Top Viktor Frankl Quotes to Inspire and Transform Your Perspective

Searching for Viktor Frankl quotes? Here, you’ll find some of his most inspiring and profound insights on life. Frankl’s quotes offer a unique perspective and highlight how to find strength and meaning, even in the toughest times. Prepare to feel inspired by these Viktor E. Frankl quotes about life, relationships, happiness, and freedom.

Key Takeaways From This Article

• Frankl believed that we can find meaning in life through love, work, and even suffering—each shaping how we grow and thrive.

• He believed true happiness comes from engaging in meaningful pursuits rather than being a direct goal to chase.

• Frankl highlighted the importance of personal responsibility and the freedom to choose our attitude in responding to life’s challenges.

Who is Viktor Frankl?

Viktor Emil Frankl, born in Austria in 1905, was a neurologist, psychiatrist, and Holocaust survivor whose experiences during World War II shaped his groundbreaking work on finding meaning in life. Born in Vienna, he was passionate about psychology and medicine, eventually specializing in depression and suicide prevention.

During the Holocaust, Frankl endured unimaginable suffering in Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz, where he lost most of his family. Despite these horrors, he observed that those who found purpose in their lives were more resilient, a realization that became the foundation of his life’s work.

Frankl founded logotherapy, a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes our primary drive to find meaning in life. In his book Man’s Search for Meaning, he recounts his Holocaust experiences and the insights they inspired, creating a classic that has influenced millions.

Over his career, he wrote more than 30 books, taught worldwide, and earned recognition as a leading voice in psychology and existential philosophy. Frankl’s work continues to resonate, offering timeless lessons on resilience, purpose, and the power of the human spirit.

Please enjoy these meaningful quotes from Viktor Frankl, and let us know which is your favorite in the comment section!

Viktor Frankl Quotes About The Meaning of Life

Frankl believed that true meaning in life arises from recognizing one’s responsibility to answer life’s questions through actions. Instead of seeking a general meaning of life, he argued that individuals should focus on their unique responsibilities and roles at specific moments in life.

These quotes show us that no matter how tough life gets, we all have the chance to find meaning and purpose in what we do. When we choose to find meaning in our actions, even suffering can become a stepping stone for growth and a clearer sense of purpose.

• “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.” ― Viktor Frankl

• “Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.” ― Viktor Frankl

• “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. He knows the “why” for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any “how”.” — Viktor Frankl

• “Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, 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.” — Viktor Frankl

• “It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life—daily and hourly.” — Viktor Frankl

The Essence of Human Freedoms

Viktor Frankl’s insights into human freedom are profound and liberating. He emphasized that a person’s ultimate freedom lies in their ability to choose their attitude, regardless of circumstances.

While we may not control external events, we consistently possess the freedom to decide our response to those situations. By embracing this freedom, we can navigate life’s challenges with grace and integrity, embodying the essence of what it means to be truly a human being.

• “Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation.” — Viktor Frankl

• “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.” — Viktor Frankl

• “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.” — Viktor Frankl

• “The one thing you can’t take away from me is the way I choose to respond to what you do to me. The last of one’s freedoms is to choose one’s attitude in any given circumstance.” — Viktor Frankl

• “Man does not simply exist but always decides what his existence will be, what he will become the next moment. By the same token, every human being has the freedom to change at any instant.” — Viktor Frankl

Viktor Frankl Quotes About Happiness & Success

In a world obsessed with pursuing happiness, Viktor Frankl presents a refreshing perspective: we cannot pursue happiness; it must ensue. He explains that true happiness emerges as a byproduct of engaging in meaningful endeavors, not as a goal to chase.

This idea challenges the conventional wisdom of striving for happiness directly and invites us to focus on causes greater than ourselves.

• “Happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue.” ― Viktor Frankl

• “Don’t aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it.” — Viktor Frankl

• “Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it.” — Viktor Frankl

• “No man should judge unless he asks himself in absolute honesty whether in a similar situation he might not have done the same.” — Viktor Frankl

• “For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one’s personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself.” — Viktor Frankl

• “The pessimist resembles a man who observes with fear and sadness that his wall calendar, from which he daily tears a sheet, grows thinner with each passing day. On the other hand, the person who attacks the problems of life actively is like a man who removes each successive leaf from his calendar and files it neatly and carefully away with its predecessors, after first having jotted down a few diary notes on the back. He can reflect with pride and joy on all the richness set down in these notes, on all the life he has already lived to the fullest.” — Viktor Frankl

Reflections on Love and Relationships

Viktor Frankl tells us that love is crucial for discovering the true meaning of life, serving as a connection to another person’s true self. “Love isn’t just about being physically present; it’s about connecting with someone’s true self and seeing their unique qualities.”

As you read these meaningful quotes, reflect on how the transcendent nature of love allows deep connections with others, fostering a sense of belonging and understanding.

• “Love goes very far beyond the physical person of the beloved. It finds its deepest meaning in his spiritual being, his inner self.” — Viktor Frankl

• “The more one forgets himself–by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love–the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself.” — Viktor Frankl

• “Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality. No one can become fully aware of the very essence of another human being unless he loves him.” — Viktor Frankl

• “For the first time in my life I saw the truth as it is set into song by so many poets, proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers. The truth – that Love is the ultimate and highest goal to which man can aspire. Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love.” — Viktor Frankl

Viktor Frankl Quotes on Suffering

Frankl believed suffering isn’t just unavoidable—it can actually be a powerful source of meaning and personal growth. When we confront suffering, we have the opportunity to transcend it, integrating it into our growth and development.

This shift in perspective can change how we face life’s challenges, helping us grow stronger and live with more purpose.” These quotes explore the ways suffering ceases when given meaning.

• “If there is meaning in life at all, then there must be meaning in suffering.” — Viktor Frankl

• “In some ways suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice.” — Viktor Frankl

• But there was no need to be ashamed of tears, for tears bore witness that a man had the greatest of courage, the courage to suffer.” — Viktor Frankl

• “To draw an analogy: a man’s suffering is similar to the behavior of a gas. If a certain quantity of gas is pumped into an empty chamber, it will fill the chamber completely and evenly, no matter how big the chamber. Thus suffering completely fills the human soul and conscious mind, no matter whether the suffering is great or little. Therefore the “size” of human suffering is absolutely relative.” — Viktor Frankl

Discover the Meaning In Your Life’s Ultimate Questions

Each person’s search for meaning is distinct, shaped by personal experiences and life situations. Viktor Frankl suggests that by engaging with the world and addressing the challenges it presents to us, we discover the true meaning of life.

This shift in perspective requires us to focus on what life expects from us, rather than what we expect from life. This sense of responsibility is not just about fulfilling obligations but about embracing the opportunity to contribute positively to the world. It is through our actions and choices that we define our lives and make a lasting impact.

Viktor Frankl’s insights offer a profound framework for understanding and navigating the complexities of life. By focusing on meaning, personal responsibility, and our attitude and mindset, we can transform all our experiences into growth opportunities and find lasting fulfillment. His wisdom reminds us that true happiness and success are by-products of a purpose-driven life.

As we reflect on these quotes and Frankl’s teachings, let us embrace the opportunity to live meaningfully, respond to life’s questions with dedication, and cultivate loving relationships. In doing so, we can navigate the journey of life with resilience, purpose, and joy.

Did you enjoy these Viktor Frankl quotes?

Let us know your favorite in the comment section! We would love to hear from you.

Lia Munson

Lia works as a meditation teacher, mentor, co-founder of ResilientStories, and is a spiritual guide for anyone seeking lasting happiness and fulfillment. After earning a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, she spent 17 years as an entrepreneur in the food service industry. It was from fulfilling leadership and management duties in this industry that Lia became interested in what makes and keeps people happy. In her quest to uncover the golden rules of lasting happiness, she traveled to India and studied meditation at Ekam-Oneness, A World Center For Enlightenment. She became a Certified Meditation Instructor with Chopra Global in 2020. Today, Lia combines her knowledge of science and spirit in classes and workshops on meditation and science-based spirituality practices. She writes to share information and insights about meditation, happiness, personal growth, healing, and self-discovery. Lia lives with her family in Montana, where she enjoys hiking, snowboarding, adventuring, and reveling in the beauty of the natural world.

See Full Bio