Reading the attached article made me think about something that had previously crossed my mind on a different occasion. It is the question central to Viktor Frankl's book Man's Search for Meaning, which is why some people are more resilient than other?

There's another person I follow on YouTube, Guy Tennenbaum, whose life changed seven years ago after receiving the same diagnosis. Today, he is still alive, and for many years, his cancer even went into remission, though it later returned but is now under control. Mr. Tennenbaum avoided chemotherapy and followed an alternative path instead, with the help of a team of scientist advisors looking after him.

Like Frankl, Guy Tennenbaum firmly believes that mindset is paramount. This reminded me of an account from a very close relative of mine who was looking after her critically ill younger sister. I have never forgotten how she once told me that her sister had first died psychologically, and once she had given up on the battle for her life, it became clear that no amount of care could have saved her anymore. In Dr. Makis' words, "You can help someone only to the degree that they want to be helped."

If you've listened to Dr. Chris Palmer on The Huberman Podcast (#980518), you probably remember his seven pillars of a healthy life, and "relationships and purpose" is one of them.