"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how."
— Friedrich Nietzsche

In this Operating System of You series, we've explored how intentional systems—not random willpower—shape who you become as a leader.

We've walked through how to create a Physical Operating System that builds your energy, an Intellectual Operating System that sharpens your thinking, and Emotional Operating Systems that keep you grounded and connected

But there's something deeper that holds all of these together: MEANING

When your leadership is rooted in clearly defined values and purpose, decisions become clearer, priorities sharper, and your presence steadier. 

You aren't just reacting to circumstances—you're leading intentionally

The alternative is what Viktor Frankl, Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, called the "existential vacuum"—the experience of boredom, apathy, emptiness, and depression that comes when we lack a sense of meaning or purpose

His powerful account of his personal experience in the Holocaust led him to write one of the most influential books ever written, Man’s Search for Meaning, in which he discusses the reality that, when everything else is stripped away, one can still find meaning even in the midst of the Final Solution

Based on his experiences during his harrowing time at Auschwitz, Frankl developed his belief in the power of meaning based on the premise that the primary motivational force of individuals is not the pursuit of power or profit or pleasure, but of meaning

Meaning, Frankl believed, is crucial to living and leading well

You face relentless pressures—managing staff, meeting academic goals, responding to shifting policies, engaging families, addressing student needs. 

The demands are infinite. The resources are finite

Without a clear sense of meaning anchoring your work, you're vulnerable to what Frankl called "noogenic neurosis"—a crisis of meaning that manifests as burnout, cynicism, and the slow erosion of why you entered this work in the first place

Studies show that positive meaning has an inhibitory effect on emotional exhaustion.

In other words, grounding your work in deep meaning gives you a buffer against burn out…even and especially when the going is difficult

Meaning doesn't eliminate stress. It transforms how stress affects you

Research shows meaningful work is associated with increased work engagement, organizational commitment, performance, job satisfaction, and reduced withdrawal intentions

The loss of meaning, on the other hand, has been viewed as a key explanation for the surge in employees leaving their jobs and a decrease in work dedication

Here's what this means practically:

Two principals can face the exact same challenges—difficult parents, budget constraints, staffing crises, board tensions—and one burns out while the other endures

The difference isn't their circumstances.

It's whether the perceive their work as being rich in meaning

For school leaders, this translates into profound practical wisdom:

When you're managing yet another crisis, mediating yet another conflict, or absorbing yet another parent's frustration, it's easy to lose sight of the deeper significance. 

But identifying the deeper meaning in the work recenters you to purpose, hope, and clarity

The question isn't whether your work matters. 

The question is whether you've articulated clearly enough why it matters to you

Starting with WHY (to borrow from Simon Senek) prepares us to walk out the HOW and WHAT with deeper conviction

Between every stimulus and response, there is a space. 

In that space lies your freedom to choose. And in that choice lies your meaning

Victor Frankl was able to find that space even in the midst of the horrific circumstances of the holocaust. 

Let us hope we never have to endure what he did, but in his work, he gives us the tools to navigate the meaning we can find even and especially when our work becomes exhausting and depleting. 

When that parent sends the angry email, when that board member questions your judgment, when that budget crisis threatens everything you've built—you still have the freedom to choose how you respond based on what you value most

Frankl’s work in logotherapy identifies three types of values: experiential values (relationships we cherish), creative values (work and accomplishments), and attitudinal values (how we approach life and suffering)

Leadership provides all three pathways to meaning:

By identifying certain moments in the school setting as sacred, in that they stand out as special and timeless, principals can find a sense of purpose in the work they do

This is the power of meaning-full leadership: it doesn't make the hard things easier, but it makes them bearable

Remembering and reminding yourself of the deeper meaning of your work (far beyond the unanswered emails and fires yet to be put out), anchors you to the deep current of joy that really does exist in the trenches of the difficult moments

It transforms obligation into calling. Exhaustion into endurance. Survival into service

There are so many times I have to pause and recenter myself around what drew me into the work in the first place.

Moments when I have to remind myself of what gives me meaning in this role

After all, no one forced me into school administration

It was a path I chose all on my own

Reminding myself that I did, indeed, sign up for the hard conversations, the late nights, the painful moments, the hard work, gives me meaning even when the external circumstances are dire

Here, then, is what I have done to create my very own Operating System of Meaning

Research defines savoring as "the psychological process of noticing and deepening the experience of positive emotions"

Don't just experience meaningful moments—savor them

When you watch a struggling student give a powerful presentation for the first time, pause. Notice the feeling. Let yourself smile. Build a mental picture you can return to later of what genuine breakthrough looks like

When a teacher thanks you for your support, don't rush to the next task. Absorb the gratitude. Let it sink in. Give yourself permission to feel valued

I know for me, practicing the art of savoring has been life giving

Here’s a moment I savor:

When I was going through a really hard, difficult, exhausting season as a school administrator, one of our students wrote the kindest, most heartfelt note of gratitude to me, thanking me for all I did for the school and how my work and efforts did not go unnoticed.

I just about wept I was so overwhelmed with gratitude for that card! I still keep it and return to it when times get tough to remind myself that the work matters and there are those out there who see the sacrifice and value who I am and what I do

Don't wait until you're depleted to reconnect with your purpose

Ask yourself:

Daily, monthly, and yearly reminders of your WHY give you the energy to sustain yourself through the difficult HOWS

Write your WHYs down. Not in abstract terms, but in concrete images:

These aren't hollow accomplishments. They're anchors of meaning that concrete in the WHY for me day after day, year after year, decade after decade

Every task, no matter how mundane, can be connected to meaning—if you choose to see it

Budget work isn't just spreadsheets. It's stewarding resources toward student flourishing (even though I HATE doing budget spreadsheets!!)

Difficult parent conversations aren't just complaints. They're partnerships in shaping young lives (I have to remind myself of this one a lot!)

Staff evaluations aren't just compliance. They're investing in the adults who shape children every day (This is one of my favorite ways to experience meaning!)

For us at Odyssey Leadership Academy, the larger WHY is to help students flourish

We remind ourselves of that mission at every faculty meeting, every professional development workshop, every staff retreat, every department discussion, every class, every day

It is our North Star and one we never forget…or take for granted

**See how we are pursuing meaning at Odyssey Leadership Academy each and every day!

Meaning multiplies in community

I meet monthly with a small group of fellow school leaders from around the country, not to solve problems, but to remember together why we do this work

We share stories of breakthrough moments. We name what matters. We remind each other of the sacred nature of what we're building

These aren't networking meetings. They're meaning-making gatherings

It is a community of practice that provides life, sustenance, support, and encouragement to each other as we navigate the tricky waters of school leaders

We don't problem-solve. We don't strategize. 

We simply explore the deeper questions: What gives our work meaning? Where are we finding purpose? When do we feel most alive in our leadership?

These conversations combat the isolation and cynicism that can creep in when you're solving the same problems over and over

This group of meaning makers has sustained me in my work for decades, and I cannot recommend highly enough curating your own group of meaning makers for your practice

**If you are craving a community of practice and hope, that is EXACTLY what I’m curating with the RecenterED Ireland Cohort! Check it out and come join us

These micro-practices keep meaning from becoming an abstraction.

They anchor meaning in the present moment

You must fiercely protect space for the work that feeds meaning:

These aren't luxuries to fit in when you have time. They're necessities that keep your leadership full instead of empty

Here's what I want you to hear: You will be exhausted in this work

But exhaustion itself isn't the enemy. Empty exhaustion is

You can be tired and fulfilled. Weary and purposeful. Stretched and whole

And what builds resilience? Connection to meaning

When your work is rich in meaning—when you can name why it matters, when you savor the sacred moments, when you connect daily tasks to larger purpose—you develop a kind of strength that doesn't come from having less to do

It comes from carrying more that matters

When you lead without a meaning system, every crisis feels equally important. Every email demands immediate attention. Every complaint threatens your sense of competence

You become reactive instead of responsive. Fragmented instead of focused. Exhausted instead of energized

But when you have clarity about your values and purpose:

When was the last time you felt deeply connected to why your work matters? What were you doing in that moment?

What's one practice you could build into your week that would help you savor meaning instead of just surviving demands?

Don't just think about it. Write it down. Schedule it. Make it non-negotiable

Because the world needs you to lead not just with competence, but with a soul that's still alive

The students need you present, not just present-enough

The teachers need you inspired, not just managing

Your community needs you to embody what it means to live a meaningful life, not just to execute a job description

Clarify Your Core Values:

Create Weekly Rituals:

Find Meaning-Making Community:

Practice Daily Anchors:

Your Physical Operating System gives you energy. Your Intellectual Operating System gives you tools. Your Emotional Operating System gives you stability and joy

But your meaning system gives you direction

Without it, all the other systems eventually fail. 

You can be healthy, smart, emotionally regulated, and deeply connected—and still burn out if you don't know why any of it matters

When I think about the leaders I most admire—the ones who've sustained meaningful work for decades without burning out or becoming cynical—they all share this quality: They know why they do what they do

Not in some vague, aspirational way. But with specificity and depth

They've built a meaning system

And when the storms come—and the storms always come—their roots go deep enough to anchor them

On the journey with you,
Scott

Question for Renewal:
Am I running on obligation or calling? What would it look like to reconnect with the deeper purpose beneath my daily work?

If you are looking to find deeper purpose and meaning in your role as a school leader, I am opening up the next administrative leadership cohort for the 2026/27 school year

I work with school leaders to help them find greater fulfillment, meaning, purpose, and connection in their work as educational administrators

If you would like more information on joining us, visit https://www.drscottamartin.com/ to learn more and schedule a free call to chat

Did you know that everything I'm sharing in this newsletter series is also drawn out in robust detail in my resource: The Flourishing School Leader's Field Guide?

This field guide unpacks my personal operating system and walks you through creating yours, as well as provides proven strategies to rekindle passion, restore purpose, and create an ecosystem of trust and flourishing in your school community.

It’s essentially everything I cover in my executive coaching sessions in a DIY guide for ONLY $40 bucks!! 

Whether you’re feeling inspired and want to sustain your momentum—or exhausted and in need of renewal—this field guide is your companion for leading with courage, clarity, and care.