“If we take man as he is, we make him worse, but if we take man as he should be, we make him capable of what he can be.”
Viktor Frankl
Viktor Frankl was a neurologist and psychiatrist who developed the psychotherapy approach Logotheraphy, which is based on the idea that the primary motivation for humans is seeking the meaning of life.
During World War II, Frankl spent time in several concentration camps. In these horrendous conditions he formulated the ideas for this future work in Logotheraphy.
Frankl is best known for this work Man’s Search for Meaning, which details his experience in Auschwitz during the Holocaust, and how he came to believe that human beings’ ultimate desire is the search for meaning. The book is an inspiration to how we can transcend suffering and find purpose in life.
My key takeaway from the above video is being aware of how we look at others, and the potential consequences. If we look at people as they are (but not what they could be), then they will most likely stay as they are. They will live true to the expectations put on them. However, if we look at people in terms of potential (what they could be), then this lifts them up to a better place. Our encouragement and support makes a difference. It reinforces the belief that they can be better.
Think of how a teachers belief about a student can become a self-fulfilling prophecy… If the teacher believes the student has no potential and therefore devotes less time to helping them, then naturally the student will struggle. Whereas, if the teacher sees the potential in the student and provides them with the help and encouragement they need, the student would have an increased chance of success.
Reflection
- What is my default view of the closet people I work with? Do I believe in them?
- How can better I reframe to see the hidden potential in them?