Like many Americans—and people all around the world—I’ve been fixated on the news coming out of Ukraine. I am mesmerized by how the power of purpose is fueling ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

What’s stood out to me is how much the Ukrainian fight to protect their national sovereignty really speaks to the power of purpose in their nation, from Ukrainian citizens in the streets all the way up to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky. The power of purpose is the central theme in Purpose First Entrepreneur. Although the stakes are much greater for Ukrainians in this moment, the lessons are the same. It illustrates how tapping the power of purpose elevates, unites, and transforms people and their capacity to be their best—as individuals and as members of a bigger community.

Their purpose is crystal clear—they are fighting for the very foundations of their freedom and their democracy.

They come to the fight with a huge range of abilities and from a variety of circumstances. They are young and old. They are male, female, and nonbinary. They are soldiers, nurses, business owners, teachers, factory workers, and students. In this moment, they have come together, not based on abilities, but united in purpose. In ordinary circumstances, it might not be enough to unite them, but in this moment of crisis, this purpose amplifies their power.

So many of their circumstances are currently out of their control, but they have made a choice to focus on what they can control rather than what they can’t.

President Zelensky is a perfect example of this, and an example of how a Purpose First leader can make an impact, regardless of their given abilities or circumstances.

Zelensky’s background was as an actor, a comedian, not a lifetime politician, a savvy bureaucrat, or a military strategist. He brings a set of skills to this moment that might not naturally lend themselves to success in a situation like this one. But purpose elevates his performance in ways that have allowed him to far exceed what many might otherwise have expected from him.

The outcome of this moment will eventually fall along a spectrum that runs from victory to defeat. But at the end of the day, Ukrainians will have honed their abilities, decisions, and actions by pursuing their central purpose. They will know that they have given their all to the cause.

It's a profound reminder to us as we sit in our homes, watching it unfold on our screens, rooting for the Ukrainian people. It should serve as a rallying cry for us to be our best, to live out our values, to tap into the purpose that will drive us and elevate our performance in our own spheres of influence.

The reality is that, in answering that call, we will leave the world much better, regardless of the outcome of our efforts. How we perform, how we live, how we stay committed to our values—our Purpose Pillars—these move the goalposts in tangible ways.

Reflect on what you do.

Think about your purpose.

Rise to the challenge of that new opportunity.

Recognize the power of purpose in shaping your performance.

And as you do, send solidarity and support to the Ukrainian people as they put their purpose first.

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