---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Challenging the meaning of life is the…"
description: "\"Challenging the meaning of life is the truest expression of the state of being human.\" — Viktor E. Frankl"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/viktor-e-frankl-668_being-human_challenging-the-meaning-of-life-is-the-t_783935.jpg"
---

#  Challenging the meaning of life is the truest expression…

![“Challenging the meaning of life is the truest expression of the state of being human.” quote by Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/viktor-e-frankl-668_being-human_challenging-the-meaning-of-life-is-the-t_783935.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/viktor-e-frankl-668_being-human_challenging-the-meaning-of-life-is-the-t_783935.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/viktor-e-frankl-668_being-human_challenging-the-meaning-of-life-is-the-t_783935.jpg)

> “Challenging the meaning of life is the truest expression of the state of being human.”

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Questioning life’s purpose is an essential human activity that affirms our existence.

**In simple terms:** Questioning life’s meaning affirms humanity.

Key Takeaway

Embrace existential inquiry.

Themes

meaning existence humanity philosophy self‑reflection

Mood

introspective motivational inspirational

Type

philosophical psychological

When to use this quote

- counseling
- education
- creative writing
- spiritual practice
- leadership development

Key Concepts

existentialism psychology logotherapy

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives your search for meaning?
- How does questioning shape personal growth?

A Different Perspective

Constant questioning can lead to paralysis.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Being human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-human/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning/) [Meaning of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-of-life/)

## Related quotes

> [We began as mineral. We emerged into plant life, and into the animal state, and then into being human, and always we have forgotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/we-began-as-mineral-we-emerged-into-plant-life-and-into-the-animal/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [“life's truest happiness is found in friendships we make along the way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-nonymus/life-s-truest-happiness-is-found-in-friendships-we-make-along-the-way/)

A Nonymus

> [“Life's truest horror is a door that slams shut that can never be opened again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/life-s-truest-horror-is-a-door-that-slams-shut-that-can-never-be/)

[Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/)

> [“The truest story - the one that will always be truest - is that I am a human being, being human. Sometimes, I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-mckowen/the-truest-story-the-one-that-will-always-be-truest-is-that-i-am-a/)

Laura McKowen

> [It is the normal state of the human heart to try to build its identity around something besides God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/it-is-the-normal-state-of-the-human-heart-to-try-to-build-its/)

[Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/)

> [The present is never a happy state to any human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-present-is-never-a-happy-state-to-any-human-being/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [“The best state for human nature is that in which, while no one is poor, no one desires to be richer, nor has any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-best-state-for-human-nature-is-that-in-which-while-no-one-is-poor/)

[John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/)

> [The supreme state of human love is...the unity of one soul in two bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/the-supreme-state-of-human-love-is-the-unity-of-one-soul-in-two-bodies/)

[Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/)

> [“they were in that bulging-eyed, unreachable state human beings morph into right before they kill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-gettleman/they-were-in-that-bulging-eyed-unreachable-state-human-beings-morph/)

[Jeffrey Gettleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-gettleman/)

> [The natural state of a human being is dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/the-natural-state-of-a-human-being-is-dignity/)

[Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/)

> [Death is not natural for a state as it is for a human being, for whom death is not only necessary, but frequently even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/death-is-not-natural-for-a-state-as-it-is-for-a-human-being-for-whom/)

[Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/)

> [No, while most people have been at their unhappiest when in love, it is nevertheless the state the human being yearns for above all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fellowes/no-while-most-people-have-been-at-their-unhappiest-when-in-love-it-is/)

[Julian Fellowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-fellowes/)

> [“For the first time there appeared on earth kings, dictators, high priests, emperors, prime ministers, presidents, governors, mayors, generals, admirals, police chiefs, judges, lawyers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-christian/for-the-first-time-there-appeared-on-earth-kings-dictators-high/)

[David Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-christian/)

> [The imagination is not a state: it is the human existence itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-imagination-is-not-a-state-it-is-the-human-existence-itself/)

[William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/)

> [The most powerful state for a human to be in is the state of embracing completely the reality of what is - Now. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-most-powerful-state-for-a-human-to-be-in-is-the-state-of/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

## More by Viktor E. Frankl

> [For the meaning of life differs from man to man, from day to day and from hour to hour. What matters, therefore, is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/for-the-meaning-of-life-differs-from-man-to-man-from-day-to-day-and/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [“In the past, nothing is irretrievably lost, but rather, on the contrary, everything is irrevocably stored and treasured. To be sure, people tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/in-the-past-nothing-is-irretrievably-lost-but-rather-on-the-contrary/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [When a man finds that it is his destiny to suffer... his unique opportunity lies in the way he bears his burden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/when-a-man-finds-that-it-is-his-destiny-to-suffer-his-unique/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [“A positive attitude enables a person to endure suffering and disappointment as well as enhance enjoyment and satisfaction. A negative attitude intensifies pain and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/a-positive-attitude-enables-a-person-to-endure-suffering-and/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [“our sacrifice did have a meaning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/our-sacrifice-did-have-a-meaning/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [Man's last freedom is his freedom to choose how he will react in any given situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/man-s-last-freedom-is-his-freedom-to-choose-how-he-will-react-in-any/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [The more one forgets himself - by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love - the more human he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/the-more-one-forgets-himself-by-giving-himself-to-a-cause-to-serve-or/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [“There is nothing in the world, I venture to say, that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/there-is-nothing-in-the-world-i-venture-to-say-that-would-so/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [Man's search for meaning is the chief motivation of his life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/man-s-search-for-meaning-is-the-chief-motivation-of-his-life/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [In a last violent protest against the hopelessness of imminent death, I sensed my spirit piercing through the enveloping gloom. I felt it transcend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/in-a-last-violent-protest-against-the-hopelessness-of-imminent-death/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [“But happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/but-happiness-cannot-be-pursued-it-must-ensue/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [Being tolerant does not mean that I share another one's belief. But it does mean that I acknowledge another one's right to believe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-that-i-share-another-one-s-belief-but-it/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [“I think it was Lessing who once said, 'There are things which must cause you to lose your reason or you have none to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/i-think-it-was-lessing-who-once-said-there-are-things-which-must/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [“I believe that my handicap will only enhance my ability to help others. I know that without the suffering, the growth that I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/i-believe-that-my-handicap-will-only-enhance-my-ability-to-help/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

> [“He main retain his human dignity even in a concentration camp. Dostoevsky said once, 'There is only one thing that I dread: not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/he-main-retain-his-human-dignity-even-in-a-concentration-camp/)

[Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

[Explore all 381 Viktor E. Frankl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/)

## More Being human quotes

> [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/)

[Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/)

> [We began as mineral. We emerged into plant life, and into the animal state, and then into being human, and always we have forgotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/we-began-as-mineral-we-emerged-into-plant-life-and-into-the-animal/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [“There are no greater or truer lords, gods, fathers, sons or holy spirits, than the humans. Humans are the highest beings on earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/there-are-no-greater-or-truer-lords-gods-fathers-sons-or-holy-spirits/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/being-human-we-would-expel-from-our-lives-physical-pain-and-mental/)

[Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/)

> [We’re built to deal with death, disease, failure, struggle, heartbreak, problems. It’s what separates us from the animals and why we envy and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-maron/we-re-built-to-deal-with-death-disease-failure-struggle-heartbreak/)

[Marc Maron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-maron/)

> [“There are countless reasons to be jealous. But that doesn’t mean you have to succumb to them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/there-are-countless-reasons-to-be-jealous-but-that-doesn-t-mean-you/)

[Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/)

> [“I honour the clarity of the present moment, and the stillness at the centre of being (mine & others), even in the midst of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-woodman/i-honour-the-clarity-of-the-present-moment-and-the-stillness-at-the/)

[Jay Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-woodman/)

> [It's the strangest thing about being human: to know so much, to communicate so much, and yet always to fall so drastically short of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/it-s-the-strangest-thing-about-being-human-to-know-so-much-to/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [Virtue is something you have to get good at, like playing the trombone or tolerating bores at parties. Being a virtuous human being takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/virtue-is-something-you-have-to-get-good-at-like-playing-the-trombone/)

[Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/)

> [Heartbreak is our indication of sincerity: in a love relationship, in a work, in trying to learn a musical instrument, in the attempt to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-whyte/heartbreak-is-our-indication-of-sincerity-in-a-love-relationship-in-a/)

[David Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-whyte/)

> [The Gnostics believed that exile was the essential condition of man. Do you agree? I do. The artist and the addict both wrestle with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-gnostics-believed-that-exile-was-the-essential-condition-of-man/)

[Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/)

> [“Either way, you were connected. By your desires. By your defiance. By the simple, complicated fact of who you were.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/either-way-you-were-connected-by-your-desires-by-your-defiance-by-the/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“...something can be a good thing and yet not a necessary thing. It is good for people to be expert at brain surgery. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-lee-austin/something-can-be-a-good-thing-and-yet-not-a-necessary-thing-it-is/)

Victor Lee Austin

> [I have no interest in problematizing things. So what I am writing to is that simple sense of being human in myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayad-akhtar/i-have-no-interest-in-problematizing-things-so-what-i-am-writing-to/)

[Ayad Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayad-akhtar/)

> [Those who have ever valued liberty for its own sake believed that to be free to choose, and not to be chosen for, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-berlin/those-who-have-ever-valued-liberty-for-its-own-sake-believed-that-to/)

[Isaiah Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-berlin/)

[Browse all 502 Being human quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-human/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Challenging the meaning of life is the truest expression of the state of being human.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Viktor E. Frankl"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/challenging-the-meaning-of-life-is-the-truest-expression-of-the-state/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Being human"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/challenging-the-meaning-of-life-is-the-truest-expression-of-the-state/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/viktor-e-frankl-668_being-human_challenging-the-meaning-of-life-is-the-t_783935.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/viktor-e-frankl-668_being-human_challenging-the-meaning-of-life-is-the-t_783935.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/viktor-e-frankl-668_being-human_challenging-the-meaning-of-life-is-the-t_783935.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Challenging the meaning of life is the truest expression of the state of being human.” — Viktor E. Frankl",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Viktor E. Frankl",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Challenging the meaning of life is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/challenging-the-meaning-of-life-is-the-truest-expression-of-the-state/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/challenging-the-meaning-of-life-is-the-truest-expression-of-the-state/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```