Make Personal Mission Statements Work for You
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Make Personal Mission Statements Work for You
Personal mission statements guide you toward your goals. If you sometimes feel like you’re floundering, chart your course by putting your purpose into writing. Try these suggestions for applying personal mission statements to your professional and personal life.
Understanding the Basics of Personal Mission Statements
Here are six key principles to follow.
First, perform an inventory. Your personal mission statement encompasses who you are and what you want out of life.
I like doing a personal S.W.O.T. analysis. Businesses use SWOT to evaluate their activity, so why not use the same approach in your personal affairs?
Consider your core values and beliefs. Review your past accomplishments. Look for common themes that suggest your strengths and priorities. Ask yourself what you want your legacy to be.
Next, seek inspiration. One of the major benefits of mission statements is the motivation they provide. When you toil away at a tedious task or run into an obstacle, you can remind yourself of why you’re making the effort. Knowing your WHY is a very important motivation for giving your best effort at all times.
Then write it down. Putting your thoughts down on paper makes them more concrete in your mind. It’s easier to see how you’re doing and hold yourself accountable. We all get great ideas, but without writing them down, they have a tendency to drift away.
The same is true with your sense of personal purpose.
Above all, keep it brief. While there may be a lot of thought behind your mission statement, keep the final product short and powerful. That way you can pinpoint the values that matter most to you and measure your success.
Simplicity also adds to clarity. Having a short but succinct statement helps you maintain focus.
Then, gather feedback. Welcome input from others as you create your mission statement and carry it out. Your friends and coworkers may notice factors that you tend to overlook. Others will have keen insights into potential blind spots you have.
