What’s your personal mission statement?
What is your purpose, your mission? It’s a difficult question to answer, but when you take the time to fully examine and create your personal mission state you will be empowered with a guide that you can use to get your bearings in life, in your career and in your relationships.
Just as a company’s mission statement defines it’s core purpose - the reason for the company’s existence - a personal mission statement defines the reason you operate the way you do. An effective personal mission statement is inspiring and easily understood by yourself and others in your life.
Five years ago I had no clue how to begin a personal mission statement. I had this vague idea that creating one would be a good thing, because at the time I started writing it I didn’t feel like I had a clear direction for my life and myself. So I sat down and struggled with writing one and after many revisions finally arrived at my personal mission statement:
“I will work in an environment where I can learn and expand my skills while making a difference to those with which I work, and in the business I conduct.
I will treat all that I encounter fairly and justly, in a manner in which I myself would wish to be treated.
I will commit myself fully in relationships with those I love.
I will work at tasks that I enjoy and excite me, to achieve financial freedom. This freedom will allow me to pursue my desires to work with technology, and to pursue my entrepreneurial spirit with new ideas and business ventures. This freedom will allow me to take care of, and spend time with my family.”
Over the last five years I’ve tried to reflect on my mission statement at least monthly, and I’ve made it a point to consult it when making major decisions.
I’ve also learned to share it with the people in my life who can have a dramatic impact on my performance and my life. And this is the big secret I’ve learned over the years; if you’re not sharing your personal mission statement with your mentor and the people in your influence network, you’re missing out on a lot of the power of having a personal mission statement in the first place.
For about three years I kept my personal mission statement hidden from just about everyone. I looked at it often, and I used it to help guide my decision, but I didn’t share with others my mission. Finally about two years ago I made a point to share my personal mission statement with one of the senior executives at my company. I finally decided to share my personal mission statement because the individual with whom I shared it was a huge supporter of personal growth and development.
Once I shared it, and I wasn’t laughed at for my mission statement, I immediately felt more comfortable sharing it with others. As I did, my circle of influential people grew. At the same time, I helped provide direction to a few people around me to write their own personal mission statement.
As I shared my mission, I found that more opportunities that were extremely closely aligned with my personal mission statement appeared out of nowhere. The “vibe” I was communicating out was coming back and providing me with benefits that were multiplied many times over.
Today there is no reason to not have a personal mission statement! There are numerous resources on the Internet and in books that will walk you along the process of creating your own personal mission statement.
There are some excellent worksheets in Tommy Newberry’s book “Success Is Not An Accident
If you don’t have a personal mission statement I would challenge you to spend at least a half-hour working on one for yourself. Here’s a quick way to write a personal mission statement:
1) Start writing all the things that best capture your personal values and beliefs; in this step completeness is more important than making it “sound good”.
2) Cull your best ideas down into your first draft of your personal mission statement.
3) Put this draft away for a few days! You want to let your subconscious mull around your first draft of your mission statement. Let things gel for a few days to a week, don’t consciously think about your personal mission statement. This is the most important step of the process.
4) After about a week pull out your personal mission statement and re-read it. Does it ring true? Does it strike a chord deep inside you? Does is just feel “right”? If yes, great! It’s time to polish it! If no, then go back to the beginning and brainstorm some more.
5) Remember high-school English class and endless re-writing of your papers? It’s time to put that practice to good use by re-writing your personal mission statement until you have a version you’re happy with.
6) Take this semi-final version of your personal mission statement and test it. If you have one, ask your mentor’s opinion of your personal mission statement. Ask close, supportive, friends of their opinion of your personal mission statement. Put your feelings on hold during this process and really look for and accept constructive criticism of your personal mission statement. This is the major benefit of having a mentor or personal development network you trust.
7) Take all of the feedback and look at your personal mission statement in the light of any recommendations or comments you’ve received. Make any changes you feel are needed. This should be your final draft and the end result should be your personal mission statement; congratulations!
Once you have your personal mission statement finished, commit to yourself that you will regularly review it and consult it before making major life decisions to make sure those decisions are aligned with your mission and your beliefs.
I guarantee you that you’ll see positive changes in your life as you spend more and more time integrating your personal mission statement into your routine. As you put it out to others, you’ll start to see new opportunities present themselves that just seem perfect for you!
1 comment December 6th, 2005
