Do you have a mission for your life? Crafting a mission statement will allow you to live more purposefully. The creation of a mission statement requires that you define your strengths, interests, and values. Once these are known and documented, life becomes much easier and more fulfilling.
You simply have to ask yourself, “Am I living in accordance to my mission statement?
Your goals will become more obvious and you’ll feel more certain and clear regarding your decisions.
Use these ideas to develop a mission statement and take control of your life:
1. Who are your heroes? Think about those you respect and admire. Consider people you know personally, people you know of, and people from history. What do they have in common? What traits or experiences do these people have that you’d like to see in yourself?
- Your true-self is closely aligned with those you hold in high regard.
2. Define the person you want to be. Life isn’t only about accomplishments and accumulating a list of impressive possessions. Life is also about the person you become and your contributions. Consider all the roles you might fill over your lifetime and define your ideal person for each of these roles:
- Student
- Spouse
- Grandparent
- Parent
- Employee
- Employer
- Boss
- Friend
3. Imagine you’re 80-years old and only have a month left to live. Look back on your life. What would you like to look back on? What do you want to be able to remember? Making a million dollars? Climbing Mount Everest? Starting a charity? Having happy, successful children?
- Start with the end in mind. Then you can create a path to reach that destination.
4. List your strengths, talents, and loves. What are you good at? Make a list of your natural talents and those areas where you’ve developed the most skill. Include the things you love to do, whether you’re good at them or not.
- If your mission statement can include or leverage your skills and talents, you’ll be able to accomplish more.
- By including the things that you love to do, you’ll have a lot more fun!
5. Create a list of purposes. Define the overall theme of your life and list the things that you want to accomplish in your life. Create a mission statement that incorporates all of these things into a central idea. It might require a couple of paragraphs to capture. These could be thought of as vague goals, such as:
- Alleviate the suffering of others.
- Fearlessly try new things and visit new places.
- Make a living in the field of music.
- Be a supportive and loving parent.
- Be grateful for all the experiences that enter my life.
- Be a committed life-long learner.
6. Set concrete goals that support your purposes. Set goals that will ensure that living your purpose is guaranteed. For example, what are some goals that might turn you into a supportive and loving parent?
- Resolve issues from my own childhood.
- Read and apply a book on being more patient.
- Get involved at my child’s school by volunteering.
- Read to my child each night.
- Tell my child, “I love you.” at least twice each day.
If you’re feeling confused, or your life lacks purpose, developing a mission statement is the answer. A mission statement creates focus and boundaries for your life. There’s much less confusion when you’re clear about your purpose and goals. Get your life on track with a thoughtful mission statement and live your life on purpose.