So far this year we have looked at finding our purpose, un-cluttering our thoughts and surroundings, as well as creating emotional well-being through exercise and movement. Now that the first quarter of the year has already come and gone, how do we know our life is really on track? One way is by taking the time to complete a personal mission statement. A powerful personal mission statement helps you to live your life’s purpose with a sense of direction and focus. The personal mission statement is not just the luxury of an elite, successful group. It is a life tool which you can use to infuse a renewed sense of intent and energy into your life.
What is a personal mission statement?
If you have ever wondered what gives certain people more drive than others. Or, thought about what it would mean for you to be living your life in balance and harmony. Then, constructing a personal mission statement is one way to uncover the answers to these questions and more.
In its shortest definition, a personal mission statement is a written expression of how you define yourself. It illustrates who you are and who you want to become in alignment with your desires, overall life purpose, goals, values and beliefs.
Creating your own mission statement empowers you to have a plan for your life. As the adage says, “failing to plan is planning to fail.”
A well-written personal mission statement will help you to navigate personal, career and life’s other decisions. This written statement will remind you about what is important to you when you become disheartened or uncertain.
A personal mission statement promotes emotional, physical and mental balance by providing a compass for your life. It reduces some of the undue stress and mental exhaustion caused by indecision, self-doubt, and living without clarity. Your mission statement guides you in living a joy-filled life based on what is meaningful to you. For example, a mission statement for working parents can help to promote balance between career choices and home life by emphasizing what is important in each area and making a connection between the two. For instance, a single parent can review their mission statement reminding them it is okay to feel less guilty about working hard to provide for their children with what they feel is important. For someone whose primary focus has become work, a personal mission statement can be used to create a personal reminder that other areas of life, such as health, family or friends, require attention too.
Remember, it is much easier to get to where you need to go when you know where you are headed and how to get there.
WRITE
- Ensure that you have peace and quite to think with minimal distraction when you are ready to begin the task of writing your personal mission statement.
- Think about your life’s purpose and how you see yourself living it in your daily life. If your mission is to motivate people, part of your mission statement may be to give at least one person a word of encouragement every day.
- There are several potential components that will help make up your personal mission statement. Ask yourself the following questions to discover your key values, personal benefits and actions that bring you the most joy, passion, and peace in your life.
What do I enjoy about my life now?
Is it weekly dinners with your closest friends, the stress release from a good workout, or enjoying the creative aspect of your job?
What am I grateful for?
Are you most grateful for your family and friends, having a boss who appreciates your contributions at work, or your ability to watch the squirrels and birds in the morning from your kitchen window?
What would I change about my life?
Do you want to have more time to read about the subjects that you love but never get around to, treasure more time to spend in nature or with your children just having fun?
Who are my role models?
Who are the most influential people in your life and what qualities do these people possess that are important to you? Is it your grandmother because she never spoke negatively about others, a co-worker who always seems to get the job done no matter the deadline with grace and ease, or a neighbor whose involvement in community service inspires you?
What roles do I play with the people of importance in my life?
Many people play several different roles in their lives. For example, you may be a parent, a sibling, a mentor, a career leader or an advocate in the community. Although each role is valuable and requires nurturing and attention, which ones bring you the most joy and passion?
What are my major accomplishments in life so far?
Take the time to celebrate what you have done. Think about some of your proudest personal and career moments. Was it your perseverance to get your degree, the volunteer project you help organize, or how you are complimented on your children’s politeness?
What else do I want to accomplish in my lifetime?
Do you want to run a marathon, climb a mountain, start your own business, invent something, become a fitness expert, travel the world or write a book?
There are various ways to write your mission statement. Think about your responses to the questions above. Use your sense of what your purpose and values are to help you determine how you will live these out in your life and the personal benefits you receive from them. Your mission statement takes your purpose and value and combines it with specific action. Think of your purpose as the gas in your tank, your values as your compass and your mission statement as the car that gets you to where you see yourself going. Consider using one, or a combination, of the following sample statements to get started:
“I value [values] because [personal benefits]. As a result, I will [specific action]”.
or
“My purpose in life is [purpose] because I enjoy [personal benefit]. I will choose to [specific action] in order to fulfill this purpose”.
or
“My mission in life is to [specific goal]. I will work towards achieving my mission by [specific action]”.
RE-WRITE
- A personal mission statement is meant to inspire you. Always ask yourself, “why?”
- Edit your statement draft as often as necessary until you are inspired and confident in what you have written for yourself.
- Your spirit will respond to your words when you have created a concise and focused statement.
- You will not be graded on this assignment. Although you may share your statement with others, the only person who can determine what is right or true in this case is you. So enjoy fine-tuning your statement until it works for you.
- Review your statement on a regular basis, as your life evolves, to make sure that you are still in alignment and balanced.
LIVE
- Ultimately, your personal mission statement is a guide for your life. Do not get so caught up into writing the “perfect” statement that you forget that the purpose of having one is to live it!
Use your personal statement to live authentically and to enjoy living your Ultimate life from the inside-out. UHL
