Every successful organization has a mission statement; a summary of the overall values and direction that the company is taking; its purpose or reason for existence. A personal mission statement defines who you are and what you stand for; it guides your decisions and keeps you from wandering in the wilderness. Creating your own personal mission statement can be a life changing and eye opening exercise, particularly for goal-oriented individuals. Find out how to write a personal mission statement.
Your personal mission statement can help assist you in choosing the right degree program, the best school for you, and even the individual courses you should take. Most people make decisions based on what others think, or on what they think they should do. The outcomes are very different from making choices from their heart-centered purpose in life. If you have never written a personal mission statement for yourself, we strongly encourage you to get out a piece of paper and follow these instructions.
Step by step instructions on How to Write a Personal Mission Statement
Step1: Divide your paper into four columns, and label them as follows:
- List 1: 3-5 Things that I want most out of life
- List 2: 3-5 Things that I want to see happen on the planet
- List 3: 3-5 Things that I believe make me special
- List 4: 3-5 Improvements in my life or achievements I can accomplish right now
This will take a little bit of soul searching so take your time and give some thought to these lists.
Step 2: Looking at your lists, circle the most important item from each column.
Ask yourself which of these most resonates with you. Making a single choice can sometimes be difficult, so be willing to sit for awhile with your thoughts and feelings.
Step 3: Using each of the four choices you picked, complete the statement by filling in the blanks.
I will __________________________________, using my ________________________,
(Take the circled item from List 4) (Take the circled item from List 3)
to accomplish ____________________________, and in doing so, also achieve
(Take the circled item from List 2)
_______________________________________.
(Take the circled item from List 1)
When you first read your personal mission statement, it may not make a whole lot of sense. Keep tweaking the words until your statement flows. You will know when it feels authentic for you.
Step 4: Save and view your personal mission statement often
Write or type out your personal mission statement on a separate piece of paper and hang it where you will see it often. Let your purpose be your guide when making your choices, setting your goals, staying on track, and truly living your life.