Courage Quote by Viktor E. Frankl
““When we spoke about attempts to give a man in camp mental courage, we said that he had to be shown something to look forward to in the future. He had to be reminded that life still waited for him, that a human being waited for his return. But after liberation? There were some men who found that no one awaited them. Woe to him who found that the person whose memory alone had given him courage in camp did not exist any more! Woe to him who, when the day of his dreams finally came, found it so different from all he had longed for! Perhaps he boarded a trolley, traveled out to the home which he had seen for years in his mind, and only in his mind, and pressed the bell, just as he has longed to do in thousands of dreams, only to find that the person who should open the door was not there, and would never be there again.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl, 1946
Survivors of extreme trauma may find that the future they imagined no longer exists, leading to profound disorientation and loss of purpose.
In simple terms: Hope can vanish when reality doesn’t match imagined futures.
Key Takeaway
Re‑evaluate goals after major life changes.
Themes
trauma
hope
disillusionment
Mood
reflective
somber
hopeful
Type
philosophical
psychological
narrative
When to use this quote
- post‑war reintegration
- returning veterans
- prisoner release
- career transition
- personal loss
Key Concepts
existential psychology
meaning-making
post‑trauma adjustment
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you rebuild purpose when your imagined future collapses?
- What role does community play in restoring hope?
A Different Perspective
The quote assumes a universal desire for future meaning, which may not apply to all cultures or individuals.
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