A note on “will to meaning” with regard to MBA graduates’ career planning

A note on “will to meaning” with regard to MBA graduates’ career planning

 

Highlight 5 main ideas of Vicktor Frankl's notion of 'will to meaning" and offer 4 career planning advices to the Hong Kong MBA graduates who experience both life stress (including job stress) in the present tough economic environment of Hong Kong.

Viktor Frankl’s “will to meaning” argues that our deepest drive is not pleasure or power, but finding purpose—even in suffering—and that we retain the freedom to choose our attitude in any circumstance. For Hong Kong MBA graduates facing job stress and a tough economy, this translates into practical career and life-planning moves that protect meaning while building resilience.johnathanbi+2

Five main ideas of Frankl’s “will to meaning”

1.    Meaning is the primary human motivation
Frankl contends that people are fundamentally pulled by a “will to meaning” more than by a will to pleasure (Freud) or will to power (Adler). When this will is frustrated, people often fall into an “existential vacuum” marked by emptiness, boredom, or compensatory pursuits like overwork or status-chasing.viktorfranklinstitute+1

2.    Freedom of will: choice of attitude remains
Even when external conditions are harsh (e.g., job loss, economic downturn), we retain the “last of the human freedoms”: the freedom to choose our inner stance. This is not denial of hardship, but the capacity to decide how we respond and what we stand for.panarchy+1

3.    Three avenues to discover meaning
Frankl identifies three main ways to find meaning:

o   Creative values: what we give or produce (work, projects, service).

o   Experiential values: what we receive or encounter (relationships, beauty, learning).

o   Attitudinal values: the stance we take toward unavoidable suffering or limits.
Meaning is not invented arbitrarily but discovered responsively in each situation.johnathanbi+1

4.    Responsibility and “being questioned by life”
Frankl reverses the question “What is the meaning of life?” into “Life is asking me—what will I do?” Meaning is linked to responsibility: to a task, to others, or to a cause. This shifts focus from “What do I want?” to “What is required of me now?”viktorfranklinstitute+1

5.    Tragic optimism and meaning in suffering
Frankl’s “tragic optimism” means saying “yes” to life despite pain, guilt, or death. Suffering can become meaningful when it is unavoidable and taken up as a考验 (test) of character or as sacrifice for something larger. This is not glorifying pain, but refusing to let it erase purpose.youtubepanarchy

Four career-planning advices for Hong Kong MBA graduates under stress

These suggestions apply Frankl’s ideas to your current context: high cost of living, competitive job market, and uncertainty.

1. Clarify your “why” before chasing the “what” (role/title)

• Action: Write a one-paragraph “meaning statement” for the next 12–24 months: “I am here to contribute X to Y people by doing Z, while growing in A capability.”
• Why it helps: Frankl warns that when meaning is unclear, people over-identify with status, salary, or busyness. A clear “why” reduces anxiety and prevents career choices that look impressive but feel empty.johnathanbi+1
• HK context: In a downturn, many default to “any job that pays.” Use your meaning statement to filter options: e.g., “I will take a lower-paying role if it builds relevant skills toward my long-term contribution in [industry/issue].”

2. Design your career around all three avenues of meaning (not just work output)

• Action: Intentionally plan activities across:
• Creative: projects, problem-solving, value creation at work or side ventures.
• Experiential: relationships, mentorship, learning, culture, nature.
• Attitudinal: how you respond to setbacks (rejections, layoffs, slow promotion).
• Why it helps: If meaning rests only on job performance, every market shock feels existential. Diversifying sources of meaning builds resilience.viktorfranklinstitute+1
• Example: While job-hunting, you might (a) volunteer on a meaningful project (creative), (b) deepen family or mentor relationships and read widely (experiential), and (c) reframe unemployment as a season of growth and service rather than failure (attitudinal).

3. Use “noö-dynamics”: seek healthy tension, not just comfort

• Action: Set 1–2 “worthy challenges” aligned with your values (e.g., lead a pro-bono consulting project for NGOs; upskill in a strategic area; build a small portfolio of case studies).
• Why it helps: Frankl argues mental health needs some tension between who you are and who you are called to become. Chasing only security or comfort can increase emptiness. Purposeful challenge sustains energy even in uncertainty.viktorfranklinstitute
• HK context: Instead of waiting for the “perfect” stable job, create structured, value-aligned challenges that keep you growing and visible to employers.

4. Practice attitudinal meaning in setbacks: reframe, don’t numb

• Action: When facing rejection, layoff, or slow progress, ask:
• “What is this situation asking of me?”
• “How can I respond in a way I can respect later?”
• “What strength or virtue can I develop here (patience, courage, humility)?”
• Why it helps: Frankl shows that suffering becomes meaningful when we choose a dignified, responsible stance. This reduces shame and despair and keeps you agency-focused rather than victim-focused.youtubeviktorfranklinstitute
• Practical support: Combine this with real-world steps (networking, skill-building, financial planning) and, if needed, professional counselling. Meaning work complements, not replaces, practical coping.

 

3 academic references

·        Frankl, V.E. (1970) The will to meaning: foundations and applications of logotherapy. New York: New American Library.

·        Pereira, I.S. (2007) Viktor Frankl’s will to meaning. Psicologia USP, 18(1), pp.125–136.

·        Pytell, T. (2016) Viktor Frankl’s search for meaning: an emblematic twentieth-century life. German History, 34(3), pp.493–494.

 

 

A collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.