Create a personal mission statement (summary)

Helps you connect with your own unique purpose.
A directional compass that guides your words, actions, decisions, and behaviors.
Steers your talent, determination, and commitment into a specific direction.
Provides clarity as you set goals.
Forces you to think through your priorities deeply,
Helps you to align your behavior with your beliefs
Articulates how you define success.
Articulates which things are important—which things are really worth acting upon.
Life is a journey and your mission statement is your map.

No set length or style. It can be a poem, a few sentences, a few pages, or even a song.
An expression of your unique capacity to contribute.
An expression of your core values.
Inspires and motivates you rather than impresses anyone else.
Should empower you to go onwards and upwards.
Based on true principles which produce well-being.
Deals with what you want to be and do with your life.
Instead of stating what you want to avoid, it positively reflects what you want to be, do, and experience.
Uses strong language.
Written in the present tense.
Deals with both character and competence.
Deals with all the significant roles in your life. It represents a lifetime balance of personal, family, work, community – whatever roles you feel are yours to fill.

If what you write feels flat and unexciting, you’re on the wrong track. If the words overwhelm you with emotion and excitement, you’re onto something!

Write about each of the three topics below without stopping.
Identify an influential person who has had a positive influence on your life. What are the qualities you most admire in this person?
Imagine it’s twenty years in the future. You have achieved all you ever hoped to achieve. What is your list of accomplishments? What do you want to have, do, and be?
What are the ten things that are most rewarding to you today? What do you live for and love in life? How do you contribute to the world?
Review what you’ve written and circle the key words, and phrases that you would like to include in your mission statement.
Write a rough draft of your mission statement.
During the week, carry your draft with you and make additions and deletions as needed each day.
At the end of the week, write a final copy of your mission statement.
Find a permanent place for it where you can easily access it.

Share it with others if you feel called.
Read your mission statement often.
Frame or display your personal purpose statement in a place where you will see it.

Goals are what give your mission statement momentum.
Goals create a plan of action and help measure whether or not you are successfully living your mission statement.
Roles and goals give structure and organized direction to your personal mission.

What? Specify what your goal is precisely.
Why? Why do you wish to see this goal fulfilled?
How? How will you get there?
When? Give your dreams deadlines.
Identify and prioritise the actions needed to reach the goals.
Take a look at the action steps in your list and prioritize them. What is the very first action? Can you take it now?

Do I feel that this mission statement represents the best within me?
Do I feel direction, purpose, challenge, and motivation when I review my mission statement?
Am I living my life according to the ideals and values that are incorporated in my mission statement?

Your personal mission statement is not a certificate to be put into the drawer. It is supposed to be your lens, starting point, the source of focus. Use it.
Your mission statement isn’t permanent. As your priorities and tastes change, and as new opportunities present themselves, your mission will adapt and grow.