By Thamar Jones
Registered businesses have a clearly defined mission statement that you will sometimes see on the walls of the establishment as soon as you walk in. The objective of the mission statement is for the organization to define, and to let others know, the purpose of the business, what they stand for and what they aim to accomplish.
It’s important for individuals to know their purpose, what their values are and what they want to accomplish with their life as well. Creating your own personal mission statement is an excellent way for you to create a framework for what you want to do, as well as to define why you want to do it.
Here are some examples of personal mission statements by prominent figures of our time:
1. “To serve as a leader, live a balanced life, and apply ethical principles to make a significant difference” — Denise Morrison, Campbell Soup Company.
2. “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style” — Maya Angelou.
3. “To use my gifts of intelligence, charisma, and serial optimism to cultivate the self-worth and net-worth of women around the world” — Amanda Steinberg, Dailyworth.com.
4. “To make people happy” — Walt Disney, Founder of Walt Disney Productions.
5. “To be a teacher. And to be known for inspiring my students to be more than they thought they could be” — Oprah Winfrey, Founder of OWN, The Oprah Winfrey Network.
And my own:
6. “To use my platform as a media personality, own life experiences, my failures and my triumphs to inspire others to be the best version of themselves, to live with intention, living each moment of life to its fullest And to spread love and light through philanthropy” –Thamar Jones, Writer, Media Personality.
I encourage you to create your own personal mission statement too if you haven’t yet. Reviewing your mission statement periodically helps you to get absolutely clear about your values and can keep you focused on your purpose.
The things you do and say, the opportunities you accept, the posts you make on social media– should all be in alignment with the values expressed in your personal mission statement. It is like a guidepost to your life’s mission and the things that you invest time and energy in, should always take you closer to your life’s goal and purpose. Things you spend your time and energy on should be in alignment with your life’s mission.
If you know your life’s mission is to be a veterinarian, your mission statement may look something like this:
“To eliminate animal cruelty through public awareness education, to work with and to provide care to animals in need”
Once you are clear that your purpose involves service to animals, it becomes easier to recognize the opportunities you should take and the ones you should take a pass on.
Of course it doesn’t mean that you are not allowed to do anything else that does not involve animals—human beings have the capacity to be and do many things, sometimes simultaneously. It does however, mean that if you want to become a veterinarian, then pursuing a degree in banking and finance for example, would do nothing to bring you closer to your life’s mission. Therefore, you may choose to pursue a study that is more aligned with your life’s work instead.
That is how your mission statement helps you. It allows you to get clear about your passion and values and it helps you to maintain your focus. I encourage you to create your own personal mission statement today. Remember you can change it or build on it as you grow.
