Mission Possible
Choosing humanity in unsettling times
Earlier this week, I went to see Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning. Before buying popcorn, I received a text from someone who was supposed to service our house the next day. They canceled. They’re too scared to leave their home. While I watched Tom Cruise perform crazy stunts across the screen, 700 Marines were deployed to our city, joining the 2000 National Guard already here.
It’s a strange feeling to have a completely normal experience in completely abnormal times.
At the end of the movie, someone (keeping it vague, so as not to spoil anything) delivered a deeply relevant monologue. It felt like a message for this exact moment—a meditation on agency, responsibility, and the kind of performance that transcends a single role or individual goals.
"Like it or not, we are masters of our fate. Nothing is written. And our cause, however righteous, pales in comparison to the impact of our effect. Any hope for a better future comes from willing that future into being. A future reflecting the measure of good within ourselves. And all that is good inside us is measured by the good we do for others. We all share the same fate, the same future. The sum of our infinite choices. One such future is built on kindness, trust, and mutual understanding, should we choose to accept it. Driving without question towards a light we cannot see. Not just for those we hold close, but for those we'll never meet."
I think a lot about performance and this moment is no different. Sure, there’s the kind of performance that athletes and musicians do. But there’s also the kind of performance that we all do as humans. The kind that matters when the stakes are real, the future is uncertain, and fear seems omnipresent.
The words in that monologue emphasize the value of personal responsibility. We forge our own path with every decision we make. While there are countless factors outside of our control, we do have the freedom to choose our actions and how we respond to what happens around us.
“And our cause, however righteous, pales in comparison to the impact of our effect.”
Intention does not always result in the desired outcome. There is a significant distinction between the two. Even if we believe we're fighting for a just cause, what matters most is the actual effect we have. We must be cautious about self-righteousness and remind ourselves that results speak louder than ideals. Of course, change also takes time and sometimes a positive effect is simply educating others.
“A future reflecting the measure of good within ourselves. And all that is good inside us is measured by the good we do for others.”
It’s a powerful thought: our future will be a reflection of the amount of good within all of us, collectively. What are the values that we’re choosing right now? Are the actions we’re taking in alignment with those values? We are building our future based on those values, so we should probably be mindful. When we take care of our neighbors, when we stand up for basic human rights, we are turning the good within us into action—and those actions matter.
“Driving without question towards a light we cannot see. Not just for those we hold close, but for those we'll never meet."
Here’s what I believe: We are living in this particular moment in history for a reason. Each of us has a mission to accomplish—and I don’t actually think it’s impossible. We have to keep taking action towards the light, even if the darkness is loud. We can always be guided by our principles, if we allow it. And those values-driven actions will create the future for our children and strangers we’ll never know.
Peak performance is about showing up as the best version of yourself—and right now, we are being asked to perform as human beings. Choose kindness, empathy, and humanity right now. Root your personal goals in a “why” bigger than yourself.
It may feel strange to go to the movies, train for a race, go to work, or write a blog post in these dystopian times. But this, too, is performance. How we show up in these moments matters.
The mission we’re currently presented with isn’t just for actors or athletes. It’s for all of us—ordinary people navigating extraordinary times. We may not see the full impact of our choices, but if we keep choosing wisely, with humanity and decency at the forefront, we’ll move closer to a future that’s good . . . for all of us.
