Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

Chapter 3 explores the concept of logotherapy, developed by Viktor Frankl, and its connection to the Japanese concept of ikigai. García and Miralles begin by contrasting logotherapy with psychoanalysis, highlighting that logotherapy focuses on helping patients find meaning in their lives rather than delving into past experiences or unconscious conflicts.

The chapter outlines the key principles of logotherapy, including the idea that humans have an innate need for purpose and meaning. García and Miralles describe Frankl’s experiences in Nazi concentration camps, which led him to develop his theories about the importance of having a reason to live. García and Miralles explain that logotherapy aims to help individuals discover their life’s purpose and use it as motivation to overcome obstacles and neuroses. The authors present a five-step process of logotherapy, starting with the recognition of emptiness or anxiety, and culminating in the discovery of a life purpose that helps the individual overcome difficulties.

García and Miralles discuss the concept of “existential frustration,” which logotherapy views as a potential catalyst for positive change rather than a symptom of mental illness. They emphasize that finding one’s purpose can help alleviate this frustration and lead to greater life satisfaction.