Prisoners of Our Thoughts Viktor Frankl's Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work

7 Principles for Finding Meaning in Life & Work
NEW EDITION, REVISED AND EXPANDED

World-renowned psychiatrist Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning is one of the most important books of modern times. Frankl’s extraordinary personal story of finding meaning amid the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps has inspired millions. Frankl vividly showed that you always have the ultimate freedom to choose your attitude—you don’t have to be a prisoner of your thoughts.

Dr. Alex Pattakos—who was urged by Frankl to write Prisoners of Our Thoughts—and Elaine Dundon, a personal and organizational innovation thought leader, show how Frankl’s wisdom can help readers find meaning in every moment of their lives. Drawing on the entire body of Frankl’s work, they identify seven “core principles” and demonstrate how they can be applied to everyday life and work.

This revised and expanded third edition features new stories, practical exercises, applications, and insights from the authors’ new work in MEANINGology®. Three new chapters outline how we all can benefit by putting meaning at the core of our lives, work, and society. And a new chapter on Viktor Frankl’s legacy illustrates how his work continues to influence so many around the world.

Alex Pattakos, PhD, is cofounder of the Global Meaning Institute with offices in the United States, Canada, and Greece. His unique background includes being a mental health administrator, professor of public and business administration, consultant with the White House, and advisor to the commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration. He is also the coauthor with Elaine Dundon of The OPA! Way: Finding Joy & Meaning in Everyday Life & Work. As a leader of the Meaning Movement, he is focused on helping others find meaning in life, work, and society. 

Elaine Dundon, MBA, is the cofounder of the Global Meaning Institute. She is passionate about helping people find meaning in their personal and work lives, as well as helping organizations create meaning-centered workplaces to deliver products and services that truly make a meaningful difference. She began her career in brand management at Procter & Gamble. A thought leader in the field of personal and organizational innovation, she authored the best-selling book The Seeds of Innovation and created the groundbreaking course on innovation management at the University of Toronto. Her work evolved to the “human side of innovation,” incorporating meaning, leadership, philosophy, and metaphysics to help people and organizations reach their full potential. 

Stephen R. Covey was the author of several books, including the iconic bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He passed away in 2012.

Contents

Foreword by Stephen R. Covey v
Preface to the Second Edition xiii
Life Doesn’t Just Happen to Us 1 

Viktor Frankl’s Lifework and Legacy 15 

Labyrinths of Meaning 27 

Exercise the Freedom to Choose Your Attitude 41 

Realize Your Will to Meaning 65 

Detect the Meaning of Life’s Moments 91 

Don’t Work Against Yourself 113 

Look at Yourself from a Distance 131 

Shift Your Focus of Attention 143 

Extend Beyond Yourself 157 

Living and Working with Meaning 173 

The Meaning Difference® 187
Notes 215

References
Acknowledgments 225
Index 229
About the Author 235