When I ask my clients for a mission statement, most of the time
they’ll give me the company’s mission, but they rarely have one of their
own. Why?
Whether a company owner, department leader or individual, to
write a mission statement is to find your unique purpose.
A mission statement is not only useful in business; it can be
equally as beneficial to your personal life. As you grow and evolve, so should
your mission statement.
What goes into a
mission statement and what is its purpose?
You could begin with the basics such as noting your goals and
objectives; however, I like to challenge my clients to really think about why they are doing what they do. What do you
believe in? Are you doing something you have believed in since you were young? Would it be the job, career, life
path that you have chosen to pursue today?
When asked, “Why do you do what you do?” the answers often range
from an interest that developed in school to “It was easy for me,” to “I wanted
to make money.”
We can all ‘work to pay the bills,’ and reach a level of
‘success’ —yet how many of us pursue our beliefs or dreams from early on? Most
of us have to work, but life is not simply about doing a task. A mission
statement helps to make work more enjoyable.
Success is an interesting term—and it’s often associated with
financial gain. Yet, the only thing I know that truly makes money is the mint.
What is the depth of happiness from money if you will always be chasing it? When
you follow your heartfelt dreams, money will follow and happiness will be part
of your daily life both professionally and personally.
As you go through the process of writing down thoughts, start you’re
your interests and involvements, believe and begin to see the mission statement
form.
A mission statement prevents you from ‘getting stuck.’ It
creates a focus from which stems self-confidence. A mission statement
should be a living, breathing document that you visit from time-to-time, so
that your beliefs are always in line with your evolving aspirations and dreams.
Ultimately, a mission statement will give you an understanding of your purpose.
