Writing Your Personal Vision/Mission Statement

I recently spent time rewriting my personal vision and mission statement. During this process, I realized that my vision for my work is directly tied to my personal vision. Having a career that represents my personal vision is potent because it has allowed me to develop a business life that reflects who I am in its entirety.

Companies are well-versed in vision and purpose statements and engaging personnel. Vision and mission statements steer the organization in the desired direction, ultimately leading to success. Many of us have devoted countless hours to crafting these statements for our employers and contributing to their vision as members of the team. Similarly, to a business, humans have a purpose or mission in life.

What if we spent the same amount of time figuring out who we are and what we want for ourselves? A personal vision/mission statement serves as the blueprint for building a successful life. A vision or mission rarely changes, unlike a goal. It is essential to our existence. It influences the decisions we make and the paths we pursue.

– Your Personal Vision

Close your eyes and visualize your future self. It could be several months or years from now. Consider who you are, what you’re doing, who you’re with, what you’ve accomplished, what’s important to you, and how others interact with you. How do you feel about being you? Sensitize yourself to your genuine self. Now, open your eyes and view your present life and self through them. You will become aware of the adjustments you must make to honor this goal and live a powerful life. A Personal Vision is a future image of your True Self. An effective personal vision encompasses all significant aspects of your life and career, including who you want to be, what you want to do, how you want to feel, what you want to own, and whom you want to interact with. Your personal vision enables you to see into the future, but it must be rooted in the present. It is a declaration of who you are and who you will become. It is the framework for the life-creation process. Your mission statement describes the means through which you will reach your vision.

– Your Personal Mission Statement

Personal Mission Statement – The means by which you will realize your Personal Vision in your daily life. It could be a few words or multiple pages, but it is not a list of tasks. It must reflect your individuality and speak to you eloquently about who you are and who you are becoming. Remember that it is acceptable to be where you are while traveling elsewhere. In fact, the only possible starting point is the present moment. Having a personal vision does not instantly transform your life. However, it will change your personal mission statement outlining the procedures necessary to achieve your goals.

Your Personal Mission Statement should respond to the following three questions:

What is the point of my life?

What do I believe in (Values)?

What steps do I take to make my Purpose and Values manifest?

Stephen Covey writes that a rousing Mission Statement should be: Represents your most and greatest qualities it stems from a strong connection with your inner existence. Is the realization of your particular gifts? It demonstrates your unique capacity to contribute, incorporates and addresses the bodily, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual components of the four primary human needs and capacities. Considers all of your major roles in life. It represents a lifetime balance of personal, family, career, and community roles that are uniquely yours. It is written to motivate you, not to impress others. It inspires and communicates on the most fundamental level.

“Creating a Personal Mission Statement will unquestionably be one of the most impactful and crucial steps you will ever take to assume life leadership. In it, you will determine the most significant roles, relationships, and things in your life, including who you want to be, what you want to do, to whom and what you want to devote your life, the values you want to base your life on, and the legacy you want to leave. It will serve as the foundation for all future objectives and decisions. It is similar to picking which wall to lean your ladder of life against before beginning to climb. It will serve as a compass, guiding you through the turbulent waters and pulling currents of your life.” The author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey.

A Personal Vision/Mission Statement can propel you into a new job or enhance your current position. The closer your Personal Vision/Mission is to you, the more effectively it can guide your job and your life.