The Power of Existential Struggle: How Logotherapy and Inner Conflict Shape Meaningful Lives

It is easy to believe that if you just search hard enough, you will finally stumble upon a Grand Purpose that will make your whole life glow with clarity. But that is not how Viktor’s story goes.

I can see that you may be skeptical—after all, haven’t we all been told that the secret to fulfillment lies in chasing some grand meaning, in always reaching for more? But imagine, for a moment, a different ending: you standing at peace by your kitchen window, sunlight pooled on the floor, without urgency or striving.

Viktor’s journey didn’t begin with stillness. He spent years racing after meaning as if it were some prize hidden at the end of a complicated maze. He devoured books, followed the wisdom of online sages, and filled every corner of his life with motivational reminders. Yet the more he worked, the further true contentment seemed to recede, always flickering just out of reach. Have you ever felt that, as if happiness keeps taunting you from behind one more unopened door?

But isn’t it tiring to run in invisible circles, constantly fearing you’ve missed the signpost everyone else somehow found? You don’t want your only reward to be exhaustion and disappointment, do you? Because striving without rest usually leads to more confusion, not less.

So, one morning, after the echo of another self-improvement podcast faded and while the half-awake cat surveyed him with mild contempt, Viktor sat among burnt toast crumbs and simply stopped. There were no triumphant revelations, no fireworks—just the ordinary sensation of being. The cat stretched, unimpressed by his epiphany.

This time, instead of spinning in pursuit, Viktor noticed something new: a kind of humble joy in the pattern of sunlight on his kitchen floor, a quiet peace in sipping mediocre tea, and even laughter at life’s small mishaps. Imagine that—discovering happiness not because you achieved something spectacular, but because you realized trying to force meaning only ties you in knots. Because sometimes, meaning isn’t an achievement—it’s the soft presence in each passing moment.

If you believe the secret lies in grand accomplishments, pause. What if delight is already there, hidden in each breath, waiting for your attention? Can you see yourself letting go, just for a heartbeat, of the chase? Because you don’t want your days to slip by, always spent waiting for some big answer that never comes.

Viktor’s laughter grew sweeter, his days calmer. He realized that, in dropping the endless hunt for destiny, each ordinary thing—awkward singing, fleeting smiles with friends, burnt breakfasts—became precious. Because when you stop demanding life show you a grand design, you make room to enjoy what’s right in front of you.

So, don’t be afraid of not knowing your One True Purpose. Sit by your window. Taste your uneven toast. Thank your cat for teaching you serenity in indifference. Imagine a life where every crumb, every unremarkable moment, is worth savoring. Because you are already living the answer, quietly and steadily—whether you see it yet or not.

Tonight, let the quest rest. Imagine happiness as a gentle game of hide-and-seek, lingering in life’s smallest corners. Because sometimes, the most meaningful thing you can do is pour a warm drink, smile at your burnt toast, and discover you need nothing more.