How To Write Personal Mission Statements

Are you just getting through your life or are you on a mission?  I dare to say that living with a mission is much more meaningful and FUN; yes, FUN, than just muddling through.  Do you have a vision for the way you want your life to be?  Are your behaviors driven by that vision and your values?  The first step to creating the life you want is to define those visions and values CLEARLY, with the intention of making them come alive in your life. 

One way to get on the path of living "on purpose" is to create a personal mission statement like the one introduced in Stephen Covey’s "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People."  When I completed the first draft of my personal mission statement I put it away and proceeded to "forget about it."  When I went back to it a year and a half later, I was amazed that I hadn’t really forgotten about it at all.  I could clearly see the progress I’d made toward the vision and values I’d put forth in my personal mission statement,  without a lot of effort!

Steps for creating a Personal Mission Statement:

Get quiet!  Do whatever it is you do to connect with your spirit.

Brainstorm!  Write down everything, and I mean everything, that is important to you.  Let it flow!  Don’t censor yourself - this isn’t the time to think about what you’ve written or worry about grammar or spelling.  Think about all the different aspects of your life;  for example, family, career, friends, love relationships, spirituality, moral values, dreams and goals.

Once you’ve brainstormed, look for connections between the ideas and decide what will be included in your Personal Mission Statement.  Look for the values and visions in the different aspects of your life that are timeless, like the Constitution of the United States.  The purpose is to have something to use as a guide, to keep you focused on what’s truly important. 

Write your Personal Mission Statement in a format that makes sense for you.  You can write one flowing statement or break it down into the different aspects of your life.  Some people write paragraphs or use bullets, others get out the markers and make pie charts.

Revise your Personal Mission Statement!  As you grow and expand, allow your Personal Mission Statement to do the same.

© Kelly Carlson Smith