---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even though conditions such as lack of…"
description: "\"Even though conditions such as lack of sleep, insufficient food and various mental stresses may suggest that the inmates were bound to react in certain..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/viktor-e-frankl-668_analysis_even-though-conditions-such-as-lack-of-s_2927731.jpg"
---

#  Even though conditions such as lack of sleep, insufficient…

![“Even though conditions such as lack of sleep, insufficient food and various mental stresses may suggest that the inmates were bound to react in certain ways, in the final analysis it becomes clear that the sort of person the prisoner became was the result of an inner decision, and not the result…” quote by Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/viktor-e-frankl-668_analysis_even-though-conditions-such-as-lack-of-s_2927731.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/viktor-e-frankl-668_analysis_even-though-conditions-such-as-lack-of-s_2927731.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/viktor-e-frankl-668_analysis_even-though-conditions-such-as-lack-of-s_2927731.jpg)

> “Even though conditions such as lack of sleep, insufficient food and various mental stresses may suggest that the inmates were bound to react in certain ways, in the final analysis it becomes clear that the sort of person the prisoner became was the result of an inner decision, and not the result of camp influences alone.”

[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.

Even under extreme deprivation, a person's ultimate character is shaped more by inner choices than by external conditions.

**In simple terms:** Inner decisions outweigh external hardships.

Key Takeaway

Choose your attitude despite circumstances.

Themes

resilience free will psychology human dignity

Mood

hopeful reflective

Type

psychological motivational

When to use this quote

- prisoner coping
- therapy
- personal development

Key Concepts

Existential choice meaning-making inner freedom

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you exercise inner freedom?
- What limits exist on personal choice?

A Different Perspective

It may understate the impact of trauma on mental health.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Analysis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analysis/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Inmates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inmates/) [Lack of sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lack-of-sleep/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stress/)

## Related quotes

> [“It is as if a person were a prisoner, and he had not only the intention to escape, which would perhaps be attainable, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/it-is-as-if-a-person-were-a-prisoner-and-he-had-not-only-the/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [It is astounding how much the immune system is strengthened by reducing daily mental stress levels with either visualization or meditation. The other great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/it-is-astounding-how-much-the-immune-system-is-strengthened-by/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [The human mind tends to get addicted to the things that take away the pain and relieve mental stress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-human-mind-tends-to-get-addicted-to-the-things-that-take-away-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [We've got some very strong and robust ladies, but, when your life is at risk, I think the strain of that in a competitive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stirling-moss/we-ve-got-some-very-strong-and-robust-ladies-but-when-your-life-is-at/)

[Stirling Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stirling-moss/)

> [In a world suffering from mental stress, yoga promises calm. In a distracted world, yoga creates focus, creates concentration. In a world of fear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/in-a-world-suffering-from-mental-stress-yoga-promises-calm-in-a/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [Pretending not to care about someone you love can actually cause a great deal of mental stress, increasing risk of depression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pretending-not-to-care-about-someone-you-love-can-actually-cause-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When we're believing, we're not really thinking, because the belief has walls: "This is what I believe." So what I believe is like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-trudell/when-we-re-believing-we-re-not-really-thinking-because-the-belief-has/)

[John Trudell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-trudell/)

> [“Powerful Black Magic Removal in Etobicoke – Restore Peace and Balance Understanding the Impact of Black Magic Black magic can affect all areas of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psychic-ravi/powerful-black-magic-removal-in-etobicoke-restore-peace-and-balance/)

Psychic Ravi

> [Only when we have enough mental stress to force us to see our own bankruptcy of power, do we trust in God, and only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lee-pike/only-when-we-have-enough-mental-stress-to-force-us-to-see-our-own/)

Kenneth Lee Pike

## 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 Analysis quotes

> [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/)

[Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/)

> [My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work-give-me/)

[Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/)

> [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/)

Frank H. T. Rhodes

> [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/)

[Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/)

> [Demographically, I'm a hippie from San Francisco and I'm not culturally inclined to be sympathetic to states' rights. My cultural heritage is FDR and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/demographically-i-m-a-hippie-from-san-francisco-and-i-m-not/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [Democracy is not being well served as we're accustomed to. There is less information, there's less investigation, there's less analysis, there's less accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-greenspon/democracy-is-not-being-well-served-as-we-re-accustomed-to-there-is/)

Edward Greenspon

> [As long as the human race is able to concern itself with more than mere survival, soccer will have its place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-morris/as-long-as-the-human-race-is-able-to-concern-itself-with-more-than/)

[Desmond Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-morris/)

> [The capitalistic social order, therefore, is an economic democracy in the strictest sense of the word. In the last analysis, all decisions are dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-capitalistic-social-order-therefore-is-an-economic-democracy-in/)

[Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/)

> [“You will do one of two things as soon as you’ve exhausted what you can determine mathematically in the case: (1) Refine your hypothesis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cheng/you-will-do-one-of-two-things-as-soon-as-you-ve-exhausted-what-you/)

[Victor Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cheng/)

> [Atheism Explained is a gem. It is clear, informative, well-argued, provocative, often witty, and unfailingly interesting. David Ramsay Steele ranges over so many issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-shearmur/atheism-explained-is-a-gem-it-is-clear-informative-well-argued/)

Jeremy Shearmur

> [Class is entirely intangible, and the way it affects things isn't subject to scientific analysis, and it's not supposed to be real but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/class-is-entirely-intangible-and-the-way-it-affects-things-isn-t/)

[Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/)

> [I've always made my decisions based on two factors: intellectual analysis and my gut. And when they meet, that's a go from me. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ovitz/i-ve-always-made-my-decisions-based-on-two-factors-intellectual/)

[Michael Ovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ovitz/)

> [Analysis of opponents is something I like doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/analysis-of-opponents-is-something-i-like-doing/)

[Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/)

> [What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/what-matters-supremely-therefore-is-not-in-the-last-analysis-the-fact/)

[J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/)

> [We are well aware that he spent many hours recently tape recording various messages... we need to do a little more analysis of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-hoon/we-are-well-aware-that-he-spent-many-hours-recently-tape-recording/)

[Geoff Hoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-hoon/)

[Browse all 1,547 Analysis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analysis/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Even though conditions such as lack of sleep, insufficient food and various mental stresses may suggest that the inmates were bound to react in certain ways, in the final analysis it becomes clear that the sort of person the prisoner became was the result of an inner decision, and not the result of camp influences alone.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Viktor E. Frankl"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/even-though-conditions-such-as-lack-of-sleep-insufficient-food-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Analysis"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/even-though-conditions-such-as-lack-of-sleep-insufficient-food-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/viktor-e-frankl-668_analysis_even-though-conditions-such-as-lack-of-s_2927731.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/viktor-e-frankl-668_analysis_even-though-conditions-such-as-lack-of-s_2927731.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/viktor-e-frankl-668_analysis_even-though-conditions-such-as-lack-of-s_2927731.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Even though conditions such as lack of sleep, insufficient food and various mental stresses may suggest that…” — 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": "Even though conditions such as lack...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/even-though-conditions-such-as-lack-of-sleep-insufficient-food-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/even-though-conditions-such-as-lack-of-sleep-insufficient-food-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
