Rollo May

Rollo May – Life, Work, and Insightful Quotes

Discover the life and intellectual legacy of Rollo May (1909–1994), the American existential psychologist. Explore his biography, major contributions to humanistic and existential psychology, signature ideas, famous quotes, and lessons from his thought.

Introduction

Rollo Reece May remains one of the most influential figures in 20th-century psychology, especially in the realms of existential and humanistic thought. He brought philosophy, depth, and the acknowledgment of existential anxiety into psychological practice. His work emphasizes meaning, courage, freedom, love, creativity, and the challenges inherent in being human.

In this article, we traverse his life, his major ideas and writings, his influence, lines that have resonated through time, and what we can still learn from him.

Early Life and Education

Rollo May was born on April 21, 1909, in Ada, Ohio (U.S.).
He was the second of six children.
His family moved at times (he spent part of his upbringing in Michigan).
As a young man, May pursued an undergraduate degree at Oberlin College, graduating around 1930.
After Oberlin, he studied for a time with Alfred Adler (in Austria) through seminars.
He then attended Union Theological Seminary (earning a divinity degree, BDiv) in 1938, where one of his mentors became the theologian Paul Tillich.
Later, he shifted toward psychology, earning a PhD in clinical psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University (completed in 1949) after earlier time in ministry and other ventures.
In 1942, he contracted tuberculosis, which required him to spend about 18 months in a sanitarium — this period influenced his thinking on anxiety, isolation, and human suffering.

Career and Major Works

Orientation & Philosophical Roots

Rollo May is often classified as an existential psychologist and also associated with humanistic psychology.

Unlike many behaviorists or strictly psychoanalytic thinkers, May insisted on confronting the tragic dimensions of human existence—the inevitable anxiety, guilt, death, freedom, isolation—that cannot be ignored.

He also attempted to reconcile existential thought with psychological practice, incorporating insights from Freud, Adler, and others while resisting reduction to technique or formula.

Key Books & Themes

Some of May’s most enduring and influential works include:

Title	Year	Key Themes / Impact
The Meaning of Anxiety	1950 (revised 1977)	Anxiety is not just a symptom but something existential—when we confront values, choices, and possibility.	Man’s Search for Himself	1953	The struggle for identity, self-awareness, meaning, and the existential vacuum.	Love and Will	1969	Probably his best-known book. May explores love and will as fundamental human capacities, their tensions, the daimonic (forces of nature within us).	Power and Innocence: A Search for the Sources of Violence	1972	Investigates sources of violence in humanity, the interplay of power and moral innocence.	The Courage to Create	1975	Creativity as an act of courage—facing anxiety, risking failure, giving birth to new forms.	Freedom and Destiny	1981	The interplay between human freedom and the constraints of existence.	The Discovery of Being: Writings in Existential Psychology	1983	A collection of essays deepening his existential-psychological reflections.	My Quest for Beauty	1985	Reflects on aesthetics, creativity, and beauty’s role in human life.	The Cry for Myth	1991	Argues for the necessity of myth in modern life as a mode for conveying meaning.	The Psychology of Existence	published posthumously (1995)	A more integrative view of existential psychotherapy. Through these works, May developed a rich vocabulary of existential psychology: anxiety, guilt, freedom, responsibility, daimonic, creativity, courage, authenticity. Central Concepts Anxiety as existential rather than pathological For May, anxiety is not merely a symptom to eliminate; it arises when we become aware of our possibilities, limitations, freedom, and responsibility. It signals the tension of existence and can catalyze growth if confronted. The Daimonic May introduced the idea of the daimonic—inner forces or impulses (creative energy, drive, emotion) that can be constructive or destructive. It warns against denying these forces wholly; instead, we must learn to channel them. Freedom and responsibility People must learn to make choices, affirm values, and accept the weight of responsibility. Freedom entails risk and anxiety. Guilt as ontological May distinguishes existential guilt (for not realizing one’s potential, failing relationally, denying one’s inner self) from moral guilt. It is intrinsic to human existence. Creativity & courage True creativity demands courage—it involves facing the unknown, the risk of failure, and integrating both order and chaos. May’s The Courage to Create is a manifesto on this. Love and Will May articulates that love is an intentional act (not just feeling) and that will (volition) must support love; the tension between them is central to human life. Authenticity, self, world He uses existential-pedagogical categories such as Eigenwelt (one’s inner world), Mitwelt (world of others), and Umwelt (world of nature, biology) to conceptualize dimensions of human experience. Influence and Legacy May was a central figure in bringing existential psychology into the American mainstream, influencing psychotherapists, clinicians, and thinkers. He co-founded Saybrook Graduate School & Research Center (in San Francisco), a hub for humanistic/existential psychology. His work influenced later existential therapists and writers, such as Irvin Yalom. May’s insistence on grappling with existential angst, tragedy, creativity, and meaning shifted psychological discourse beyond pathology, toward a fuller anthropology of human beings. His ideas on creativity, myth, and human potential continue to resonate beyond psychology—in philosophy, arts, theology, and cultural critique. Famous Quotes Here are several memorable lines by Rollo May that reflect his philosophical-psychological depth: “It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when they have lost their way.” “Many people suffer from the fear of finding oneself alone, and so they don't find themselves at all.” “In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude.” “The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it’s conformity.” “Every human being must have a point at which he stands against the culture, where he says, ‘This is me and the world be damned!’” “Communication leads to community — that is, to understanding, intimacy, and the mutual valuing that was previously lacking.” “Life comes from physical survival; but the good life comes from what we care about.” “Courage is not the absence of despair; it is, rather, the capacity to move ahead in spite of despair.” “To love means to open ourselves to the negative as well as the positive – to grief, sorrow, and disappointment as well as to joy, fulfillment …” These quotes reflect themes of courage, authenticity, solitude, creativity, relationality, and the acceptance of existential tension. Lessons from Rollo May From May’s life and thought, we can distill several lessons that remain alive today: Embrace anxiety rather than flee it Anxiety, in May’s view, can be a compass to what matters deeply. Rather than pathologizing it, we can use its energy to push toward growth. Courage is necessary for authenticity To become our true selves, we must risk nonconformity, failure, and rejection. May teaches us that courage is a daily, existential stance. Creativity is existential work Creating is not optional—it is essential. It forces us to engage with chaos, possibility, and renewal. Love is an act of will, not just feeling Love demands responsibility, commitment, risk, and sometimes suffering. Meaning matters We live not only to survive, but to care, value, connect. May shows that what we care about shapes the “good life.” We are relational beings Our self is formed in relation—to others, to the world. May’s use of Mitwelt, Umwelt, Eigenwelt reminds us to integrate all dimensions. Myth and narrative are vital In a secular, fragmented age, myth offers symbols and shared meaning that help us orient ourselves existentially. Conclusion Rollo May stands as a bridge between philosophy and psychological practice. His bold insistence that human life includes suffering, freedom, and potential has given generations a language to explore what it means to live meaningfully. His work invites us not to avoid the darkness of existence but to dare to bring light from within. Articles by the author Human dignity is based upon freedom, and freedom upon human dignity. The one presupposes the other. Rollo May Freedom is man's capacity to take a hand in his own development. It is our capacity to mold ourselves. Rollo May I believe that the therapist's function should be to help people become free to be aware of and to experience their possibilities. Rollo May Human freedom involves our capacity to pause, to choose the one response toward which we wish to throw our weight. Rollo May Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing. Rollo May Joy, rather than happiness, is the goal of life, for joy is the emotion which accompanies our fulfilling our natures as human beings. It is based on the experience of one's identity as a being of worth and dignity. Rollo May Psychoanalysis - and any good therapy - is a method of increasing one's awareness of destiny in order to increase one's experience of freedom. Rollo May Loneliness is such an omnipotent and painful threat to many persons that they have little conception of the positive values of solitude and even, at times, are frightened at the prospect of being alone. Rollo May Depression is the inability to construct a future. Rollo May Courage is not the absence of despair; it is, rather, the capacity to move ahead in spite of despair. Rollo May The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity. Rollo May It requires greater courage to preserve inner freedom, to move on in one's inward journey into new realms, than to stand defiantly for outer freedom. It is often easier to play the martyr, as it is to be rash in battle. Rollo May If you do not express your own original ideas, if you do not listen to your own being, you will have betrayed yourself. Rollo May Care is a state in which something does matter; it is the source of human tenderness. Rollo May The relationship between commitment and doubt is by no means an antagonistic one. Commitment is healthiest when it's not without doubt but in spite of doubt. Rollo May ImportantQuote - Love, Motivational & Life Quotes Daily. Discover the internet’s most-loved quotes: love, motivational, life, friendship, funny, and more. 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Title

Year

Key Themes / Impact

The Meaning of Anxiety

1950 (revised 1977)

Anxiety is not just a symptom but something existential—when we confront values, choices, and possibility.

Man’s Search for Himself

1953

The struggle for identity, self-awareness, meaning, and the existential vacuum.

Love and Will

1969

Probably his best-known book. May explores love and will as fundamental human capacities, their tensions, the daimonic (forces of nature within us).

Power and Innocence: A Search for the Sources of Violence

1972

Investigates sources of violence in humanity, the interplay of power and moral innocence.

The Courage to Create

1975

Creativity as an act of courage—facing anxiety, risking failure, giving birth to new forms.

Freedom and Destiny

1981

The interplay between human freedom and the constraints of existence.

The Discovery of Being: Writings in Existential Psychology

1983

A collection of essays deepening his existential-psychological reflections.

My Quest for Beauty

1985

Reflects on aesthetics, creativity, and beauty’s role in human life.

The Cry for Myth

1991

Argues for the necessity of myth in modern life as a mode for conveying meaning.

The Psychology of Existence

published posthumously (1995)

A more integrative view of existential psychotherapy.

Through these works, May developed a rich vocabulary of existential psychology: anxiety, guilt, freedom, responsibility, daimonic, creativity, courage, authenticity.

Central Concepts

Anxiety as existential rather than pathological
For May, anxiety is not merely a symptom to eliminate; it arises when we become aware of our possibilities, limitations, freedom, and responsibility. It signals the tension of existence and can catalyze growth if confronted.
The Daimonic
May introduced the idea of the daimonic—inner forces or impulses (creative energy, drive, emotion) that can be constructive or destructive. It warns against denying these forces wholly; instead, we must learn to channel them.
Freedom and responsibility
People must learn to make choices, affirm values, and accept the weight of responsibility. Freedom entails risk and anxiety.
Guilt as ontological
May distinguishes existential guilt (for not realizing one’s potential, failing relationally, denying one’s inner self) from moral guilt. It is intrinsic to human existence.
Creativity & courage
True creativity demands courage—it involves facing the unknown, the risk of failure, and integrating both order and chaos. May’s The Courage to Create is a manifesto on this.
Love and Will
May articulates that love is an intentional act (not just feeling) and that will (volition) must support love; the tension between them is central to human life.
Authenticity, self, world
He uses existential-pedagogical categories such as Eigenwelt (one’s inner world), Mitwelt (world of others), and Umwelt (world of nature, biology) to conceptualize dimensions of human experience.

Influence and Legacy

May was a central figure in bringing existential psychology into the American mainstream, influencing psychotherapists, clinicians, and thinkers.
He co-founded Saybrook Graduate School & Research Center (in San Francisco), a hub for humanistic/existential psychology.
His work influenced later existential therapists and writers, such as Irvin Yalom.
May’s insistence on grappling with existential angst, tragedy, creativity, and meaning shifted psychological discourse beyond pathology, toward a fuller anthropology of human beings.
His ideas on creativity, myth, and human potential continue to resonate beyond psychology—in philosophy, arts, theology, and cultural critique.

Famous Quotes

Here are several memorable lines by Rollo May that reflect his philosophical-psychological depth:

“It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when they have lost their way.”
“Many people suffer from the fear of finding oneself alone, and so they don't find themselves at all.”
“In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude.”
“The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it’s conformity.”
“Every human being must have a point at which he stands against the culture, where he says, ‘This is me and the world be damned!’”
“Communication leads to community — that is, to understanding, intimacy, and the mutual valuing that was previously lacking.”
“Life comes from physical survival; but the good life comes from what we care about.”
“Courage is not the absence of despair; it is, rather, the capacity to move ahead in spite of despair.”
“To love means to open ourselves to the negative as well as the positive – to grief, sorrow, and disappointment as well as to joy, fulfillment …”

These quotes reflect themes of courage, authenticity, solitude, creativity, relationality, and the acceptance of existential tension.

Lessons from Rollo May

From May’s life and thought, we can distill several lessons that remain alive today:

Embrace anxiety rather than flee it
Anxiety, in May’s view, can be a compass to what matters deeply. Rather than pathologizing it, we can use its energy to push toward growth.
Courage is necessary for authenticity
To become our true selves, we must risk nonconformity, failure, and rejection. May teaches us that courage is a daily, existential stance.
Creativity is existential work
Creating is not optional—it is essential. It forces us to engage with chaos, possibility, and renewal.
Love is an act of will, not just feeling
Love demands responsibility, commitment, risk, and sometimes suffering.
Meaning matters
We live not only to survive, but to care, value, connect. May shows that what we care about shapes the “good life.”
We are relational beings
Our self is formed in relation—to others, to the world. May’s use of Mitwelt, Umwelt, Eigenwelt reminds us to integrate all dimensions.
Myth and narrative are vital
In a secular, fragmented age, myth offers symbols and shared meaning that help us orient ourselves existentially.

Conclusion

Rollo May stands as a bridge between philosophy and psychological practice. His bold insistence that human life includes suffering, freedom, and potential has given generations a language to explore what it means to live meaningfully. His work invites us not to avoid the darkness of existence but to dare to bring light from within.

Articles by the author