Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work

Author - Alex Pattakos ... [Goo?] [Posters]
Stephen R. Covey ... [Goo?] [Posters]

This Paperback Book item from Berrett-Koehler Publishers was reviewed on 11-Oct-2008.

Search ISBN:1576754065 offer from Abebooks or used books from Alibris. Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work Reference Book. Classifications : General Business Life Business & Investing Subjects Books Workplace Organizational Behavior Business & Investing Subjects Books General Business & Investing Subjects Books Logotherapy Psychology & Cou . Click the following link to view the cover of Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work.

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1) Paperback Book Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work by Berrett-Koehler Publishers. The author paints a very deceptive portrait of his "beloved" uncle Mr. Stylianos Pattakos and even dares to compare him to Nelson Mandela (see beginning of chapter 4). Addressing an unsuspecting (at most) American audience he largely manages to get away with it.

Unfortunately for him, some of us still remember the greek military junta, the thousands of people that got killed and tortured, the thousands that were sent to exile, and the great tragedy of Cyprus for which the junta was largely responsible. Mr. Pattakos as Nelson Mandela? Better try Hitler. How ironic indeed that Mr. Alex Pattakos writes and capitalizes on a book inspired by Viktor Frankl a Nazi camp survivor...

Judge for yourself if you can trust the writings of a person who idolizes one of the cruelest dictators of recent history. You should be ashamed sir for what your uncle did to Greece and to the Greek people. Yet you are proud. I am disgusted. Also for the record, your uncle did not get out of prison in 1995 because "his role in history was reconsidered and because there was enough support for him as a person" but because of his grave health condition. You see, a democracy can have mercy even for the ultimate traitors.

I wouldn´t be surprised if Mr. Alex Pattakos abandoned Greece for the USA circa 1973-74 when democracy was restored, probably because he was feeling that the too much "love" that the repressed people of Greece felt for his "patriot" uncle could kill him...

¤

2) Paperback Book Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work by Berrett-Koehler Publishers. The book makes you stop and smell the roses and realize that the human spirit is an amazing thing. A good book that will make you stop complaining about your minor complaints in life. It makes us look into our own soul. I would recommend it to all, especially your spoiled teenagers.¤

3) Paperback Book Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work by Berrett-Koehler Publishers. From: www.BasilAndSpice.com
Author & Book Views On A Healthy Life!

Book Review: Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl´s Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work (Berrett-Koehler, 2004,2008) by Alex Pattakos, Ph.D.

A BestSeller Classic Review

Alex Pattakos is a principal of The Innovation Group and the founder of the Center for Meaning, based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a former therapist and mental health administrator, political campaign organizer, and full-time university professor of public and business administration. Alex Pattakos has worked with several Presidential administrations on public policy matters and has served as an advisor to the Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Prisoners of Our Thoughts is based on the wisdom and personal encouragement of world-renowned psychiatrist Viktor Frankl (Man´s Search for Meaning), and his seven principles for finding meaning in life. The book has received the praise of Alan Webber (Founding Editor, Fast Company), Dr. Patti Havenga Coetzer (Founder, Viktor Frankl Foundation of South Africa), and Steven R. Covey, who wrote the forward.

In a dedication to Viktor Frankl, and preface regarding Pattakos´s relationship with the Frankl family, the author tells of a meeting in Austria in 1996 when he proposed the book idea to Frankl. "Frankl was more than encouraging when, in his typically direct and passionate style, he leaned across his desk, grabbed my arm, and said: `Alex, yours is the book that needs to be written!´ As you can imagine, I felt that Frankl´s words had been branded into the core of my being, and I was determined, from that moment forward, to make this book idea a reality." Viktor Frankl´s thoughts have influenced Pattakos´s work for over 40 years, moving him to the pinnacle of the world of meaning, thus extending Frankl´s wisdom to others throughout the world.

Frankl lived what he thought, as does Pattakos--who is now affectionately known as Dr. Meaning. Core Principles underscored in Prisoners of Our Thoughts help the reader learn to think and live life in the same meaningful manner:

Exercise the freedom to choose your attitude--even in the face of adversity, we are able to decide and be responsible for our own attitude. Famous examples utilized here are Nelson Mandela who became President of South Africa and Christopher Reeve the actor who portrayed Superman, only to become a quadriplegic after beging thrown from his horse. Reeve wrote in his memoir Still Me, "I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."

Realize your will to meaning. Comparing the outside forces which affect us (Freud´s pleasure principle and Adler´s will to power) with Frankl´s will to meaning, Pattakos shows the reader that only the will to meaning comes from within. It is up to us to find, control, and fulfill it. He reminds us that in America we are surrounded by wealth, but we have increasing suicide rates among our young people. More than anywhere else, this element of will to meaning is necessary in the workplace, where people must be placed above money, giving credence to meaningful work.

Detect the meaning of life´s moments. The key word here is awareness. If we are aware, we know the meaning of a situation, culminating in intelligence. We need to slow down, turn of the cell phone, and "smell the roses." Two points of human motivation highlighted in this chapter are love and conscience. Example: "We work nights so we can be with our kids in the morning and see them off to school....We put a dollar in an outstretched hand...And when we see how our world is connected in this way, we can name `why´ and know meaning." Without voicing himself, it is on this page, that the reader can fully comprehend the meaning behind Dr. Pattakos´s writing of Prisoners of Our Thoughts, as he seeks to help others.

Don´t work against yourself. When we work too hard at creating meaning, this plan can be fallible. Trying to impress others can undermine our thoughts and our work relationships. At the end of each chapter Pattakos gives the reader an opportunity for self-reflection. Here he asks the reader several questions, including, "How did you first come to recognize that you were not making progress? How did you rationalize or justify your dilemma? In hindsight, what would you have done differently in this situation?"

Look at yourself from a distance. We need to be able to self-detach, like an emergency medic with a patient, allowing him to keep a distance emotionally. This can be achieved with humor and laughter, or by immersing one´s self in a role. Doing these things allows us to keep our thoughts outside a prison of thoughts.

Shift your focus of attention. When in a precarious situation, think of something else. This eases tension and is innate, but gets lost or shelved as we move into adulthood. Here Pattakos uses his own boyhood example of being pinned under his horse, under water, after a missed jump. He remembers wondering whether or not his horse was ok, would he get his homework completed on time for school, and even asked himself to recall his own name. The younger Pattakos was reassuring himself that he was still alive!

Extend beyond yourself. Think of others and you will increase your own happiness. This is selflessness; it feels good, satisfies us, and allows us to transcend ourselves. This is true of great leaders who turned suffering into service: Desmond Tutu, Mahatma Gandhi, Viktor Frankl. Each forgave and let go of his suffering.

Using everyday examples, Pattakos explains that we are creatures of habit, who unwittingly lock ourselves into our own mental cages, becoming Prisoners of Our Thoughts. "We lose sight of our own natural potential." Through a search for meaning, we can discover how to break our self-inflicted chains and break down our mental barriers, giving us a new look at reality. In essence, if Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor of Nazi death camps could do this, so can we.

5 Stars¤

4) Paperback Book Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work by Berrett-Koehler Publishers. This book is an inspiration and must read for everyone looking for meaning in their lives. It´s empowering and brings such freedom and space to learn how to identify our thoughts and make a change which Alex Pattakos teaches based on Viktor Frankl´s principles.¤

5) Paperback Book Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work by Berrett-Koehler Publishers. There is a lot to like about this book. As a voracious reader of psychology/philosophy/mind/body material, I found the work well written, well organized, and in some places full of fascinating details. Frankl´s life and work are known to me in connection with study of the history of anti-Semitism and the holocaust. Although his writings are inspirational and in large ways timeless, this book makes a good contribution by bringing Frankl´s principles into modern parlance and context.

I was surprised to see another reviewer mention that they did not think Pattakos added much to Frankl´s work. I couldn´t disagree more. In addition to reframing the principles, the author goes on a number of fascinating and relevant riffs that give Frankl´s material added complexity and depth. I liked the quotes he adds to Frankl´s (Einstein says "Imagination is more important than knowledge.") I like Pattakos´ discussion of team play and how the personal rewards of successful team play are always most profound during the action.

The author´s professional experience and personal references lend a handle to some of the more difficult concepts, and his personal examples were helpful. At one point he references Buddhism. The Buddhist notion of mindfulness is all about creating meaning. Substituting the concept of meaning for achievement, ambition, recognition, money, and other buzz words of the New Age and our American speed-and-greed culture is itself an important enough contribution to merit buying and reading the book. Imagine if we taught our children to look for meaning in what they did. Imagine if we actually looked at relationships and work that way.

"Live as if you were living already for the second time and as if you had acted the first time as wrongly as you are about to act now!"

What a concept.¤

6) Paperback Book Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work by Berrett-Koehler Publishers. How do I find meaning in my life? How can I find meaning in my work? World-renowned psychiatrist Viktor Frankl´s "Man´s Search for Meaning" is one of the most important books of modern times. Frankl´s personal story of finding a reason to live in the most horrendous of circumstances-Nazi concentration camps-has inspired millions. Now, "Prisoners of Our Thoughts" applies Frankl´s philosophy and therapeutic approach to life and work in the 21st Century, detailing seven principles for increasing your capacity to deal with life-work challenges, finding meaning in your daily life and work, and achieving your highest potential. This paperback edition includes a new chapter on how readers of the hardcover edition have put the seven principles into action, both in their everyday lives and even in extreme situations such as Indonesia after the tsunami (where several aid agencies adopted the book as part of their training programs) and in post-Katrina New Orleans.¤

Page Updated: Robert N. Goolsby, 8-Nov-2008, 15767540659781576754061, 720-480-650-730-9X0-651-8

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