These last several years have been unprecedented for everyone with a global pandemic. In the United States alone (June 2022), over 1 million+ Americans have died from covid19. If we thought it couldn't get worse in 2022, we have a war in Ukraine, economic turmoil, and mass shootings. It's these events that have caused havoc on mental health and fitness for everyone. The consequences are devastating with an uptick in suicides and mental health illnesses.

Everyone will get to a point in their lives where they seek purpose. This search could have been caused by a job loss, a death in the family, or just a mid-life crisis. Viktor Frankl, a renowned psychiatrist, describes purpose in his book Man's Search for Meaning where he describes his life in a Nazi death camp. Frankl argues that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose. This is from his tragic experiences where his parents, brother, and pregnant wife all died in these Nazi death camps. We don't think about Life until we have an encounter with Death. Below is an excerpt from Frankl's book and the experiences of someone who escaped Death. And found his real PURPOSE OF LIFE . "And yet, Frankl argues that despite the hellish conditions, some prisoners rose above their pain and continued to treat their fellow prisoners with compassion . They exercised what little freedom they had within themselves and adjusted their attitude toward their suffering, even if they could not eliminate the root of that suffering . While surviving the camps was largely a matter of luck, Frankl writes that those who were able to keep themselves going without committing suicide or choosing to waste away tended to have something to live for, a higher purpose to pursue . He argues that those who dedicate their lives to something can face any pain or hardship. " The definition of purpose is, "the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists." Keep this definition in mind as covid19 has forced individuals and businesses to question their purpose in life. What is important to you in Life? What is your POL? As many of you can guess from the title, POL is an acronym for Purpose Of Life. It's something each and every one of us will question at different stages in our Life. Without purpose, there is no meaning to Life. This leads us to the reason we built The PeopleFirst Academy. The purpose of The PeopleFirst Academy is to serve humanity by teaching organizations how to build People First cultures. The goal is to bring together a global community of people thinkers where "the power of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." These thinkers are staunch advocates for the PeopleFirst Philosophy . These are the people practitioners who are on the front lines of the #PeopleFirst Revolution. Covid19 has exposed a lot of the inequalities in our society today. The divide between the rich and the poor. It has exposed the lack of diversity and inclusion. Covid19 has exposed that we only move forward by placing People First in business and politics. At The PeopleFirst Academy, we believe in serving humanity for the better. We believe in diversity and inclusion. We are believers in the Working Class. WE BELIEVE IN PEOPLE! "Surround yourself with the Dreamers and the Doers, the Believers, and Thinkers. But most of all, surround yourself with those who see greatness within YOU, even when you don't see it in yourself." -Edmund Lee- If you believe in our PURPOSE , make a decision and take the first step. #PeopleFirst JOIN US IN THIS REVOLUTION AT THE PEOPLEFIRST ACADEMY!

There are those in your life that shape your thoughts and careers. For me in particular, there are two management thinkers that have shaped how I view business. The first is Peter Drucker who is called "The Father of Modern Management." His teachings and writings spanned a 65 year career starting with the publication in 1939 The End of Economic Man to his last publication in 2004 of The Daily Drucker. Peter Drucker passed away November 11, 2005 in Claremont, California. The second management thinker that affected our business thinking is "The Redbull of Management Thinking," Tom Peters. We will discuss their teachings and thoughts which have affected thinkers and students globally.