Why the heck am I doing this?
You need focus in your life. You need clarity, a sense of intention and sense of purpose so that you are not letting the circumstances of life dictate your path. Developing a mission statement for your life provides you with a tool that becomes your personal constitution. Don’t send amendments to congress for a vote…this is all about you.
Where do I even start?
It may help to see examples of mission statements, below are some mission statements for companies that are great examples. Keep in mind that your mission statement will likely be longer than these examples due to the fact that your life is multifaceted and the companies below are more singular in purpose. We have intentionally NOT included examples of other men in order to encourage you to deeper contemplation.
Ebay – “Provide a global trading platform where practically anyone can trade practically anything.”
PepsiCo – “To be the world’s premier consumer products company focused on convenient foods and beverages.”
Nike – “Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.”
Skype – “To be the fabric of real-time communication on the web.”
There is no right or wrong way to write a personal mission statement. A personal mission statement provides clarity and gives you a sense of purpose. It helps clarify who you are and how you will live. It is a guide to help you down the road of life. If it’s meaningful to you, then that’s all that matters, after all, you’re going to be living by it.
Begin thinking about your personal mission statement with the end in mind. Picture yourself attending your own funeral……What are those who were closest to you saying about you? What do you wish they were saying? Spend some time with God reflecting on that moment. What does He have to say about who you were and how you lived your life? Consider what your obituary would say. You may start by writing your obituary.
We start with the end in mind because the trajectory of your mission statement should point toward the fulfillment of your purpose here.
I’m not sure enough about who I am to do this!
Here are some helpful questions to help you consider who you are presently and what kind of man you want to be:
- What would the people who know are VERY CLOSE to you say about you? What would the people who only know you superficially say if they were asked to describe you?
- What are your values? Do you believe in honesty, justice, kindness, self-reliance?
- Who has inspired you? Do you want to have qualities similar to those folks? Figure out what those qualities are and list them.
- What promises do you need to make to yourself?
- What are you striving for?
Let’s DO this!
- Write your first draft. Brainstorm. Let your pen scrawl across the paper without worry for smooth, fancy sentences. Write things that come to mind easily. Be honest with yourself. The more honest you are with yourself, the stronger and more applicable your statement will be.
- Write your second or third drafts as needed. With each draft, become more sophisticated in your writing.
- Sign it. At the bottom, put your signature.
- Make it visible. Frame it on your wall, bedroom door, refrigerator, office–anywhere that you frequently see. This way, you can constantly be reminded of your values and follow your desired path.