Traumatic life events, such as being injured in accidents, often serve to define who we are as human beings. The same traumatic event can leave one person’s life decimated while others may be propelled to greater accomplishments and life satisfaction than would have been likely without the traumatic event. How do we explain such striking contrasts?
After several decades of clinical work as a psychologist specializing in trauma treatment, I have come to believe the key factor predicting such outcomes is the element of life purpose. This vital factor was discovered by Viktor Frankl during his ordeal surviving four different Nazi concentration camps and became the cornerstone of his form of psychotherapy, known as logo therapy. Does the person own a powerful sense of their life’s work, or mission, that fuels them with passion, and fills them with meaning? Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”
Read more at Psychology Today.
