Purposeful Frustration

This program is about “choosing to survive and grow from the difficult.”

Member Preparation

In preparation for this session, read the following excerpt:

"No one has reached maturity until he has learned to face the fact of his own death and shaped his way of living accordingly. Then the true perspective emerges. The preoccupation with material things, with accumulating goods or fame or power, is exposed. Then each morning seems new and fresh, as indeed it is. Every flower, every leaf, strikes with double impact, as if I were sensing it for the first and last time. Once I have accepted the fact that I shall disappear, I also discover the larger self which relates to my family and friends, to my neighborhood and community, to nation and to humanity, and indeed, to the whole creation out of which I have sprung. I am a part of all this too, and death cannot entirely withdraw me from it. To the extent that I have poured myself into all these related groups and persons, I will live on in them." - Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankel

These questions provide ways you may want to approach this topic. Remember to focus on just one or two of the questions, if you choose to use them, as this will allow you to explore the topic in more depth.

  • If you agree that life cannot be easy as Victor Frankel states, why not?
  • What have been some of the “winds of the world” that have challenged you and how have you faced/overcome them? What did you gain from that experience?
  • What have been some of the challenges of life that still limit your ability to live life to the hilt, as Victor Frankel states “it should be lived.”
  • What does it mean to live life to the hilt? Especially within the context of the quote: “I arise in the morning torn between the desire to improve the world and the desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” - E.B. White
  • Are there those you admire who have overcome adversity and faced the difficulties of life in a way you wish you could emulate?

Further Exploration