaning and many other components of the psychological world that we benefit from today. So he's a prominent thinker in this space. That's influenced the power of meaning here, particularly around.

[00:32:05] The shadow self too, in the archetypical components of psychology and humanity. Which. I'm going to talk about. I'm going to talk about the shadow self, and I'm gonna talk about archetypes. And a future episode. To expand on that. Another individual is Rolo may who was an American psychologist? I have not yet talked about his work. I've got some books on my reading list. I've read some of his stuff, but I've still got to get through some more of his, to, to dive into the work that he's done. But what I have found from Rolo.

[00:32:35] It's been great. He's an American psychologist and author who wrote extensively on the intersection of psychology and existentialism. He believed that a sense of meaning and purpose is essential for psychological health and wellbeing. And the search for meaning is a fundamental aspect of the human experience.

[00:32:52] And his book man's search for himself may argued that individuals must take responsibility for their own lives and create their own sense of meaning. Rather than relying on external sources of validation or direction. He believed that by engaging in self reflection and exploring their own inner worlds.

[00:33:11] Individuals can find a sense of purpose and direction that is aligned with their unique values and passions. From my own experience and what I've seen in others. This is a key component to our own satisfaction is we have to define what that means to each of us. And we do that through introspection and reflection on who we are and what matters.

[00:33:30] And then the last thinker here. Is Abraham Maslow. He was an American psychologist who developed the theory of self-actualization, which emphasizes the importance of finding meaning and fulfilling one's potential in life. Maslow believed that individuals have a hierarchy of needs. Which many of you have probably seen? It's a high it's a pyramid of needs that humans have the very basic as food, water, things of that nature. And at the very top is self actualization, which ultimately means the highest expression of who we are and what that means to us.

[00:34:03] So the basic psychological needs were at the bottom there. And then self actualizations are related to Perth, personal growth and fulfillment. And such as the need of finding meaning and purpose in life. Maslow believed that individuals must first meet their basic needs, which is why it's built like a pyramid. You start at the bottom and to send upward.

[00:34:22] And then as you meet your basic needs, they can focus on self-actualization. But that once those needs are met, the search for meaning and purpose becomes a driving force in one's life. So we have to handle our basics. That's the important thing we have to take care of ourselves. On an everyday basis is one of the thoughts of Jordan Peterson, the concept of cleaning up your own room.

[00:34:41] I D effectively is handling your own stuff. The basic things that you need to do in your life. Maslow was the father of this concept.

[00:34:50] All right, Joel. So that's going to be the wrap of the episode here. You can tell, as we've discussed in this episode, I highly recommend. Viktor Frankl's man's search for meaning. If you haven't read it, there's a lot of lessons in there. A lot of touching stories, and I think it's important that we never forget what happened during Nazi Germany.

[00:35:10] And all the suffering that was created during those times, and that we take that suffering and turning it in. We continue to turn that into meaning and purpose. Through the work that he has done and the others that have given their lives. During that time so that we can learn from those moments and build from that time. So I would encourage you to read the book.

[00:35:27] But otherwise understand that meaning is fundamental. To humans and what we need it's built. And wrapped up into our psychological needs. And we can provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment and connection with ourselves. When we uncover meaning and purpose within our own lives. But it happens through exploring who we are and defining what our values are, understanding what that means to each of us.

[00:35:54] And honoring the path that we desire to create in the world and express in the world. Our own self-expression is truly the highest calling that we can pursue in life.

[00:36:06] So take the time to spend with yourselves. Y'all write really reflection is something that I can not emphasize is so important. Journaling, spending time with yourself, living in your mind, reflecting on your mind and understanding who you are and what you are and what matters to you and why it matters.

[00:36:23] It's very important there. To find and spend time with ourselves to learn about who we are and what really matters to each of us, because that's how we define our success. We make our own version of success. That's the true definition of success is what we create as our ideal of success in living true to that.

[00:36:45] All right. Y'all that's all I got for the episode. I hope you found it helpful. Please, let me know if you have any questions or thoughts, holler at me. If you would like to reach out. I've got, I just launched my new coaching program, my personal power program. It's a six week program. I've adjusted it here.

[00:37:00] It's on my website. If you're interested in that. So you can work with me directly there. I've also got my weekly podcast, which you're listening to now. I publish content daily on Twitter and LinkedIn, so you can reach me there. My Twitter handle is at Brandon Lee ward. All spelled out. My website is Brandon Lee, war.com. And then on LinkedIn, I'm Brandon L. Ward. If you want to find me there so you can get me many ways. I hope you're enjoying the podcast.

[00:37:26] Hit me up. If you're interested in working together, I've got a few spots for my new coaching program here, if you are interested, but otherwise I hope you're finding value in the content and I wish you the best on your journey of self discovery until next time y'all.

[00:37:39] Thank you for listening to Order Within. If you found the episode helpful, please consider sharing, rating and subscribing. New episodes will be released every Thursday at 11:00 AM Eastern Standard time. Until next time y'all.