Writing a mission statement is an essential part of developing your personal identity, and a great way to put on paper a brief statement about your values, beliefs, and the kind of person you would like to become.
Many people wonder at the expense of time in developing a mission statement for themselves. After all life moves fast, and there is so much to do. The minutia of life, the endless things which need to be done scream for attention, and if left unchecked will consume our lives.
One way to keep what is important to ourselves is to create a mission statement, which is a summary of our values, goals, relationships, and what we would like to accomplish with our lives. I believe that life is like a jar full of rocks, pebbles, sand, and water. If the rocks do not go in first, then they will never fit. If the pebbles do not go in next then they will never fit. If the sand does not go in last, then it will never fit. If the water goes in first it will be displaced as other things call for our attention. Finding balance is the key to finding success.
A mission statement is composed of values. A value is a personality trait which you posses or you desire to cultivate. One way to discover values that are important to you are to meditate or pray. Tapping into your spiritual core is a great way to discover what is important to you. Listen to your inner voice which inspires you. Some common values which lead to mission statements are honesty, integrity, inspiration, and hard work.
The next step in developing a mission statement is to take your values, and write out a sentence defining clearly what your values mean to you.
Now that your values are clearly defined put them together in a mission statement. As every person is unique, every mission statement should be unique as well. I suggest that if you feel like you are copying someone else’s mission statement, that you need to go back and connect with yourself to have a mission statement which will drive and motivate you.
Mission statements should never be considered finished. As you discover new things about yourself, your mission statement should change and develop. Revisit your statement regularly for guidance, and to make sure it is still connects with you.
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