Read time: 3 min.

I thought Viktor Frankl was a genius.

This guy survived Nazi camps. Built an entire school of psychology. Helped millions find meaning in their pain.

His famous quote shaped how I thought about life for years: "When a man can't find a deep sense of meaning, he distracts himself with pleasure."

But here's what Frankl missed. And it took me almost 5 years to figure out.

There's a flip side nobody talks about

When you can't find pleasure, you distract yourself with meaning.

Most people know about the first problem. We see it everywhere: people drowning their emptiness in Netflix binges, social media scrolls, and weekend parties that leave them feeling more hollow than before.

But there's another type of person entirely.

They can't find ease. Can't access joy. Can't just... be.

So they hide behind work. Behind goals. Behind the noble pursuit of "making a difference."

They become what I call meaning addicts. Convinced they're living purposefully while actually running from their inability to experience simple pleasure.

I should know. Because I was one of them.

I've lived in both camps

Camp 1: The Pleasure Trap

Before my 20's, life was all about instant gratification. Gaming 10 hours a day. Living on sugar and cheap dopamine hits. Partying to fill the void.

The highs were real but brief. The emptiness always returned.

Then my body completely broke down. I developed serious gut issues and realized nobody was coming to save me. Not doctors, not friends, not family.

I had to take full responsibility.

Camp 2: The Meaning Trap

I swung hard in the opposite direction.

Fixed my health. Found energy. Decided I needed to "give back" to the world.

• Built a faceless brand that reaches millions.

• Helped coaches grow their businesses.

• Worked 7 days a week in the name of "purpose."

But here's where things got weird.

I was terrible at "just being." Relaxing felt like a waste of time, and work became my only source of happiness.

I thought I was living meaningfully. Really, I was just addicted to a different drug.

Both extremes lead to the same dead end

Meaning can help you survive anything.

Viktor Frankl proved that.

But we're not in concentration camps. We have choices.

Which means we can enjoy things without a reason. Have fun without a business plan. Laugh without analyzing why it's funny.

Yet most high-achievers build their own cages.

They work endlessly for "significance" while forgetting how to be happy.

Here's what I wish I'd known sooner

You can build something meaningful while also wasting Saturdays on terrible movies. You can chase big goals while enjoying conversations that go nowhere. You can want to change the world while doing absolutely nothing productive for hours.

The trap isn't choosing meaning over pleasure or pleasure over meaning.

The trap is thinking you have to choose at all.

Much love,

— Martijn