Choice is Not Enough
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances to choose one’s own way”
- Victor Frankel, Man’s Search for Meaning
The above quote is one of the all-time greats – it says something profound about the human condition and our innate ability to self realize.
I want to add, with the greatest respect to Frankel and his experience, that choice is rarely enough.
A different attitude needs to be reinforced and supported by a story around it – a story we tell ourselves about the situation we find ourselves in, what created it, and what the future might hold.
When we consciously tell a story about our situation, instead of letting one develop by default, we change the frame through which we interpret reality.
A challenge is no longer just an obstacle; it becomes a test, a chance to grow, or even the beginning of a transformation. Without a story to hold our attitude in place, the shift is fragile—it can collapse under the weight of doubt, habit, fear or the opinions of others.
Stories give our choices durability. They link today’s struggle to yesterday’s lessons and tomorrow’s possibilities. That’s why athletes visualize victory, why entrepreneurs reframe failure as feedback, and why people in crisis often anchor themselves with narratives of resilience.
Story doesn’t just explain the world; it actively shapes our capacity to endure it. It transforms our difficulties into something we can pull strength from.
I remember this very vividly from my first years as a father. The love we feel for our children is in direct proportion to the sacrifices and trials we make to raise them.
This is the power of storytelling at the most personal level: it transforms fleeting decisions into lived identities. Attitude is a spark. But the story you build around that choice—that’s the fuel that keeps the flame alive.
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