Maegan LujanMission statements can be short like TED’s, “Spread ideas.”
And ClickUp’s, “One app to replace them all.”
Or a bit longer and more future-focused like Tesla’s, “To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.”
Or more people-oriented like LinkedIn’s, “To connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.”
Company mission statements are helpful. They keep teams working together for a common purpose but have you ever thought about having a personal mission statement?
The reality is we are living in a rapidly changing world and a pretty crazy one at the moment.
I’m one to chase the sunrise up every morning and to get down in the trenches and get to work.
Not one to focus on the negative but the truth is that depression is at an all-time high and people are more overwhelmed than ever. But this makes it now more important than ever to have a personal mission statement.
One that will inspire you and keep you going when the days get hard.
We have goals and dreams for our brands but what about your goals and dreams?
It is important to reflect on your own mission too because you are your personal brand and you are what fuels your professional mission.
A personal mission statement acts as a guide. It is something you can think about as you schedule your work and evaluate your priorities.
It is really important to think about who you are and what you want to achieve. Not what other people expect of you or want from you or just what you think you should do.
The Liberation of Letting Go
I remember seeing an interview with Arianna Huffington about doing a life audit when she was 40 years old. She said she looked through all the projects that she thought she would do, like becoming a good skier and learning how to cook, and even learning German.
But she decided she was never going to do those things so she gave them up.
And just like that, she realized how liberating it is to complete a project by dropping it.
We have goals and dreams on our lists sometimes that we come to realize are just not going to happen because they are not even what we really want or not the priorities. And we do not need to feel like a failure letting them go.
So as you work on your personal mission statement, think about what YOU really want.
Here are some questions to ask:
- What have I already accomplished?
- What have I yet to accomplish?
- Are these things even important to me?
- If I only had so much time, which ones would I want to do?
- What can I let go of?
Now you are ready to start your statement.
Writing Your Personal Mission Statement
Pull together your answers from the questions above and also some things you know about yourself. The values that are important to you. How you handle life and more.
Then use the following tips for writing your statement.
Make It Personal
It is called a Personal Mission Statement for a reason. This is to fit you. Not something generic that could easily fit someone else. It needs to be meaningful to you or it will lose its whole purpose. Think about your contributions, your purpose, and your values.
Make It Fit All Of Your Life
We are multifaceted as human beings. We have professional, personal, and emotional lives. We live life as one person involved in many different things, often multiple things at once. Make your statement something that will inspire you in every aspect of your life.
Your health, your career and finances, and the non-work-related goals you want to achieve.
Make It Guide You In The Now
The present tense is more powerful to your mind than something you will do in the future. You want your mission statement to simplify all the decisions you make. Something that you can read to know if you are on the right course or not. If you are living up to your values and scheduling your life accordingly.
Make It Long-Term Too
While you want it to be applicable now, you can think long-term too in the sense of what legacy you want to leave and what contribution you want to make to the world.
What do you want to be remembered for?
Use these guidelines to write your statement and then put it in action but starting to evaluate how you are doing work and business.
Are you living to your purpose and goals?
If you find that you’re not, it’s ok. We all lose our way. Just print out your statement and start reading it every day. Learn to guide your life by it.
Good things are waiting for you.
Indeed has a great list of personal mission statement examples if you need more inspiration.
And if you need help getting clarity on where you are going with your life and brand, I’m here for you.
Book your personal brand consulting session today.
