Why Everyone Should Have a Personal Mission Statement

Every so often, we can feel out of sorts.  Life is humming right along, and yet, we feel uneasy.  Why does that happen?  Well, typically that that happens when we fail to live a life that reflects our values.  So, how do we keep ourselves from inadvertently drifting away in life from what really matters?  The answer is to have a personal mission statement.

Now, I’ll concede that mission statements have a bad reputation.  We tend to associate them with corporations.  They make us think of all kinds of corporate jargon, like “synergy,” “alignment,” and “innovation.”  But realize that a “personal” mission statement is quite different.

A personal mission statement is very, well, personal.  Your personal mission statement won’t be like anyone else’s.  It will reflect those things that you hold dear and will summarize how you want to live your life. 

The beauty of a personal mission statement is that once you have one, life becomes incredibly simple.  Every time you’re thinking of doing or saying anything significant, simply consider your personal mission statement.  And then make sure that what you plan to do or say is in keeping with that statement. 

The good news is this: If you live a life that is in line with your personal mission statement, everything that you do and say will reflect what you truly value, and you’ll end up being the kind of person you aspire to be.

Why Most People Never Create a Personal Mission Statement

If a personal mission statement provides so much clarity and makes decision-making so much easier, why doesn’t everyone have one?  Well, there are lots of reasons.  The biggest problem is that the world is noisy.  And amidst all that noise, it’s hard to figure out what is important to you. 

Realize that everyone in your life will have an opinion about what should matter to you.  Your parents will have ideas about what should be important to you.  Your spouse, friends and family members will have other ideas.  And the racket that other people create with their opinions can be deafening.  It can be so deafening that it can be hard to sort out what you really want to do with your life.

So, if you want to create a personal mission statement, you have to block out all that noise, and engage in some quiet introspection.  Through that introspection, you can figure out what you truly care about, and how you want to live your life.

It’s important to remember that other folks can value things that simply don’t matter to you.  They may value money.  Or adventure.  Or having nice clothes, fancy cars and big houses.  You very well may value some of those things.  Or you may value none of them. 

When creating a personal mission statement, what other people value is neither here nor there.  The only thing that matters when creating your personal mission statement is what you value, and how you want to live this one life that you’ve been given.

How to Create Your Own Mission Statement

A personal mission statement isn’t a To Do List of what you’d like to accomplish in this life.  Rather, it’s a short 3-4 sentence guide for how you want to live your life.  

So, when crafting your mission statement, here are some questions you might ask yourself:

What kind of life do I want?

What matters most to me?

Who do I want to become?

What do I want my days to feel like?

If those questions don’t provide you with clarity, then you might ask yourself the tougher and perhaps more uncomfortable question: “How do I need to live now, so that I’m happy with the life I’ve lived when I take my last breath?”

The reason why that question is difficult, and yet so important, is because it shines a light on the hard truth that each of us must face: Life is finite.  Not one of us will live forever.  Instead, we each have an unknown, limited number of days on this earth.  And you want to live those days in a way that reflects what you value – not what other people value.

If you are struggling to figure out a structure for your personal mission statement, consider using this format:

My mission is to live ____________ (creatively, faithfully, generously, thoughtfully); to care for ____________ (family, friends, my community, animals, the earth); to continue growing in ____________ (faith, knowledge, character, wisdom); and to use my ____________ (work, art, parenting, leadership) to help ____________.

As an example, here is my personal mission statement:

My mission is to live thoughtfully and creatively; to care deeply for my family, friends, animals, and the earth; to continue learning and growing in wisdom throughout my life; and to use my work and writing to help others build meaningful lives.

The most important thing to remember is that there is no “right” or “perfect” personal mission statement.  There is only a personal mission statement that is right for you.

Review Your Personal Mission Statement Regularly — and Then Actually Live by It

A personal mission statement is an effective tool that can help each of us live a life that reflects what we truly value.  Without a personal mission statement, we are apt to waste our precious time on this earth doing things don’t align with the kind of life we want to lead. 

But our personal mission statement is only effective if we actually use it!  And to do so, we should be reviewing it on a daily basis.

So, once you’ve crafted your personal mission statement, consider starting and ending each day by reflecting on your statement.  The benefit is that if you start your morning reading your mission statement, it will be at the forefront of your mind as you go through your day.  You’ll then be more likely to make choices throughout the day that align with what is important to you. 

Similarly, at the end of each day, consider reflecting on the day and think about whether you lived the day in accordance with your mission statement.  That’s the tougher part of the process.  Because not one of us lives each day perfectly.

For instance, last night I reflected on how I’d spent the day.  Some parts of my day were aligned with how I want to live my life.  I spent time learning Spanish.  I’d had great conversations with my daughter and husband.  And I’d cared for the pets in my home.

But in other ways, I didn’t live up to my mission statement.  I didn’t spend enough time writing.  Instead, I wasted some of my time energy fretting and worrying, when my mental energy should have been focused on creative pursuits. 

So, my day wasn’t perfect!  But I already know that each day I will fall a little bit short.  And that’s OK.  Because my personal mission statement is helping me to live each day more and more aligned with what truly matters to me.

So, if you are seeking to live a life that reflects your values and interests, create a personal mission statement.  Use it as a way to guide how you spend your days.  If you do so, you’ll accumulate days that truly reflect what matters to you.  And that will become a life well-lived. (To read about ways to start focusing on what matters, click here.)