Stimulus versus Response: A Delicate Dance of Power

Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and founder of logotherapy, once said, “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

…In our response lies our growth and our freedom

This profound observation has anchored much of popular psychology, a beacon highlighting our ability to govern our responses to any situation.

But let’s strip this idea down to the bone—what if the story isn’t so starkly drawn?

Learning and Growth: The Power to Respond

Frankl nails it—our power resides in how we respond.

Picture this: a student, face-to-face with a brutal exam (stimulus/environment). Their success hinges on their ability to recall what they've learned and to tame the beast of anxiety (the internal narrative in their head/response).

In these moments we learn, we adapt, and we grow.

Or, take a business leader confronting a market nosedive (stimulus/environment). Innovate or retreat (response/thoughts/behavior).

This decision shifts the company’s fate.

Overwhelming Stimuli

Frankl’s wisdom has its limits.

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