logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2018
1h 39m

44: Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor F...

Mike Schmitz and Cory Hixson
About this episode

Knowing your purpose and finding meaning in life can save your life. This episode covers the challenging topic of World War II and escaping concentration camps alive.

Headspace
Brett Terpstra
Macstock
Homepod
Mike’s Instagram
IFTTT
Day One
Mac Power Users
Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
OmniFocus 3
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
30 Lessons for Living by Karl Pillemer
Night by Elie Wiesel
The Tyranny of Convenience – The New York Times
Bookworm on The Productivity Project
Thou Shalt Hustle by Mike Schmitz
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Asian Efficiency
Mike’s statement about the book:

Why do we read books? Is it to learn how to do new things? Is it to be inspired by the actions of others? Is it simply to be entertained? I believe we read books for the experience. A good book, even a non-fiction book, takes you on a journey. It tells you a story, and evokes an emotion. A good book does not just speak at you, but it speaks to you. It challenges and motivates you. It makes you wrestle with the question of what would YOU do if you were placed in a similar situation. Would you have the courage to act heroically and save the day? Or would you give in to the pressure, the problems, and the pain? But the best books encourage you that it is at least possible for you to act heroically, that you at least have a chance to make the shot, rescue the princess, or save the day.

This book does just that, but I’m not even sure how. It’s not a work of fiction, but at times you wish it was. What I have difficulty comprehending is how Victor Frankly is able to maintain a positive attitude and a will to live in the circumstances that he describes. I’d like to think that I’d be able to act the same way – to help those who are suffering around me – but I’m not qualified to make such a statement. I can only hope and pray for that kind of strength, but Victor shows us that it is at least possible.

Not often do I find myself with nothing to say in response to an author, but that is indeed the case here. I am not qualified to challenge any of this great man’s opinions; I can only shut up and listen to what he has to say. And he has earned that right, to speak freely and to have those who are not tested in the fire of adversity pay attention. This is one of the best books I have ever read, and believe that everyone should read this. I am humbled and challenged to do better in my responses to my “problems,” even if they are insignificant compared to what Victor Frankl went through.

The Art of Exceptional Living by Jim Rohn
What’s Best Next by Matt Perman
Busy by Tony Crabbe
Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters by Meg Meeker
Anything You Want by Derek Sivers
Recommend a Book
Bookworm Book List

Mike's Rating: 5.0
Joe's Rating: 5.0

Up next
Jul 4
226: The 5 Resets by Dr. Aditi Nerurkar
Today’s author is a Harvard stress expert who promises to help us overcome our stress using five small but mighty mindset shifts. Join Mike & Cory as they attempt to rewire their brains and achieve balance in their battle with burnout. Support the Show Recommend a Book The Let Th ... Show More
1h 29m
Jun 20
225: The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
Today’s author promises to teach us how to stop wasting energy on what we can’t control and start focusing on what truly matters. Join Mike & Cory as they embark on a journey to discover how much power they truly have. Support the Show Craft + Commerce The Let Them Theory by Mel ... Show More
1h 31m
Jun 6
224: The Confident Mind by Dr. Nate Zinsser
Today’s author has worked with U.S. Military Academy Cadets, world-class athletes, and many others needing to develop the confidence needed to succeed on the world’s largest stages. Join Cory & Mike as they learn how to build, protect, and rely on the confidence needed to perform ... Show More
1h 41m
Recommended Episodes
May 2023
Man's Search for Meaning - Book Summary and Review | Viktor Frankl | Free Audiobook
Show notes / PDF & Infographic / Free Audiobook / Through his experiences in Nazi concentration camps, Viktor Frankl developed logotherapy, a psychological approach that teaches people to find meaning and purpose in life by choosing their attitude and creating significance in eve ... Show More
19m 51s
Feb 2019
#178 Sarah Knight: How To Give Less Of A F*ck
My guest today is Sarah Knight, the New York Times Bestselling author of the "No Fucks Given Guides". Before writing and releasing her own books, she spent 15 years as a top editor, working with authors such as Gillian Flynn and Jessica Knoll. In her books, she gives tough love a ... Show More
30m 20s
Feb 2024
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield Book Summary and Review | Free Audiobook
Show notes | PDF & Infographic | Free audiobook | Looking to conquer creative blocks and overcome self-doubt? Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art offers a proven blueprint for unleashing your creative potential, defeating resistance, and achieving unstoppable success. Dive in now ... Show More
18m 13s
Apr 2023
Never Finished by David Goggins Book Summary and Review | Free Audiobook
Show notes | PDF & Infographic | Imagine breaking free from the shackles of your own mind and achieving the extraordinary. In his follow-up to Can't Hurt Me, David Goggins dives deeper into the power of the human spirit.Get the PDF, infographic, full ad-free audiobook and animate ... Show More
20m 16s
Dec 2023
Our Critics' Year in Reading
The Times’s staff book critics — Dwight Garner, Jennifer Szalai and Alexandra Jacobs — do a lot of reading over the course of any given year, but not everything they read stays with them equally. On this week’s podcast, Gilbert Cruz chats with the critics about the books that did ... Show More
37m 12s
Jan 2024
The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz Book Summary and Review | Free Audiobook
Show notes 📝 / PDF and Infographic / Strap in for a wild ride 🎢 with The Hard Thing About Hard Things! Ben Horowitz, Silicon Valley's own guru, dishes out unfiltered truths about startup life 🚀. No sugar-coating, just raw, real insights into the boxing ring of business leaders ... Show More
17m 44s
Apr 2021
Bing West, "The Last Platoon: A Novel of the Afghanistan War" (Bombardier Books, 2020)
The Last Platoon: A Novel of the Afghanistan War (Bombardier Books, 2020) is a riveting book of infantry ground combat. As a work of fiction it is superb, showing the personal drama, drives and experiences of regular Marines combined with the high ambitions and political maneuver ... Show More
57m 39s
Feb 2024
You Are An Artist (Whether You Know It Or Not) | Watch Over Your Perceptions
Maybe you don’t see yourself as an artist, just like Socrates didn’t see himself as an athlete, but maybe you are. According to Mikel Jollett, the founder of the band The Airborne Toxic Event and the author of a fascinating and haunting memoir about his troubled childhood, we hav ... Show More
8m 54s
Mar 2024
How Your Perspective Changes Everything: Ryan Holiday
“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so”. If we can refrain from making negative judgments about our daily life events, we can liberate ourselves from a significant amount of unnecessary psychological suffering. With Stoic author Ryan Holiday My book Champi ... Show More
10m 55s
Feb 2024
4 Early-Year Book Recommendations
The early part of a year can mean new books to read, or it can mean catching up on older ones we haven’t gotten to yet. This week, Gilbert Cruz chats with the Book Review’s Sarah Lyall and Sadie Stein about titles from both categories that have held their interest lately, includi ... Show More
34m 29s